Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is just a few months away, so anticipation is at an all-time high. J.J. Abrams' blockbuster will complete the current trilogy, as well as the overarching Skywalker Saga. The generations of fans have been eager for any glimpse from the upcoming movie, and the final trailer arrived last night. Plenty of characters made appearances in the epic glimpse into Episode IX, but there are a few moments that reduce you to tears. Clearly, Abrams is going to be tugging at our heart strings.
Due to the high stakes of The Rise of Skywalker, emotions and tensions will be high heading into theaters. There was some backlash to Rian Johnson's bold vision in The Last Jedi, while Solo failed to really resonate with audiences. But the trailer already included plenty of tear-inducing moments. Check them out below.
"You're Coming Together"
The new trailer for The Rise of Skywalker is narrated by a bunch of the protagonists. This includes Ian McDiarmid's Palpatine, who has a mysterious role in the sequel. While he creepily teases his return to power, Palpatine mentions that the the timing was due to the heroes all coming together. While the shot is meant to be insidious, it comes with the group assembling in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. As Poe and Finn enter, Rey and Chewbacca make eye contact and smile. The gang's all here, and it should be interesting to see how their respective personalties and skills work together for this final adventure. The first two entries kept the heroes in separate stories; Poe didn't even meet Rey until the final moments of The Last Jedi. There's something immensely satisfying about seeing the good guys finally in the cockpit of the Falcon, as the original heroes had done so many times during George Lucas' first trilogy.
C-3PO's Friends
Anthony Daniels' C-3PO has the distinction of being a character who has a role in all three Star Wars trilogies. The chrome protocol droid took a back seat in The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, with only a brief role in those two movies. But he's been teased to have a bigger presence in The Rise of Skywalker, and this trailer certainly teases that. He'll be joining the heroes on their big adventure, and will get some creepy red eyes at some point during its runtime. The final trailer showed 3PO giving a goodbye of sorts, saying he wanted to look at his friends one last time. Things don't look good for the fan favorite droid, and giving him such a big heart is a sure way to send the generations of fans into hysterics. Then again, the Star Wars franchise known for its secrets, and ability to redirect fans in the trailer.
The Leia Hug
This is a moment we've seen teased before, but that doesn't make it any less heart breaking. The clip shows Carrie Fisher's Leia hugging Rey, with both Force Sensitive women extremely emotional. It's unclear when this might happen in the movie, although the setting is much brighter and more saturated than the coloring in other scenes. The late Carrie Fisher is being included in the movie through unused footage of her previous two appearances in the trilogy, so her role will presumably be limited. But she was given top billing for the movie's poster, and it's clear that her role will be an emotional experience for moviegoers. This final trailer also showed that The Resistance might be struggling with its leadership, presumably due to Leia's death within the series. But I'm just guessing here, as the answers will likely only arrive once The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters.
"Always"
Carrie Fisher's role in The Rise of Skywalker is sure to be an emotional experience for moviegoers, especially the generations of hardcore Star Wars fans out there. And this final trailer for Episode IX proved that in its final moments. When Rey finally comes face to face with Palpatine's throne, she's given some words of encouragement from her mentor. Mark Hamill's Luke is heard saying "The Force is with you," and the trailer go for the jugular when Leia finishes her brother's sentence, saying "always". Smart money says J.J. Abrams pays a special tribute to Carrie Fisher throughout the course of the film, while also moving the overall story forward. Prior to her death, The Rise of Skywalker was originally going to be a major movie for Fisher's character. The Force Awakens was a Han Solo movie, The Last Jedi focused on Luke, and Episode IX was expected to follow suit for Leia. It'll be fascinating to see how Abrams changed the story, while also giving the franchise's biggest heroine a fitting sendoff.
Related: Rise Of Skywalker Will Give Star Wars Saga A 'Cohesive' Ending, J.J. Abrams Says
This final trailer's music might have also gotten a few Star Wars fans misty eyed. John Williams' iconic score is used masterfully, helping to highlight just how epic the upcoming blockbuster will be. The Rise of Skywalker will be a movie intimately connected to not just the previous two movies, but the greater Star Wars franchise as we know it. Episode IX is expected to be Williams' final addition to the long running space opera. Although the franchise will continue after the movie hits theaters, as there are a variety of potential trilogies in the early stages of development.
The Last Jedi's Rian Johnson has been tasked with making his own Star Wars movies, while Game of Thrones creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff are also working on their own. While neither projects has been officially confirmed, it's only a matter of time before the galaxy far, far away heads back to theaters. In the meantime, the adventure will continue with Disney+'s series The Mandalorian.
Luckily, there's only a few months left until all of our questions will be answered. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will hit theaters on December 20th, ending the nine-film Skywalker Saga in the process. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
