We got a few Reylo moments in the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer. Let’s break down those scenes.
The sequel trilogy in Star Wars is about the end of the Skywalker Saga. Front and center of that is Rey and Kylo Ren.
Their relationship was the spark that got us to this point, on the brink of a giant war finally pitting the First Order and the Resistance against each other. Good vs. evil in the biggest way possible. Bringing together every corner of the galaxy to finally make a stand.
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In the final trailer for The Rise of Skywalker, we got a number of scenes with Rey and Kylo Ren, giving Reylo fans plenty to talk about. Let’s take a look at those scenes and what they possibly tell us on what to expect in Episode IX.
Rey and Kylo’s voice over
The first time they are linked in the trailer, Rey is standing on top of what looks like the Death Star bobbing in rough seas. She has a voice over while staring into waves crashing, blocking her view.
“People keep telling me they know me. No one does,” she says.
Kylo emerges from the waves, turns his lightsaber around as though he’s putting it back in scabbard.
His voice over: “But I do.”
This is a stark contrast to one of their moments in The Last Jedi when Rey is telling Kylo that she knows everything about him. Kylo concedes she knows what she needs about him but not because she knows the truth (she doesn’t know his truth) but because she has all the info she needs to form an opinion.
But now the tables are turned. Everyone has been telling Rey she is a hero, she is one with the Force. She is meant to save the Resistance. But that’s a lot of pressure to put on someone and she seems downright angry about it.
(Also maybe it’s a nod to all the theories about who she is from Lucasfilm. We don’t actually know anything.)
But it’s clear their bond wasn’t severed at the ending of The Last Jedi, though it may have felt that way when Rey closed the door to the Millennium Falcon. Instead, their bond has grown and the two continue to interact with each other.
Palpatine’s voice over
Palpatine starts by saying, “Long have I waited. And now you’re coming together is your undoing.”
While it may seem Palpatine Is talking to members of the Resistance, we see Rey and Kylo fighting during this voice over. It could have referred to them as well.
This moment does show there is a showdown between Rey and Kylo. There is a connection between the two, but also anger. They are on opposite sides of the galaxy-wide battle with Rey as a symbol for the Resistance and Kylo Ren as Supreme Leader of the First Order.
There is still a battle that needs to be waged not just between the factions, but also Rey and Kylo.
Kylo will either fully embrace his dark side or return to Ben Solo. There is no waffling anymore.
Perhaps that fight with Rey is what will finally force him to choose between the two, which is why Palpatine’s voiceover about ‘coming together’ occurs with the scene.
Rey and Kylo on the Death Star
As the hero music plays over a montage, the words “The Story Lives Forever” comes on screen followed by Rey and Kylo looking at each other while standing in the interior of the wrecked Death Star.
Rey has her lightsaber ignited, but at her side. Kylo stands there without his lightsaber on. For the few moments we see it – and I’m probably totally projecting – it doesn’t feel as though there is animosity here.
Neither seem ready to fight. In fact, their stances are more casual. It feels as though there is a moment here where old friends are reuniting, seeing each other for the first time in a long time.
Destroying Vader’s mask
This is followed by two clips later with Rey and a masked Kylo Ren thrashing the pedestal that holds Darth Vader’s helmet together with their lightsabers.
It doesn’t seem accidental either. If you look at the way Rey reacts when the blades go through the pedestal, she looks at the destruction but doesn’t look as though she is ready to fight again. Kylo has a similar reaction as though the destruction of the pedestal was the finale of the moment, not that there is more to the fight.
This feels purposeful, a symbolic gesture between the two destroying the legacy and memory of Vader together. I actually can’t wait for this in the movie to see everything before and after it.
There is another moment with Kylo heading toward something, but there’s not enough context to determine what’s going on here.
Watch the full trailer here.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters worldwide on December 20.