History YMMV / TheRiseOfSkywalker

** The dark side version of Rey only appears briefly, in a vision aboard the wreck of the second Death Star, but [[EvilIsSexy she makes]] [[NightmareFuel quite the impression]].

** The retrospective realization after TheReveal of Palpatine's [[GrandTheftMe grand plan]] that the BadFuture, EvilIsSexy dark side Rey in the vision [[AttractiveBentGender is actually Palpatine]] is massively creepy.

** Creator/JamesEarlJones reprising his role as Darth Vader only lasts three words out of one sentence... but, hey, it's James Earl Jones reprising his role as Darth Vader. Especially since this would be the final time Jones would physically perform the voice; Vader's dialogue in ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'' was A.I.-generated and Jones announced his retirement after the show concluded.

** Creator/JamesEarlJones reprising his role as Darth Vader only lasts three words out of one sentence... but, hey, it's James Earl Jones reprising his role as Darth Vader. Especially since this would be the final time Jones would physically perform the voice; Vader's dialogue in ''Series/ObiWanKenobi was A.I.-generated and Jones announced his retirement after the show concluded.

** In the exact opposite of the way that Kylo Ren's lightsaber lets out a [[HellIsThatNoise buzzing, unstable hiss]], the golden lightsaber that Rey creates at the end lets out a strangely melodic ''snarling'' sound upon ignition that is absolutely glorious to hear.

** Creator/JamesEarlJones reprising his role as Darth Vader only lasts three words out of one sentence... but, hey, it's James Earl Jones reprising his role as Darth Vader.

* EvilIsSexy: [[FamilialBodySnatcher Evil Rey]] in Rey's vision in the ruins of the Death Star. She isn't wearing anything {{stripperiffic}}, just a tighter black robe vaguely in the Emperor's style, but she sports slightly more [[MakeupIsEvil makeup]] than standard Rey, as well as an intriguing, mysterious expression. Though the effect is subsequently somewhat [[FetishRetardant undermined]] when she bares her teeth in a hiss, revealing that they've been sharpened into [[FangsAreEvil fangs]] and making her look like a [[NightmareFace demon out of a nightmare]].

** You can almost ''hear'' the film contorting itself to reconsider Rey's parentage reveal in the last film, from weakly arguing semantics ("They were nobody... because they ''chose'' to be.") to outright fudging the details (Kylo wasn't lying when he said Rey's parents were nobody... except '''Rey''' said that) to changing the previous film's GutPunch into unintentional comedy (yes, they sold you into child slavery, but they did it because they ''loved'' you.)

** Related to the above, ''many'' aspects of the film's story have been accused of being deliberate reversals on ''The Last Jedi'' due to vocal online fan backlash such as Palpatine returning to make up for Snoke dying, Rey receiving formal Jedi training from Leia after it is revealed that Leia undertook such training thus explaining her "Force flight", the conflict returning to the Jedi vs. the Sith rather than enter new territory, Kylo Ren being redeemed rather than stay the BigBad to the end, and Rey not simply coming from nothing and having a noteworthy lineage after all. But again, most of those were locked in place in the pitch presented on the day ''The Last Jedi'' was released, so there was no backlash informing such choices.[[note]]And Kylo Ren's redemption was actually one of the only, if not ''the'' only, outcomes that was set in stone by Lucasfilm from before ''The Force Awakens'' entered production.[[/note]] The only one that was uncertain was Rey's lineage, as J.J Abrams notoriously waffled on which lineage it should be or if he should even go through with making Rey not be a "nobody" at all, but this was more on Abrams than it was on fan backlash.

** Related to the above, ''many'' aspects of the film's stories have been accused of being deliberate reversals on ''The Last Jedi'' due to vocal online fan backlash such as Palpatine returning to make up for Snoke dying, Rey receiving formal Jedi training from Leia after it is revealed that Leia undertook such training thus explaining her "Force flight", the conflict returning to the Jedi vs. the Sith rather than enter new territory, Kylo Ren being redeemed rather than stay the BigBad to the end, and Rey not simply coming from nothing and having a noteworthy lineage after all. But again, most of those were locked in place in the pitch presented on the day ''The Last Jedi'' was released, so there was no backlash informing such choices.[[note]]And Kylo Ren's redemption was actually one of the only, if not ''the'' only, outcomes that was set in stone by Lucasfilm from before ''The Force Awakens'' entered production.[[/note]] The only one that was uncertain was Rey's lineage, as J.J Abrams notoriously waffled on which lineage it should be or if he should even go through with making Rey not be a "nobody" at all, but this was more on Abrams than it was on fan backlash.

* LostInMediasRes: The film's breakneck pace results in it rushing through important information and plot twists without elaboration. The first five minutes drop bombshells that go unexplained yet form the film's main conflict: Palpatine has somehow returned, Palpatine was secretly behind everything in the Sequel Trilogy, and he has a massive new fleet of planet-destroying Star Destroyers.

* LostInMediasRes: The film's breakneck pace results in it rushing through important information and plot twists without elaboration. The first five minutes drop bombshells that go unexplained yet form the film's main conflict: the Resistance has managed to greatly replenish its forces (when it was reduced to a few dozen people onboard the ''Millennium Falcon''), Palpatine has somehow returned, Palpatine was secretly behind everything in the Sequel Trilogy, and he has a massive new fleet of planet-destroying Star Destroyers.

** Although he does end up having a HeelFaceTurn, Kylo Ren is possibly ''the'' coolest he's ever been in a theatrical ''Star Wars'' film. He's traded tantrums for TranquilFury and the opening scene features him nearly singlehandedly taking out a Sith cult, marching alone into a creepy temple and threatening Emperor Palpatine. He cleverly uses his Force bond with Rey to fight her over long distances and/or identify her location, and he actually manages to turn the tables on her in a lightsaber duel until his [[EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas mother's death gives him pause]]. His repaired mask also looks quite cool, especially with its references to the Japanese art of [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi kintsugi]].

** For film-only audiences, Rey [[SuddenlyAlwaysKnewThat suddenly knowing]] how to heal injuries with the Force seems out of nowhere. Whether she learned it from Leia or the sacred Jedi texts isn't explained. Force healing has previously appeared in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'', ''Series/TheMandalorian'', and dozens of ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' works.

*** Of course, “Baby Yoda” is 50 years old, so that doesn’t prevent him from appearing in the movie.