Rey seemingly returns to Luke Skywalker's island on Ahch-To in the latest Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker TV spot. It was five years ago today (November 28) when audiences got their first look at the sequel trilogy via the first Force Awakens teaser trailer. A lot has happened since then (putting it mildly), and now fans are just a few weeks away from experiencing the end of the saga. The Rise of Skywalker is now complete and awaiting its December premiere, with Disney continuing to hype up the film's impending release.
Marketing efforts have been kicked into overdrive the past couple of weeks, with everything from still images, character posters, and TV spots hitting the scene. By and large, these materials maintain a spoiler-averse approach to promotion, barely revealing anything of note about the movie's overall story. But now, there's a tantalizing breadcrumb that hints Rey is going back to one of the sequel trilogy's most recognizable worlds.
Today, Disney released another Rise of Skywalker TV spot. For the most part, it consists of recycled footage or generic out-of-context action shots. However, there is one intriguing shot featuring a hooded Rey. Looking at the background, it appears she is back on Ahch-To, the planet where she found Luke at the end of The Force Awakens. Take a look at it in the space below:
Based on how the spot is edited (which isn't indicative of how things will appear in the final film), Rey is observing the burned wreckage of what appears to be Kylo Ren's TIE fighter. Given how little is known about The Rise of Skywalker, it's borderline impossible to say with any certainty how a potential return to Ahch-To fits into the narrative (considering this isn't a vision or dream). Much like the infamous Dark Rey shot from the D23 trailer, showing Rey back on the planet (possibly with her frenemy Kylo in tow) is meant to generate the next batch of fan theories and get people speculating on possibilities. It fits into Abrams' mindset on the marketing campaign as a whole; a TV spot has shown Rey on Ahch-To, but audiences don't know why she's there or what she wants. It's a fascinating revelation, since it's known Rey is going on a Resistance mission with Finn and Poe. The group could get separated during their adventure.
Another intriguing aspect in the spot its is use of "Duel of the Fates" from The Phantom Menace, incorporating prequel era music into sequel trilogy marketing. Abrams has gone on record multiple times to say The Rise of Skywalker is the culmination of a nine-movie arc, so it isn't surprising Disney isn't shying away from the prequels. It's nice to see them find ways to bring all of the movies together, and it'll be interesting to see what kind of prequel nods are included in the finished film. Abrams' favorite scene from the prequel trilogy is one of Palpatine's trademark moments, so just about anything is possible.
Source: Disney
