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Official IMAX Poster for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
7 Things You Missed In ‘The Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ Trailer

by Ani Bundel
Lucasfilm

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker dropped its final trailer during Monday Night Football on Oct. 21, as is tradition at this point. The trailer also followed in the tradition of being both incredibly chock-full of detail without giving away any of the main plot points. General Leia is back, Luke is a force ghost, and the rebels get the band back together, this time with Lando. Most importantly, Rey versus Kylo Ren is on, with Emperor Palpatine presiding. But wait, there's more! Here are all the things you missed in the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailer.

I noted that Rey versus Kylo Ren is a major set piece of the trailer. Some of the key moments are the ones from the waterlogged Star Destroyer. There's Kylo stepping out of the water to meet her face to face. And of course, then he and Rey take each other on.

But the trailer also hints there's more to the story than that. When Kylo steps out of the waterfall, notice he doesn't draw his lightsaber and start fighting. In fact, he turns it away, as if to holster it, a sign that he comes in peace. And then there's the shot of Rey and Ren taking on what looks for all the world to be the charred ghost of Darth Vader, side by side.

How much of that is real, and how much of that are visions Rey has? Fans still don't know, but such contradictory evidence suggests at least half of it is not real.

As for the rest:

01
Return To Endor?
Lucasfilm

The trailer opens with Rey running. As she flies by, a helmet falls to the ground. But it's not just any helmet. It's one of those worn by the rebels in Return of the Jedi. And Rey isn't in any old forest. She appears to be on the moon of Endor, aka Ewok country.

02
Dominic Monaghan's Character Is In The Resistance
Lucasfilm

Fans don't know much, if anything, about Monaghan's high-profile character. But he's clearly with the Resistance if this image with Rose is anything to go by.

03
Babu Frik & D-0
Lucasfilm

It wouldn't be a Star Wars movie without an adorably weird muppet alien. This one comes courtesy of the scene with Threepio, working on the droid's neural network. That green parts-is-parts droid with BB-8 is Babu's buddy, D-0.

04
First Look At Zorii Bliss
Lucasfilm

You might be too wrapped up in Threepio's emotional goodbye to notice, but the room of "friends" he's looking at includes Keri Russell's Zorri Bliss, in full armor.

05
The Original Death Star Throne Room
Lucasfilm

Don't sleep on where Rey and Ren's big fight takes place. That room should look familiar to fans. It's the throne room from Return of the Jedi, the location of Luke and Vader's final battle, and the place Vader rose up and killed Palpatine.

06
The Emperor Is Here
Lucasfilm

Hey Palpatine, long time no see. But is he actually on the throne? Or is he floating above it?

07
The 'Star Wars' Theme Changed Keys
Lucasfilm

Everyone knows the classic Star Wars theme. But if it sounds a little different to you in the trailer, you're not wrong. The song has been slowed down to a statelier fanfare and shifted up to E major. It's a brighter, hopeful key, the kind that our brains hear as "resolved" or conclusionary.

This is the final Star Wars, it says, the end of the story. Now saddle up those space horses and ride.