Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker

Palpatine returns through unnatural means on the Sith planet Exagol. He reveals to Kylo Ren that he has been manipulating the First Order from the shadows all along, creating Snoke as a puppet leader. His essence or spirit survived his death in Return of the Jedi through dark side sorcery, allowing him to orchestrate the First Order's rise and wait for the right moment to reveal himself.

The opening crawl hints at his return through a mysterious broadcast echoing across the galaxy.

Rey learns she is the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine when she touches the Sith dagger on Kijimi, triggering buried memories. This revelation explains her powerful Force sensitivity and connects her to the dark side lineage. However, she chooses to reject this heritage and ultimately embraces the Skywalker family legacy instead.

Rey consistently experiences visions and a Force bond with Kylo Ren, hinting at a deeper connection to the dark side.

The Wayfinder is an ancient Sith artifact that charts a course to Exagol, the hidden home of the Sith. Kylo Ren obtains one from Mustafar, which leads him to Palpatine. The Resistance needs another one to reach Exagol and stop the Final Order before it's too late.

The mysterious broadcast from Palpatine creates urgency, driving the search for the artifact.

The Final Order is a massive fleet of Star Destroyers, each equipped with planet-destroying lasers, that Palpatine has been building in secret on Exagol. Without the coordinates to the planet, the Resistance has no way to destroy the fleet before it can annihilate the galaxy.

Palpatine's broadcast reveals his intention to end the Resistance and reclaim power.

Rey takes the name Skywalker to honor the family that raised her, trained her, and believed in her. Both Luke and Leia guided her Jedi journey, and she chooses to continue their legacy rather than accept Palpatine's dark heritage. She buries the Skywalker lightsabers on Tatooine, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of her new identity.

Throughout the film, Leia trains Rey and treats her as family, while Luke's spirit guides her.

Rey defeats Palpatine by drawing on the strength of all the Jedi who came before her. When Palpatine tries to drain her life Force to restore himself, Rey reflects his own dark energy back at him using the combined power of past Jedi, destroying him while she survives.

Earlier in the film, Rey hears the voices of past Jedi encouraging her during her training.

Kylo Ren is killed when Rey stabs him with his own lightsaber during their confrontation on the Death Star ruins. However, Rey uses the Force to heal him, bringing him back. He then sacrifices himself to help Rey and the Resistance by using his life Force to restore her after she defeats Palpatine.

The film hints at Kylo's redemption through his conflicted relationship with his mother Leia.

The Resistance receives intel from a First Order informant about a mole within their ranks. This information comes through during the skirmish with TIE-Fighters, prompting Finn, Poe, and Chewbacca to flee aboard the Millennium Falcon. The spy ultimately proves crucial to their understanding of the First Order's plans.

Kylo Ren himself expresses suspicion about a spy during a First Order meeting.

Rey touches the Sith dagger in desperation after learning Chewbacca has been captured. The dagger triggers Force visions that reveal her true parentage and connect her to the mystery of Ochi's ship, leading her to discover the truth about her lineage as Palpatine's granddaughter.

Earlier, Rey and Kylo discover Ochi's ship and the dagger during their confrontation.

Leia dies from the effort of using the Force to reach out to her son Kylo Ren during Rey's vision. Her body gives out from the strain of projecting herself across the galaxy while being pulled back to the Resistance ship. She dies peacefully, having guided Rey and Kylo both toward the light.

Throughout the film, Leia's Force abilities are shown to drain her, and she appears exhausted during her training sessions with Rey.

Chewbacca is captured by the First Order on Pasaana during a chaotic confrontation. The Resistance believes he has been killed when a transport ship he is on explodes, but Rey later discovers he is alive and being held prisoner. She rescues him in a daring operation on a Star Destroyer.

The explosion scene creates dramatic tension, leading the heroes to believe they have lost Chewbacca.

Palpatine orders Kylo Ren to kill Rey because she is his granddaughter and the last remaining threat to his plans. By eliminating her, Kylo would prove his loyalty to the dark side and remove the one person capable of defeating Palpatine. However, Kylo struggles with this command throughout the film, ultimately choosing not to kill her.

Palpatine's reveal of Rey's lineage creates this impossible choice for Kylo.