Skywalker Saga and conclude the sequel trilogy. It was also supposed to work as a follow-up to The Last Jedi.
In many ways, critics and fans alike were very disappointed in what The Rise of Skywalker had to say about the Skywalker family, the characters in the sequel trilogy, and the themes explored in The Last Jedi. Despite the disappointing end result, Rise actually does follow up on some of the story it's meant to expand on. Here are five ways it retconned The Last Jedi, and five ways it carried on the themes of the saga.
Retcons: Kylo Freeing Himself From Snoke's Influence
One of the most shocking and satisfying moments in The Last Jedi was seeing Kylo Ren kill Snoke in order to save Rey. This action also freed Kylo from a lifetime of manipulation, as he had been hearing Snoke's voice in his head since childhood.
When Kylo finds Palpatine on Exegol in The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine informs Kylo that he was the source of every voice Kylo every heard. Furthermore, we learn that Palpatine is quite fond of cloning things, as we see that Snoke was a clone created by Palpatine to control Kylo. This knowledge takes away some of the impact the act of killing Snoke has for Kylo's character, and unfortunately Rise doesn't acknowledge this.
Doesn't Retcon: Rey Will Keep The Jedi Order Alive
At the end of The Last Jedi, Luke sacrifices himself after stating that he "will not be the last Jedi" as the camera cuts to Rey. Rise continues this story, picking up with Rey learning the ways of the Jedi with the help of Leia and the Jedi texts.
Rey was set up to be a Jedi from the beginning of the trilogy, so it makes sense that this would be one of the more consistent storylines in the sequel trilogy.
Retcons: Rey's Relationship To Anakin's Saber
In The Force Awakens, the Force chose Rey by calling her to Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber. It chose her again when it went to her instead of Kylo Ren on Starkiller Base, as he was not yet worthy of it.
She used it throughout The Last Jedi, until it broke in half during a struggle between her and Kylo. The Rise of Skywalker has her using it again after having mended the broken halves, but suddenly Rey feels that she must earn the saber. This development is confusing and, frankly, sexist, as Luke never had to earn the same saber when he used it in A New Hope.
Doesn't Retcon: Rey And Kylo's Relationship
Rey and Kylo's relationship is another storyline that Rise respects and carries on. Their complicated romance is a main source of conflict for the two characters, and their fight and eventual team-up are emotional highlights of the film.
Though many fans may not be satisfied with the ending, the focus on their relationship can't be denied.
Retcons: Finn and Rose's Relationship
Finn and Rose shared a sweet connection in The Last Jedi, culminating in a kiss after Rose saved Finn's life. Rise mostly ignores this relationship and it's consequences on Finn's character development. Even worse, the movie mostly ignores Rose, a charming and uplifting character with a lot of heart.
After the abuse Kelly Marie Tran suffered online, it's no wonder that fans feel that the decision to minimize Rose's role was a way of catering to a more toxic side of the fanbase.
Doesn't Retcon: What Happened On Crait
Poe and Zorii share a heart-to-heart in Rise, wherein Poe confesses the loss of faith he suffered after nobody responded to the call for help the Resistance sent out on Crait. Later, during the final battle on Exegol, Poe once again feels defeated as they are clearly being overpowered by the Final Order.
Just then, Lando shows up with an enormous fleet of people willing to help the Resistance fight. This uplifting moment seems to call back to the last moments of The Last Jedi, and sends the message that you're never really as alone as you might feel.
Retcons: Rey's Backstory
Perhaps the most obvious source of conflict between The Rise of Skywalker is the films incompatible explanations for who Rey is and why she is important. According to The Last Jedi, Rey really is a nobody, but she is special anyway because of her strength and spirit.
Rise's explanation is that Rey is the daughter of a Palpatine clone, and so it is her relationship to him that makes her powerful and important. This unnecessary and convoluted development muddles the sequel trilogy and makes the last two films feel incongruent.
Doesn't Retcon: Luke's Lesson On Failure
Failure is a central theme in The Last Jedi. Poe learns that recklessness doesn't always get the best results; Finn learns that failure doesn't mean you should give up; and Rey learns that even our heroes are just people like us who fail sometimes too. Luke's failure where Ben Solo is concerned haunts him and causes him to exile himself on a remote island in true Jedi fashion. His inability to accept his mistakes earns him a visit from Yoda, who tells him that failure is one of the most important tools for teaching the next generation.
When Rey feels that she has failed in The Rise of Skwalker, she plans to exile herself like Luke did. He reminds her that this was the wrong choice, and encourages her to learn from his mistakes and to not let her fear of failure stop her from trying.
Retcons: The Idea Of The Need For Balance Of The Force
The Last Jedi explores what the Force is exactly and what it needs, as well as how this relates to morality in a more general sense. The conclusion seems to be that light cannot exist without darkness, and that the world is rarely as simple as "good guys" vs. "bad guys".
Rise forfeits this discussion entirely. Instead, Palpatine is brought back as the big bad, and balance being restored becomes killing him and living a celibate Jedi lifestyle.
Doesn't Retcon: Poe's Lesson On Leadership
In The Force Awakens, Poe was a charming and talented pilot, but we knew little else about him. The Last Jedi explores his character beyond this and in the process has him learn a lesson about the difference between heroism and leadership.
This lesson is ed in Rise, when Leia's ing has Poe take on a greater leadership role. During the final battle, he comes close to calling it off and retreating for the sake of saving his friends, something pre-TLJ Poe would have never thought of doing.