THE SYMBOLISM BEHIND THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

The symbolism is strong with this one. We must understand it if we are to truly appreciate J.J. Abram's vision. Below is a list of symbolism that stands out. It explains the direction of the saga and its controversial ending.

Exogal, the ancient Sith planet, is Ach-To’s counterpart. It represents the galaxy’s underworld. It calls to Ben and Rey, demanding their souls. Below awaits the greatest evil that the galaxy ever sees, Emporer Sheev Palpatine, the embodiment of evil. He rules the underworld with his countless minions.

Kylo and Rey both descend into this hell to confront the demons that plague their minds. Evil whispers in their ears, relentlessly tempting them to surrender their souls.

They nearly do, but the light is stronger. Together they stand against it. This is where the evil is purged, and they both ascend from the darkness: one in death and one in life. Rey lives to rebuild the Jedi and carry the message of the light.

The largest fleet ever depicted on screen sit dormant in the unknown region of the galaxy. Thousands of ships, each with a planet-killing canon, await orders from the ruler who prevails. While it is physically impossible to build and staff a fleet that large under the noses of both the First Order and the Resistance, especially when General Leia and Supreme Leader Kylo Ren are so strongly connected to the Force. In fact, no member of the Skywalker bloodline seems to sense anything amiss since the fall of the Empire. Odd…

Of course, one must wonder. At this pace, all planets would be destroyed. Soon there wouldn’t be a galaxy left to rule.

Take this fleet with a grain of salt. It represents power, the driving force of the Sith. There would be no path quicker and easier than to magic an indestructible fleet into existence. Palpatine easily does it and offers it to Kylo like a piece of candy. It’s an offer that sounds too good to be true. When an offer like this comes along, there are always strings attached. First, Kylo must kill the girl. Even though neither man wants her dead. Why then does Palpatine demand this of Kylo? Because it is the hardest thing to ask of him. Kylo/Ben would NEVER kill Rey. He knows it. Palpatine knows it.

Palpatine also knows that Kylo would alter the deal and bring Rey to him alive. There he would possess a fresh, young body and take his revenge on the last Skywalker. This is the plan from the beginning.

The characters Kylo Ren and Ben Solo are two separate people sharing one body. The scar on his face serves as a guide of which character takes control. In The Last Jedi, the lighting and camera angles show one half of his face at a time. Kylo rules the body when the scar is prominent. Otherwise Ben Solo is the character who shines. Slowly, but surely Rey brings Ben back. Until her rejection brings out Kylo with a vengeance who leads a ruthless battle on Crait.

The duality continues into The Rise of Skywalker where the scar shows the exact moment when Kylo Ren dies, and Ben is reborn. The Death Star duel ends with the death of Kylo Ren. He is stabbed in the same manner and weapon as Han. The punishment fits the crime. The scar disappears with Kylo. The slate and his face are wiped clean. Ben Solo takes full control of his own body.

A Palpatine finally teaches a Skywalker the power of resurrection.

Anakin's tragic turn to the Dark Side is based on his fear of losing his mother and his wife, the two women he loves most. In spite of Palpatine’s persuasion, the Dark Side would never save Padme. The answer lies with the Jedi after all. The light gives life. Anakin fails to save Padme, but Ben does save Rey, the Healing Jedi. She shows him the saving power on the Death Star when she heals his fatal wound. In turn, he saves her. Ben is able to complete his grandfather’s mission, not for power. However, it is the most important legacy of all. SALVATION.

Symbolism is well and good, but it comes to nothing without a meaningful end. That is what confuses much of the fanbase. The online outcry demands answers. Forty-two years of creating these films, and five years of speculation led to a single moment. Rey, a girl from the enemy bloodline, returns to the desert, a place that causes her so much pain and confusion, where she explores a home that never belongs to her and… She steals the Skywalker name.

I understand why that would confuse fans and why the accusations that Disney had no vision at the beginning of this journey. It’s a vague ending following an exposition fueled thrill ride, which followed a dark, vague tragedy fueled middle chapter. Whether it is J.J. Mystery-Box Abrams or Rian Dark-and-Tragic Johnson at the helm, we must reconsider their vision. What is the endgame here?

It was always meant to conclude the Skywalker saga. Why then did they end with a blatant act of identity theft? This is the most important symbol of all and a review for another time.

THE STAR WARS CHRONICLES