Controversial Choices in The Rise of Skywalker

If you want a Star Wars debate that's guaranteed to split a room, just bring up the story choices in The Rise of Skywalker. This movie didn't just close the nine-film Skywalker Saga—it detonated years of fan arguments in a single two-hour, twenty-one minute explosion. So today, I'm ranking the five most controversial story decisions from The Rise of Skywalker, and I promise, every single one of these has inspired midnight forum rants, heated podcasts, and more than a few family group chat battles.

Number 5: The sudden return of Emperor Palpatine. In The Rise of Skywalker, Ian McDiarmid appears as Emperor Palpatine, resurrected and plotting from the Sith world of Exegol. The movie opens with a mysterious broadcast: Palpatine's voice threatening vengeance. Kylo Ren tracks him down, discovering Palpatine alive but decayed, kept alive by machines and a cult of Sith loyalists. The film reveals that Palpatine orchestrated events behind the scenes, including the creation of Snoke as a puppet leader. Fans argue bitterly over this twist: some see it as a way to bring back classic Star Wars villainy for the big finale, while others call it a last-minute retcon that undermines Anakin Skywalker's redemption in Return of the Jedi. The story never explains in detail how Palpatine survived his apparent death, which adds to the debate—was it cloning, Sith magic, or something else entirely? The lack of specifics left many viewers unsatisfied and turned this decision into a lightning rod for criticism.

Number 4: Rey’s parentage and her connection to Palpatine. Daisy Ridley's character Rey learns in this film that she is the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine. Earlier films, especially The Last Jedi, had revealed her parents were "nobodies" who sold her for survival. In The Rise of Skywalker, Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren explains that her parents hid her to protect her from Palpatine, who wanted her dead as a child. Palpatine admits he ordered her parents’ murder and reveals he wants Rey to strike him down so his spirit—and the Sith—can live on in her. The debate here is intense: was Rey’s strength always meant to come from a legendary bloodline, or was she more compelling as a self-made hero from nowhere? Some fans call this a betrayal of the democratizing message from The Last Jedi. Others defend it as a classic Star Wars move: destiny, family, and inherited power. The arguments over Rey's lineage still echo across social media, with the Palpatine reveal seen by many as a divisive pivot.

Number 3: The treatment of Finn, Rose, and new characters. John Boyega’s Finn, once a central figure, finds himself with less focus in this installment. Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose Tico, a fan favorite from The Last Jedi, is sidelined with minimal screen time and dialogue. New characters like Naomi Ackie’s Jannah and Keri Russell’s Zorii Bliss are introduced, but their roles are brief and primarily support the main quest. Rose, who played a pivotal role in the previous film, is relegated to the Resistance base while the main trio embarks on their adventure. Fans have argued fiercely about whether this was a reaction to online backlash against The Last Jedi and Rose’s character, or simply a result of a crowded script. The sidelining of Finn and Rose is seen by some as a missed opportunity for meaningful development, especially given their prominence in earlier films. Others feel the movie was forced to serve too many storylines and characters at once.

Number 2: The resurrection, then death, of key characters. The film repeatedly fakes out the audience with major character deaths. Chewbacca appears to be killed when Rey, in a moment of desperation, unleashes Force lightning on a prisoner transport she believes he’s on. Only moments later, it’s revealed Chewbacca survived. C-3PO faces a memory wipe to translate Sith text, erasing his personality and memories—only for R2-D2 to restore them at the film’s end. Rey herself is killed after defeating Palpatine, only to be revived by Ben Solo, who then dies and fades into the Force like a Jedi. These rapid reversals sparked a huge debate: do they cheapen the stakes of the story, or are they emotionally satisfying payoffs for longtime fans? Some argue these moments undercut real tension and rob the film of consequences, while defenders claim they honor the saga’s tradition of hope, sacrifice, and miracle escapes.

Number 1: The finale’s legacy—Rey adopting the Skywalker name. In the film’s closing scene, Rey visits the abandoned Lars homestead on Tatooine, where Luke was raised. She buries the lightsabers of Luke and Leia in the desert sand, marking the symbolic end of their era. When a local asks her name, Rey glances at the Force ghosts of Luke and Leia and replies, “Rey Skywalker.” This moment has become the single most debated decision in the movie. Supporters say it gives Rey agency over her identity, allowing her to choose her spiritual family and reject her Palpatine bloodline. Critics argue it erases the importance of her own lineage and perpetuates the idea that legacy in Star Wars must always tie back to the Skywalker family. Some fans see this as a poetic closure to the saga; others view it as fan service, reducing a complex character arc to a simple name change. This decision, more than any other, divides fans on what the end of the Skywalker Saga really means.

So, that’s my top five most controversial story choices in The Rise of Skywalker—no question, every pick here is up for debate. Do you think the Palpatine twist deserved the top spot? Would you have ranked the handling of Rose and Finn even higher? Drop your ranking or argue with mine—because if there’s one thing Star Wars fans agree on, it’s that nobody agrees on Star Wars.