New Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Poster Teases Kylo Ren and Rey’s Death Star Duel

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is almost here, which means that Disney and Lucasfilm have opened the floodgates on Episode IX‘s major marketing and promotional campaign. In addition to a slew of new Rise of Skywalker TV spots we now have a new poster for the film, which teases the epic final battle between Kylo Ren and Rey. That rain soaked duel takes place on the remains of the Death Star, and with each new Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker TV Spot, we seem to get another hint of just how epic that duel is really going to be.

Check out this Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker poster of Rey and Kylo’s Death Star duel. It comes by way of artist Adam Stothard:

“Check out the first in a series of exclusive posters inspired by @StarWars
: #TheRiseOfSkywalker – Art by @AdStothard – See the film in theaters December 20.” —Star Wars Twitter“

The question of what leads both Rey and Kylo Ren back to the Death Star’s remains is one of the biggest points of Rise of Skywalker‘s intrigue. We know that somehow, someway, Emperor Palpatine will be making his return in the film, and every new bit of Death Star footage seems to hint that it is Palpatine pulling Kylo Ren and Rey’s strings, and leading them where they need to go. Which leads to the second big question of Rise of Skywalker‘s final act: what will be discovered inside of the Death Star’s remains. There seems to be clear writing on the wall that spells out the fact that Palpatine’s “death” at the end of Return of the Jedi wasn’t really a death, at all.

Star Wars animated series The Clone Wars and Rebels have revealed that there are indeed realms that exist within the Force but outside the physical world. Palpatine was highly interested in studying such phenomenon, and nearly gained access to the “World Between Worlds,” via young Padawan Ezra Bridger, during the formative days of the Galactic Rebellion. That realm is a nexus point that exists outside of time and space, allowing one to access any time and/or space they choose. It’s been a growing theory that Rebels introduced the “World Between Worlds” concept as a way of setting up potential character returns in he franchise. Both Ezra and his nemesis Grand Admiral Thrawn are still stuck in that realm as far as we know – and Palpatine could have cheated death that way – or through some other secret techniques, found in the dark side of The Force.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20th. The Mandalorian streams new episodes every Friday on Disney+.