It is finished. The tale has been told.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker debuted in theaters on December 20, 2020. Four decades of sci-fi fantasy storytelling culminated in this movie—the ninth and final episode in what Disney is calling "The Skywalker Saga."
That's a lot of weight and responsibility for one film to bear. And perhaps that's why the film is so fast-paced and so plot-driven; director J. J. Abrams knew he had one shot at tying up as many loose threads that he could.
This film, like all recent Star Wars films, hasn't been without controversy—one Mandalorian actor called the movie an "absolute f*cking failure." But that, too, will become a part of the Star Wars legacy. The defenders and critics of the film will keep the movie alive, and years from now, they will continue to debate the merits and quality of this sequel trilogy. It has too many connections to the prior films, and too much emotional weight from a new generation of Star Wars fans, for it to be forgotten.
Here are 25 Easter Eggs in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that you may not have noticed. Which ones did you find? We have decades ahead of us to continue searching.
Ed. Note: Spoilers for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker follow; scroll at your own risk!