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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker2019

Directed by J. J. Abrams · 2019 · Movie · 2h 22m

ActionAdventureScience Fiction

The Resistance and the First Order meet for a last battle as Rey searches for answers about the Force and her own past.

Flag a scene Start a watch-along
15.2dumb per hour
Pause to Rant

Lower is better.

7 scenes flagged

3
Guilty
2
Contested
2
Explained

7,080 ratings

7
Scenes flagged
7,080
Ratings
4,480
Dumb votes
2,600
Explained votes
0
Not scored
Pete
First to flag

Is Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker dumb?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker scores 15.2 dumb scenes per hour, which puts it in the Pause to Rant band. Lower is better. 5 of its 7 flagged scenes count toward that score, based on 7,080 ratings.

3 scenes are Guilty (most viewers say dumb), 2 Contested and 2 Explained. Explained scenes do not count.

Where does Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker go wrong?

The most common problems are “Plot hole” (3 scenes), “Retcon” (3 scenes) and “Breaks its own rules” (2 scenes).

Is it worth watching if I hate “Plot hole”?

3 of 7 flagged scenes are tagged “Plot hole”. It shows up regularly. The highest rated one is How did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker?.

Is it worth watching if I hate “Retcon”?

3 of 7 flagged scenes are tagged “Retcon”. It shows up regularly. The highest rated one is How did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker?.

Scenes in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

How did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker?

0:07:00

Guilty
7.9/ 10(1,500 ratings)
How was a fleet of Star Destroyers built in secret on Exegol?

0:14:00

Guilty
7.0/ 10(1,100 ratings)
How did Rey and Kylo pass objects through the Force bond?

0:35:00

Explained
5.4/ 10(640 ratings)
Why was Chewbacca's apparent death reversed so quickly?

0:58:20

Contested
6.5/ 10(960 ratings)
Why does Rey heal Kylo's wound with the Force?

1:20:00

Explained
5.1/ 10(700 ratings)
Why was Rey revealed to be Palpatine's granddaughter?

1:46:40

Guilty
7.7/ 10(1,250 ratings)
Where did the huge volunteer fleet at Exegol come from?

1:55:00

Contested
6.8/ 10(930 ratings)

Reviews

On the scene

How did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker?
plothole_peteFounding Critic #7Supporter8/10Nov 9, 2026

Says dumb

The first two films of the trilogy were built on the idea that the Empire had fallen. Bringing back Palpatine in the opening crawl with no explanation undoes that and makes the earlier story smaller.

On the scene

Why was Rey revealed to be Palpatine's granddaughter?
harbor_lightsFounding Critic #58Supporter8/10Nov 10, 2026

Says dumb

The earlier film's point was that Rey's heritage did not matter. Making her a Palpatine reverses that and implies that being great needs a bloodline.

On the scene

How was a fleet of Star Destroyers built in secret on Exegol?
ben_the_skepticSupporter7/10Nov 6, 2026

Says dumb

The scale of the fleet is hard to square with a hidden project. Even the old Empire could not have built this unseen without large shipyards, workers and supplies.

On the scene

Where did the huge volunteer fleet at Exegol come from?
nopeanut_ninaSupporter7/10Nov 1, 2026

Says dumb

The moment is rousing but it does not make sense that so many people would arrive at the same time in a hidden location. It feels like a miracle written for the plot.

On the scene

Why was Chewbacca's apparent death reversed so quickly?
tessa_in_the_aisle6/10Nov 5, 2026

Says dumb

The film asks us to feel a loss and then removes it a few scenes later. It makes later moments less meaningful and treats the audience as easily moved.

On the scene

Why does Rey heal Kylo's wound with the Force?
tessa_in_the_aisle5/10Oct 26, 2026

Says explained

The healing is shown in a smaller form earlier in the film. It is a new power but it has a setup, and it fits the dyad's theme of giving to the other.

On the scene

How did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker?
canon_keeperFounding Critic #3Supporter5/10AI rewriteOct 12, 2026

Says explained

The film shows that he used the dark side to survive. Star Wars has always allowed for odd Sith powers, and the film makes it a short mystery to explain.

On the scene

Why was Rey revealed to be Palpatine's granddaughter?
quietcutFounding Critic #12Supporter8/10Aug 10, 2026

Says dumb

I would accept the idea if the film had set it up. The reveal comes in one speech and then Rey takes the name Skywalker in the last scene.