Why did Palpatine return in Star Wars 9? Director: We visited Lucas

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has given many a shocking surprise: At the end of the trailer, Emperor Palpatine laughs. His laugh is enough to send chills down your spine, and the character's return is enough to completely save a movie. Emperor Palpatine died tragically in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, but now this trailer suggests he wasn't really dead all along. The media caught up with director and co-writer JJ Abrams at Star Wars Celebration to discuss the story behind the classic villain's powerful return, and it was revealed that this shocking reversal was born out of a meeting between him and Star Wars creator George Lucas.

Abrams revealed: "This movie faces a very special challenge, that is, to give an account of all the previous eight movies, and it is also the final chapter of the new trilogy, so we must see a larger and more holistic picture. We had a lot of conversations and discussions internally, and we visited George Lucas before writing the script. Some things don't need to be debated, but we see the grandeur of the whole story, and we want to try to figure out, how should all this end? At the same time, it must be a self-contained movie, it must have its own things, it must be unexpected enough, it must be humorous, and it must be understood by the audience. "

A few months ago, there were rumors that the filmmakers approached George Lucas to consult on how Star Wars 9 could be a suitable ending to the legendary chapter he opened. Now, Abrams has officially confirmed the rumor that George Lucas is indeed involved in Star Wars 9 to a certain extent. Although Abrams did not explicitly point out that George Lucas instructed Emperor Palpatine to be resurrected, after all, he mentioned George Lucas when he was asked about Palpatine's resurrection, so it is very likely that it was George Lucas' idea.

Fall to the dark side, George Lucas!

In the original trilogy, that is, Star Wars 4, 5, and 6, Emperor Palpatine was the ultimate villain who hid in the shadows and commanded Darth Vader, and finally wanted to tempt Luke to fall into the dark side of the Force. Later, George Lucas told the origin of this Sith Lord in the prequel trilogy. It can be said that Palpatine has always been a key figure in all the Star Wars directed by George Lucas, so it is reasonable for him to appear again in Star Wars 9.

Star Wars 9: The Rise of Skywalker is expected to be released on December 20, 2019.