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.
How did Palpatine come back in The Rise of Skywalker?
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
At 0:07:00
Verdict: Guilty. 77% of viewers say this is dumb. Top defense: The film shows him alive in a Sith fortress, kept going by machinery and the dark side.
Guilty
77% dumb23% explained
1,500 votes
Dumbness rating
7.9/ 10(1,500 ratings)RetconPlot hole
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What happens in this scene
The opening crawl says the dead Emperor's voice has been heard across the galaxy, and Kylo Ren finds him on the planet Exegol. He appears as a damaged body connected to machines. The film does not say how he survived his fall in Return of the Jedi.
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Reviews 3
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.
Says dumb
I could accept the return if the film took a few minutes to show how. As it is, the line about 'somehow' is not enough for a return of this size.
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Actually, it’s explained
The film shows him alive in a Sith fortress, kept going by machinery and the dark side.
- DumbScenesStaff9 months ago
The film shows him alive in a Sith fortress, kept going by machinery and the dark side.
- canon_keeperFounding Critic #3Supporter3 months ago
The Sith have been shown to cheat death in other stories, and the film treats it as established lore.
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Quick Fix
Fixes are written by people. The smallest change, in 200 characters or fewer, that would have fixed the scene. AI is used only for duplicate detection, length and moderation.
Add a line
Kylo asks, 'How are you alive?' Palpatine replies with one line about a ritual that he began before the fall. The audience has an anchor.
Would this fix it?88% say yes
quietcutFounding Critic #12Supporter4 months ago
A newer idea
Cut a line
Cut the crawl line and let him be a ghost in Kylo's dreams. No return needed, just a long shadow.
Would this fix it?81% say yes
eagles_were_busy5 weeks ago
More fixes
Plant it earlier
Plant a message from Snoke or Luke in the prior film that mentions the Emperor's body was never found.
Would this fix it?80% say yes
script_doctor_samSupporter3 months ago
Suggest a fix
Also asked as
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