Is the Emperor alive?
He died at the end of Return of the Jedi - or did he? Darth Vader's boss, the Emperor, can be heard laughing at the end of the teaser trailer, right after Luke says in voiceover "No one's ever really gone". And actor Ian McDiarmid appeared at the Star Wars event, suggesting we might just see his evil character in some capacity in the new film.
Lando is back ... and flying the Falcon
A character we'll definitely be seeing in Episode IX is Lando Calrissian, with Billy Dee Williams returning as Han Solo's former friend/double crosser. Played by Donald Glover in origin movie Solo: A Star Wars Story, Lando has not been seen in the main series since Return of the Jedi. And he might show up with a daughter in tow. Actress Naomi Ackie, who plays new character Jannah, had this to say when asked if she's Lando's offspring: “Listen, Lando is a very charming man, so he could have children all over the universe, am I right?”
Is that Endor?
Some of the footage shown at the event featured the main gang - Rey, Poe (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and the droids - in a jungle setting, leading to speculation that the film will revisit the forest moon that's home to the Ewoks. In the trailer, part of a Death Star is seen crashed into the ocean. Endor was pretty close to the weapon of mass destruction in Return of the Jedi.
The film will wrap up the Skywalker saga by delving into the past
From familiar faces to relics from previous films - like the medal Leia presented to Han Solo (below) at the end of A New Hope - the new film will tie up all three trilogies. As much as it will be a new story featuring the adventures of the current crop of characters, it also promises to pull together story strands and characters from throughout the history of the series.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in cinemas on Thu., Dec. 19
