Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker — Final Trailer Breakdown
The final trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has dropped and I’ve combed through it to spot everything I could—let’s break it down.
The trailer opens with the soothing sounds of what I’m assuming is the Forest Moon of Endor (until proven otherwise). Rey sprints through the trees and drops a helmet as she passes the camera. A seeker droid flies by—this looks like a training exercise, matching a previous trailer where Rey throws her lightsaber through a tree.
As Rey jumps across a gap, it transitions to her landing on some wreckage—likely inside the Death Star II, though it could be another ship.
Finn scans a desert landscape with binoculars—almost certainly Pasaana, the new planet we’ve seen several times.
We cut back to Rey running through the forest while Finn’s VO talks about the Force and how it brought the heroes together.
The Resistance has grown substantially since their near-destruction in The Last Jedi. Poe’s VO says people will follow; they just have to lead. Lando appears in his Solo-inspired outfit, and Snap Wexley (Greg Grunberg) returns after sitting out The Last Jedi. It looks like Poe is addressing the room.
Rose Tico appears, dirt-streaked and battle-ready, with Dominic Monaghan’s Resistance fighter and Lieutenant Connix (Billie Lourd) nearby.
Poe’s orange X-wing is back for the finale.
“People keep telling me they know me… no one does,” Rey says in close-up, anger building. A soaked Kylo Ren approaches her atop the wave-battered Death Star II wreckage and calmly replies, “But I do.”
Things get interesting fast: a colossal frozen ice base appears, with a swarm of TIE fighters approaching. To the left is a city; beneath, shapes entombed in ice—possibly related to a later reveal.
A jagged throne grows out of stone—its design clearly inspired by Ralph McQuarrie’s early Emperor throne concepts for Return of the Jedi.
Over Palpatine’s VO (“Long have I waited, and now, your coming together is your undoing”), an Imperial-era Star Destroyer erupts out of ice—explaining those frozen shapes from earlier.
We then see a massive Resistance fleet with the Millennium Falcon in the lead. As @AdmiralNick22 points out, there are New Mon Cal cruisers, Hammerhead corvettes, a U-wing and more—and just right of the Falcon appears to be the Ghost from Star Wars Rebels, potentially flown by Hera Syndulla or her son, Jacen.
Inside the Falcon’s cockpit: Rey and Chewbacca at the controls. We get more of Rey vs. Kylo atop the Death Star wreckage, then a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it explosion near a Star Destroyer (likely doing the blowing up).
Rey skims stormy waves alone toward the Death Star II ruins.
Mid-trailer, the pace slows so C-3PO can make you tear up. Babu Frik—the tiny droid-smith working with the Spice Runners of Kijimi—tinkers with Threepio’s head while Rey watches, worried.
BB-8 and D-O look concerned. Poe asks, “What are you doing there, Threepio?” In the workshop you can spot what looks like a 2-1B medical droid and, behind, a B1 battle droid—definitely a droidsmith’s den.
Threepio replies: “Taking one last look, sir… at my friends.” Whatever he’s being modified to do is likely fatal—or at least a memory wipe.
The Rise of Skywalker Final Trailer — Reaction & Review
Cue the John Williams swell: Poe, Chewie and Finn blitz a corridor of stormtroopers; we get the Leia-hugging-Rey moment again. Luke’s VO says, “Confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi.” We see BB-8 on the Pasaana skiff with Finn, Poe and C-3PO, then Lando and Chewie piloting together.
Jannah leads a charge with Finn alongside her, riding orbaks across the hull of a Star Destroyer. How they got there is a great question, but horse-like creatures riding into battle on a starship is undeniably rad.
Rey faces Kylo inside the Death Star II throne room. Palpatine’s throne looms and the iconic window from Return of the Jedi frames the scene. The room’s a wreck, but intact enough for Rey to find whatever she’s after. Note: Rey has her saber ignited; Kylo does not, and he’s helmetless.
Finn sprints across the Death Star wreck, likely yelling “Rey!” Jannah appears in the background.
My most intriguing shot: Kylo (helmet on) and Rey (lightsaber and dagger) destroy a plinth that seems to display Vader’s helmet—possibly Kylo’s new shrine. It looks less like Rey deflects his blade and more like coordinated destruction; in the last frames, Kylo almost looks ready to remove his helmet.
We get another angle of the orbak charge across a Star Destroyer, with countless more destroyers in the distance. X-wings and TIE fighters streak by—the battle’s in full swing.
The final moments seem to reveal Palpatine, strapped to some kind of mechanical rig, gliding toward Rey. The cracked, icy floor suggests we’re back at the ice structure—and ties to that earlier teaser of Kylo stalking across ice near his TIE.
Our last shot: a close-up of Rey with her lightsaber ignited. Luke says, “The Force will be with you,” followed by Leia adding, “Always.” Rey’s expression sells that she’s actually hearing them—not just a trailer edit.
Then it’s over. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker — December 19. My midnight ticket’s booked. I can’t wait to see what others spotted and hear all the theories.
Spot something wild or have feelings about the trailer? Drop a comment below, and make sure you’re subscribed to Alderaan Explosion: A Star Wars Podcast on your app of choice.
