What Should Star Wars Do Next? (Post–Rise of Skywalker Ideas)

WARNING: FULL SPOILERS FOR Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker BELOW.

We’re a few weeks removed from The Rise of Skywalker and the end of this season of The Mandalorian. With David Benioff & D. B. Weiss departing, a potential Rian Johnson trilogy seemingly far off, and only a couple of Disney+ series in the works, Ashley and Dylan pitched what Lucasfilm could do next in the galaxy far, far away.

Bring Ben Back

Adam Driver has been pretty open about being done with Star Wars after TROS, but after that ending, the thing I want most is to see him come back.

It speaks to my disappointment with the film, but I was originally content with the idea of the “Skywalker Saga” being wrapped and never seeing these characters again. Then, during the Star Wars Show Live red carpet, Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy mentioned the Skywalkers could always return in one form or another.

As far as I’m concerned, Adam Driver’s talent was wasted in this trilogy—so was Ben Solo. Leading up to release I’d floated the idea of Ben surviving and dealing with the real repercussions of what he’s done. That could’ve been fascinating. Killing him was a waste; bring Ben back.

— Dylan Blight

Jannah: First Order Deserter

Since we’re unlikely to see Finn’s backstory in live action, Jannah is a good—maybe better—alternative. Start with her being taken as a baby by the First Order. Show us her training and how they keep stormtroopers in line. Maybe Richard E. Grant’s Allegiant General Enric Pryde is involved as a key player in training prior to his promotion. Is there an element of race in who they turn into stormtroopers? That seems ripe to explore.

The idea of an entire squad laying down their weapons and deserting when they know they’re doing the wrong thing would be powerful onscreen. How did they end up on Kef Bir and evade the First Order? Also: explain how she got her name—because “Jannah” sounds nothing like TZ-1719. We all know Star Wars is mostly about how people got their names.

Bookend the story with scenes of her adventuring with Lando post-TROS, as he suggests. Then reveal he’s her father—a love child from some point. We also know that everyone in Star Wars is related.

— Ashley Hobley

1,000 Years Into the Future

If they won’t bring back Adam Driver and Ben Solo, move the timeline drastically forward. Clean the slate properly. Honestly, Disney probably should’ve done this with their first new trilogy.

Jumping 1,000 years into the future frees you from the events of the nine films, their characters, and any more lineage tie-ins. Introduce brand-new planets, characters, and technology. Have the Jedi return—different this time, without the past mistakes. Rey can be mentioned as a historical figure who helped rebuild the Jedi with new ideals and direction.

There are heaps of ideas. Moving that far into the future frees up any idea anyone could have without leaning on nostalgia or “make it feel like Star Wars.” Reinvent the wheel. Go wild. It’s the only way Star Wars survives.

— Dylan Blight

Son of the Emperor

So, you decided to make Rey a Palpatine. I really don’t like that choice—but if that’s the direction, double down. Explore how the Emperor’s son was raised. Was it public knowledge or in secret? Who was his mother? Was it Sly Moore, Palpatine’s right hand from the prequels, or someone else? My only hope: the child was the result of artificial insemination—the thought of Palpatine naturally procreating doesn’t need perpetuating.

Use the series to explain why Palpatine’s son doesn’t have Force abilities and is unsuitable for Palpatine’s post-Return of the Jedi plans. Did he have powers but lose them—stolen by Palpatine or a rival—or did he never have them? The latter is interesting: he’d be a disappointment to Palpatine, explaining why he’d leave.

Jodie Comer needs to be in this. Non-negotiable. If you have her (an Emmy winner) and Billy Howle (an up-and-comer), use them. Also, if you could reframe their deaths as sacrifices to protect Rey’s location, that’d be great.

— Ashley Hobley

The Unknown Regions

One of the most tantalising phrases across the recent movies, games, books, comics and TV is “the Unknown Regions.” It’s a big player in TROS, obviously, but it’s barely explored in canon.

If we must stick close to the current timeline, rewind to around The Phantom Menace—and, through the eyes of new characters from the Unknown Regions, let’s see galactic events unfold as a B-story.

In Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy, a bunch of Imperial ships head into the Unknown Regions after the Battle of Jakku. Did they help kick off the Final Order? Grand Admiral Thrawn is also tied deeply to the Unknown Regions. Fans of Rebels still want to know where Thrawn and Ezra disappeared to in that finale.

The Unknown Regions could easily introduce new characters, storylines, and planets while tying into existing events along the way.

— Dylan Blight

Another Dyad in the Force

One of the most interesting parts of the new trilogy is the bond between Ben and Rey. They’re a Dyad in the Force—something that happens once a generation. With so much else going on, especially in the last film, we never really got answers to what that means. Destiny or design?

So explore another pair from a previous generation. Take inspiration from Your Name (2016), written and directed by Makoto Shinkai: two people with a magical connection who need to find each other. Apply that to Star Wars—minus the body-swapping, plus the Force. Two Force users, galaxies apart, connected by the Force, working together to stop a cataclysmic event. Could be pretty interesting.

— Ashley Hobley