Lucasfilm unveiled some brand new footage of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker at D23 today and, while it hasn’t yet landed online, descriptions have already spread around like wildfire on social media as it teases a shocking twist. Rey was depicted wearing a dark robe and wielding a double-sided red lightsaber. As the look summons up images of the Sith and the same weapon has previously been used by Darth Maul, it seems a lot like Rey has gone to the Dark Side.
So, what the heck is going on here? Well, Variety caught up with Daisy Ridley after the panel and asked her about the footage. Obviously, Ridley’s a pro at keeping Star Wars spoilers under her hat by this point, but her response does hint at a big struggle for Rey to come in Episode IX.
Daisy Ridley weighs in on Rey's light and dark aspects in #RiseOfSkywalker #D23 https://t.co/riFUMn7k83 pic.twitter.com/GsQ7liXAUv
— Variety (@Variety) August 24, 2019
After jokingly refusing to confirm whether she got to work with a double-edged lightsaber, Ridley said it was “great” to play both the Light and Dark Sides.
“It’s been great,” the actress explained. “I also think it’s, weirdly, the most human thing. Everyone struggles. Everyone’s has their thing of, like, ‘one thing’s pulling me this way, one thing’s pulling me this way. What’s this journey gonna be and where am I gonna end up?’ So it’s fun to play that.”
After The Force Awakens positioned Rey as the wholly good antithesis to Kylo Ren’s darkness, The Last Jedi saw the heroine dip her toe into the Dark Side and appear to be tempted, on some level, to join the First Order leader. Both Rey and Kylo ultimately decided to pick opposing sides in Episode VIII, but it makes sense that her dalliance with darkness will continue in Rise. Especially if Palpatine is manipulating her, as the movie’s poster seems to suggest.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20th. The footage screened at D23, meanwhile, will be officially released this Monday.