The Star Wars prequel trilogy revealed that not all Jedi fade away upon death, but that the ability to reappear as a Force ghost is only for those who have trained. While this idea explains why there aren't thousands of Jedi Force ghosts about, it still leaves questions about the ending of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. When Ben Solo dies, he too fades away into the Force, but it is left unclear if he can become a Force ghost.

As Kylo once again becomes Ben Solo, he aids Rey in defeating Palpatine once and for all. After their victory, Rey suffers from fatal wounds but is saved just in time by Ben, who sacrifices his life so she can live on. Ben dies and fades into the Force like many Jedi Masters before him, which would suggest he holds the ability to become a Force ghost. His absence from the final scene suggests otherwise, however, and other Star Wars media may offer the most likely explanation for what happened to him.

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In Star Wars: The Clone Wars show, Yoda is guided by the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn to learn more about the force. During this journey, Yoda discovers how to retain his form after death, a knowledge he passes onto Obi-Wan. But while fans assume this is the only way for a Jedi to become a Force ghost, Anakin's death proves otherwise.

At the end of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader finally turns on Palpatine and kills him, once again becoming the Jedi Anakin Skywalker. But once Luke takes off his father's helmet, Anakin finally passes away but doesn't immediately disappear like Obi-Wan and Yoda. And it isn't until the end of the flm that Anakin is seen as a force Ghost of his much younger self.

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Rey And Kylo Ren Fight In The Rise Of Skywalker

During his time as a Darth Vader, Anakin couldn't have trained to become a Force ghost because this ability isn't available to Sith. And so the current reason for him becoming a ghost, as stated on StarWars.com, is, "When Anakin died, his selfless sacrifice allowed his spirit to be preserved in the Force by his former mentors, Obi-Wan and Yoda." This suggests that, while Anakin didn't learn the technique of preserving himself, his masters were able to reward him with the ability.

This is where Ben Solo comes in. While it's still possible he trained to become a Force ghost before becoming Kylo Ren, it seems unlikely for a Padawan. This makes the most likely explanation that Ben was deemed worthy enough and was preserved by Luke and Leia. If that were the case, it is still a mystery as to why he did not appear at the end, but it could have something to do with Ben being one half of a Force dyad. When Ben passed away, the two halves may have been reunited within Rey, so it's possible that, as long as she lives, he can't fully become one with the Force.

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