Film Review: STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (2019): A Hodge Podge Film with Lifeless Plot Twists, A Blind Eye Towards Canon, & A Tepid Ending

The Palpatine Problems

Because Emperor Sheev Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) was never intended to be in the third Disney Skywalker film, Supreme Leader Snoke was, Palpatine is given very little character building time in this film (he’s the same old Palpy with some added tubes and whatnot). He is all voice and actions, and no substance. Though nagging, these aren’t the only problems with Palpatine in the film. There are others. In fact, the aforementioned problems are minuscule by comparison.

First Problem

The Rise of Skywalker talks down to the audience from the outset, wanting them to believe the inexplicable fact that Sheev Palpatine is still alive. What’s worse is that The Rise of Skywalker‘s writers never explain how Palpatine is still alive, how he survived the Darth Vader throw, being blow apart, and the Death Star II’s explosion. Nothing is said about any of it at all. The viewer is just supposed shut their brain down, wonder, and go with it.

Second Problem

If Palpatine is powerful enough to survive all of that damage (the Vader throw, being blown apart, and Death Star II’s explosion) and live, what creditable threat does Rey pose to him (even with the Mary Sue virus pumping through her veins)? If killed, again, can’t Palpatine simply return again?

Third Problem

Sheev Palpatine asks Rey to kill him in The Rise of Skywalker so he can move into her body and become one with her.

“Kill me and my spirit will pass into you…You will be Empresses, we will be one.”

The screenwriters create a brilliant Catch-22 scenario: kill me and I win (I take your body). Don’t kill me and I win (my fleet launches and I take the galaxy).

And what do the screenwriters do with this cleverly constructed Catch-22 scenario in the film? Nothing. They don’t execute the Catch-22’s effect after its primary stipulation has been completed and hope no one notices – Rey kills Palpatine, like he asked, and nothing happens.

When Rey is revived, Palpatine and Rey aren’t one, and Rey isn’t a Sith.

The screenwriters expect the viewer to forget what Sheev just said four minutes ago and the implications of those words.

This is how badly The Rise of Skywalker is written.

Fourth Problem

A Sith doesn’t share power. They don’t give power away. They betray each other to acquire power. That is why there are only ever two of them (The Rule of Two), a master and an apprentice.

Why is Palpatine saying he is going to give power (the Sith throne) to Rey or Kylo? Is Palpatine dying (a fact never established in the film)? If not, why doesn’t he keep his power for himself? Why doesn’t he launch his fleet and conquer everyone?

Did screenwriters J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio not notice these reasoning, narrative, and canon gaps in their script?

The plot of The Rise of Skywalker‘s primary villain, and his motivation, doesn’t make any sense. The Emperor is not manipulating or twisting either of his would-be allies like he did Darth Vader, even-though he possesses all the tools to do so – time, resources, and knowledge. Instead, Palpatine presents one with a flimsy reward for doing what he says and presents the other with a role in the universe that is abhorrent to her (if Palpatine bothered to read Rey’s thoughts and scan her memories i.e. his due diligence, he would know this).