Summary

  • Luke Skywalker's inaction on Exegol allowed Emperor Palpatine's return to happen in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
  • Rey's New Jedi Order should be proactive to prevent Palpatine's potential re-return and to avoid Jedi complacency.
  • Rey can correct Luke's mistakes by leading a new era of Jedi with proactive peacekeeping and dedication to protecting the innocent.

Star Wars fans were divided by the bombshell revelation in 2019's The Rise of Skywalker that Emperor Palpatine, somehow, had returned. While some enjoyed the nostalgia, and the opportunity to see the Sith Lord again, others found it too gimmicky, particularly after Supreme Leader Snoke had already been established as the prequel trilogy's primary antagonist.

That said, Palpatine had a terrifying plan to use the secretly constructed Sith Eternal fleet to finally achieve his goal of bringing the galaxy under the rule of a new Sith empire. While The Rise of Skywalker made Palpatine's reappearance following the events of Return of the Jedi seem virtually inevitable, the 2022 novel Shadow of the Sith confirmed it was Luke Skywalker's fault.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on March 6, 2024: The Rise of Skywalker alienated many fans of the Star Wars franchise, particularly when it came to Emperor Palpatine's sudden and somewhat forced return from the dead. While certain Star Wars Disney+ series have endeavored to explain how Palpatine's return came to be, other projects have shown who is really to blame for the Sith Lord's resurrection. Because of Luke Skywalker's failures, it is up to new younger Jedi like Rey to fix his biggest mistakes.

Luke Knew About Exegol Long Before The Rise Of Skywalker

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Trivia

  • In the original cut of The Empire Strikes Back, Emperor Palpatine was portrayed by actress Marjorie Eaton under heavy prosthetics, with Clive Revill providing the character's voice. Ian McDiarmid reprised his role from Return of the Jedi to re-record this scene for later releases of the film.

In The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine returned due to his cloning project on Exegol, overseen by his followers. The film revealed that Snoke was a failed clone, as was Dathan (Rey's father). The story borrowed elements from the Expanded Universe and made Palpatine a near-immortal being that no Jedi would be able to detect, even through the Force. This is why his laboratory resurrected him after the fall of the Republic, operating in secrecy while General Leia Organa's Resistance fought against the First Order.

But in Shadow of the Sith, by Adam Christopher, Luke knew something dire was happening on Exegol. The Rise of Skywalker confirmed Luke knew about Exegol, but in this precursor novel, it's established that the Sith world was directly affecting the Jedi Master. At a dig site, Luke found kyber crystals and a seeing stone that transported his essence to the planet for Palpatine's wraiths to attack.

Luke's Inaction May Have Ultimately Allowed Palpatine's Return

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Trivia

  • Luke Skywalker and Han Solo are two of the only main heroes of the Original Trilogy to never appear in any of Star Wars' animated television shows, many of which have been used to fill in the gaps between various films.

The Rebel hero Lando Calrissian also found clues about Ochi of Bestoon hunting a family for the Sith cult, not knowing she'd grow up to be Rey. That led him to Komat, a defector from the Acolytes of the Beyond, which tried to restart the Sith. However, the biggest red flag was the novel's villain, a Sith viceroy named Exim Panshard. He possessed a disciple, Kiza, and waged war on Luke's crew, making it clear he was trying to use the crystals to get to Exegol to revive the Sith.

Luckily, the heroes stopped Panshard, and Luke took the relics back to his temple for study. But at that point, he should have moved aggressively and warned the rulers of the New Republic. Seeing as they didn't believe him and Lando about Ochi's hunt, they should have taken the information to Leia, especially if a new war was brewing.

They had the mask as proof, but Luke left his sister out of the loop while he opted to instead meditate on the incident. Had Luke been more proactive, detailing his nightmarish Sith visions as well, Leia could have lobbied for him to lead a task force. Ultimately, this investigation may have tracked down Ochi, confirming Palpatine's clone project and averting years of fighting.

Rey's New Jedi Order Can Fix Luke's Biggest Mistakes

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Trivia

  • A film depicting Rey's adventures as she founds a New Jedi Order is slated for release sometime in the next few years. The film will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

Many fans took issue with the way that Star Wars' Original Trilogy heroes failed in the Sequel Trilogy, allowing for the collapse of the New Republic, the return of Palpatine, and the rise of the Final Order. While these storylines may always be controversial, Lucasfilm is fully embracing the events of the Sequel Trilogy, as confirmed by Rey's upcoming spinoff film, set after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. This film offers plenty of opportunities for Star Wars to fix the mistakes of the Sequel Trilogy--and for Rey to fix the mistakes of her late master. As skilled and heroic a Jedi Knight as Luke Skywalker was, his mistakes led to Palpatine's return from the dead, nearly destroying the entire galaxy. Thankfully, Luke's pupil saw first-hand the fallout of his inaction and now has the opportunity to avoid making the same errors.

If Palpatine somehow returned from the dead once, he can do so again. A man of many contingency plans, Darth Sidious should never be ruled out as a threat, even after his apparent death in The Rise of Skywalker. Rey's New Jedi Order can devote itself to stamping out any vestiges of the Final Order, squashing any chance of Palpatine's second return. Unlike Luke, Rey must not leave any stone unturned when it comes to wiping out any chance of Palpatine coming back, knowing that his third attempt to take over the galaxy would be nothing short of apocalyptic. Even in matters not relating to Palpatine, Rey must ensure that she doesn't embrace the complacency that has so often plagued Jedi throughout history. It is the Jedi's inaction that has led to most of the galaxy's major conflicts, showing Rey a better path forward through proactive peacekeeping and renewed zeal in protecting the innocent.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker may be a controversial entry in the Skywalker Saga, but it offers its main characters a better path forward than their predecessors. Luke Skywalker fixed many of the mistakes of the Jedi Masters that came before him but was not perfect. Now, Rey has the chance to fix the mistakes of her master, forging a safer galaxy in the meantime.

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Star Wars

The original trilogy depicts the heroic development of Luke Skywalker as a Jedi and his fight against Palpatine's Galactic Empire alongside his sister, Leia. The prequels tell the tragic backstory of their father, Anakin, who is corrupted by Palpatine and becomes Darth Vader.

Created by
George Lucas
Latest Film
Star Wars: Episode XI - The Rise of Skywalker
Latest TV Show
Ahsoka
Upcoming TV Shows
Andor
First Episode Air Date
November 12, 2019
Cast
Mark Hamill , Carrie Fisher , Harrison Ford , Hayden Christensen , Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Ian McDiarmid , Daisy Ridley , Adam Driver , Rosario Dawson , Pedro Pascal
Spin-offs (Movies)
Rogue One , Solo: A Star Wars Story
TV Show(s)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars , The Mandalorian , Ahsoka , Andor , Obi-Wan Kenobi , The Book of Boba Fett , Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Character(s)
Luke Skywalker , Han Solo , Princess Leia Organa , Din Djarin , Yoda , Grogu , Darth Vader , Emperor Palpatine , Rey Skywalker
Where to Stream
Disney+
Comic
Star Wars: Revelations