A 2014 quote from LucasFilm writer and executive Pablo Hidalgo may prove that the Rey twist at the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was planned from the get-go.
Published in the recently released Art Of Star Wars book, the quote was recorded roughly a year and a half before The Force Awakens was released. Hidalgo was discussing Rey’s trajectory in a story group meeting and how he would enjoy seeing her grow and eventually take on the mantle of “Skywalker.”
"I like the idea that she’s going to be our Skywalker, but she’s not a Skywalker," Hidalgo said. "Then, for our purposes, 'the Skywalker' is really a metaphor. It doesn’t have to be something that’s directly connected to blood."
One of the biggest criticisms Episode IX drew was that Rey’s turn at the end of the film - from a Palpatine to a Skywalker - seemed hastily planned. But Hidalgo’s quote demonstrates that the writers were discussing something very similar long before fans even got a glimpse of their scavenger-turned-Jedi. What’s unclear is whether LucasFilm always planned on making Rey a Palpatine, but it’s a very big possibility.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant.
(via Screen Rant)