As painfully nostalgic as the new Rise of Skywalker trailer was, and how effective it was in reminding us of the stakes in this last installment, it was all overshadowed by the last few seconds of the trailer. After all, when you have the supposed hero of the tale and last hope for the Jedi come out looking like a Sith, it’s bound to attract some significant reactions. But as hyped as the moment of seeing Rey wielding a red lightsaber and looking decidedly evil was, the overwhelming feeling it leaves you with is disbelief.
Because, honestly: is Star Wars really the type of franchise to end things with the heroes losing? Well, it’s not impossible but let’s explore 3 different theories behind what ‘Dark Rey’ could really mean.
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3. It’s a force vision or dream sequence
Visions used to trick unsuspecting characters wouldn’t be very new in Star Wars. It stands to reason that this could be yet another tactic by Emperor Palpatine to tempt (or scare) Rey into the dark side. Another possibility is of it being a dream sequence similar to what Luke experienced in the cave on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back.
2. Rey really has turned to the dark side
Anything can happen, right? It wouldn’t be the first time the supposed savior transformed into evil and spelled doom for everyone else. While I’m obviously talking about Anakin Skywalker here, this fate was nearly the same for Luke as well. George Lucas admits that he once considered having Luke turn to the dark side while working on Return of the Jedi. In that version, he would have had Luke destroy the rebel fleet and leave Leia to save the day. It looks like she might get that chance, after all.
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1. Rey brings balance to the force
Could it be that seeing Rey embrace a little of the Sith could actually signal her bringing balance to the force? It’s been a pretty common theme of Star Wars to discuss the dangers of dealing in absolutes, after all. We did just see Luke blaming the Jedi for the creation of Darth Vader in The Last Jedi, opening an interesting conversation on the cyclical nature of the force’s effect on good and evil. Perhaps having Rey get in touch with the darker side of the force is exactly what’s needed to bring balance to it.
Check out the trailer and let us know what you think:
What are your own theories about Dark Rey? Share them with us in the comments!
