Star Wars: Episode IX will have the opportunity to use more Force ghosts than any movie before it. Will Star Wars use the maximum amount of Force ghosts at every opportunity, or will they be more conservative in their use?
We first saw Star Wars Force ghosts in the re-mastered ending of ROTJ. Anakin Skywalker, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared to Luke Skywalker after the Battle of Endor. At the time, we didn’t really know if Force ghosts could do much more than just exist. But The Last Jedi showed us they’re at least capable of blowing up Jedi Temples, and maybe more.
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As the series goes on and more battles are fought, more dead characters can become Force ghosts. Yoda was the first to appear in the sequel trilogy, but Disney’s Star Wars isn’t bound to stop there.
Who could appear
The three characters that have previously appeared as Force ghosts are most likely on the table for starters: Anakin Skywalker, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
If Force ghosts are happening in Episode IX, it almost seems like a given Luke Skywalker will be among them. He’s one of the most Force-capable characters in Star Wars, if not the single-most.
Photo Credit: LucasfilmLeia also has a good chance of appearing as a Force ghost. Lucasfilm did say Leia wouldn’t be CGI-ed into Episode IX, but that was before a script had been written. They may have meant Leia as she was in The Last Jedi wouldn’t be CGI-ed in. Anakin Skywalker appeared as his younger self at the end of ROTJ, so perhaps they could use the Rogue One technology to get Leia posthumously in Episode IX.
Han Solo would surely be beyond tempting to throw in there. He’d be the last piece of the puzzle to put Luke, Leia and Han side-by-side again. But there’s never been any indication that Han had force capabilities. It’s a temptation that Disney is best off resisting. They haven’t shied away from changing canon so far, but this is a decision on which Disney’s Star Wars should take its own advice and let the past die.
When and why Force ghosts will appear
When Anakin, Yoda and Obi-Wan appeared in ROTJ, they didn’t really serve a purpose in the narrative. Yoda in TLJ, however, showed up to advise Luke. I would think J.J. Abrams would be more likely to follow Rian Johnson’s footsteps and use Force ghosts for the plot.
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It’s also probably a given any potential Force ghost would appear to either of Rey or Kylo Ren, if not both. Maybe Kylo Ren, mourning the loss of his mother, will reconsider his allegiances and Leia will appear to consult him. Or Rey might again feel that pull to the dark side, but Luke comes around to keep pushing her in the right direction. Whatever the reason may be, Star Wars has the chance to bring some lost heroes back on screen.
With more fallen heroes in each episode, Star Wars’ bank of potential Force ghosts grow. It doesn’t seem likely that Yoda in TLJ was the last ghost of the sequel trilogy.
Star Wars Episode IX is set to premiere in December 2019.