The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker split opinion right down the middle, but for different reasons. A huge number of Star Wars fans loathed the wide-ranging changes Rian Johnson made to established canon, and the disconnect can be seen in the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes rating. Critics deemed it worthy of 91%, but audiences clearly disagreed, looking at the much lower 42% score.
However, most agreed The Rise of Skywalker was a disappointing conclusion to the epic nine-film saga. Plus, 51% on the aggregation site is the lowest of any live-action Star Wars blockbuster. J.J. Abrams’ Episode IX felt like damage control to try and get the skeptics back onside, but in the end it was all sizzle, doubling down on fan service and nostalgia at the expense of the narrative.
Even the final scene of the film proved controversial, with Rey deciding to adopt the Skywalker surname as the credits rolled; new Star Wars merch, bearing the Rey Skywalker name, has received mixed reactions.
Thanks to The Rise of Skywalker, the entirety of Star Wars was boiled down to a generational conflict between Anakin’s clan and the Palpatines, with Rey obviously having one foot in either camp. It appears that her new moniker has been cemented in the franchise’s lore.