History Awesome / TheRiseOfSkywalker

** It all doubles as a massive CallBack to Film/ANewHope. "Strike me down, and I shall become more powerful than you could ever imagine" didn't just apply to Obi-Wan, but Palpatine as well.

* While this scene is most obviously awesome for Rey, it's also a lowkey epic moment for Palpatine himself. By this point, Darth Sidious has become so powerful and so dangerous that Rey must bring to bear the spirits and 'all the power of every Jedi who ever lived' against him... and even then, the effort is so intense that it kills her.

* '''The Voices of Jedi Past''': Nearly ''all'' of the ''Clone Wars'', ''Rebels'' AND Original-era Jedi (including Anakin, Qui-Gon Jinn, Mace Windu, Obi-Wan, Yoda, along with Luke and even characters from the animated series such as [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars Ahsoka Tano, Luminara Unduli, Aayla Secura, Adi Gallia]] and [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Kanan Jarrus]]) coming to Rey's aid through the Force is a sight to behold, especially for fans of the Prequel era.

* Poe Dameron was just about to lose all hope as he dishearteningly says there are just too many Star Destroyers and TIE fighters for his small fleet to handle, but then he hears a few uplifting words: "But there are more of us, Poe". Then we are treated to an amazing shot of ''[[TheCavalry the whole galaxy answering]]'' the Resistance's GondorCallsForAid, with just about every possible armed ship showing up at Palpatine's doorstep on Exegol to deal with the planet-annihilating Star Destroyers. The [[Film/TheForceAwakens destruction of the Hosnian system]] didn't cause a massive response against the First Order, and the Resistance's [[Film/TheLastJedi desperate plea for help at the battle of Crait]] didn't receive any answer, but Palpatine's threat of total annihilation and the obliteration of Kijimi ''finally'' rallied what was left of the good and brave in the galaxy, from military pilots of all kinds to civilians, as a First Order officer is quick to notice ("just people"). And all Poe can say is a dumbstruck "Look at this!". So much awesome.

*** Making this ''more'' awesome is just how much of a derided, supposedly obsolete ButtMonkey among starships the Y-Wing was in ExpandedUniverse novels and materials -- long after Gold Leader and his subordinates got the RedShirt treatment against Darth Vader and the first DeathStar, one Y-Wing finally gets to solo ''an entire Star Destroyer'' on-screen.

*** Even more awesome is the use of the exact same triumphant John Williams score from ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' when Yoda did the exact same thing. You know from Luke's grin that he's thinking of that exact moment when he lifts the old starfighter. His grin and chuckle even have a bit of Yoda flavor to it... the apprentice has become the Master.

** Above levity aside, it should be stated that Emperor Palpatine's presence in this film cements one critical truth: After over 40 years of material, in film, television, books, and everything with various stories spanning centuries, there is and always will be one BigBad of ''Star Wars''. Not [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Darth Vader]], not [[Film/TheForceAwakens Kylo Ren]], not [[Film/TheLastJedi Supreme Leader Snoke]], not [[Film/ANewHope Grand Moff Tarkin]], not [[Film/RogueOne Director Krennic]], not [[Film/AttackOfTheClones Count Dooku]] [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars or]] [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith General Grievous]], not [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Darth Maul or Nute Gunray]], not [[Film/{{Solo}} Dryden Vos]], not [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Darth Revan, not Vitiate/Valkorion, not Vaylin, not Darth Bane, not Ysanne Isard, not the Yuuzhan Vong, not Abeloth, not Darth Krayt]], not [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels the Grand Inquisitor]] and not even [[CanonImmigrant Grand Admiral Thrawn]]. In the beginning, there was Senator Sheev Palpatine. At the center, there was Darth Sidious. And at the end of everything, be it meta or in-universe, there is the Emperor. When it comes to ''Star Wars'', AsLongAsThereIsEvil, there is Palpatine. %%(at least as far as ''The Skywalker Saga'' goes)

** Damn near every non-Imperial ship from the series' history is in there somewhere, plus a few ships that were ''Legends''-only [[SchrodingersCanon up until now]]. Old Republic cruisers, Trade Federation battleships, Mandalorian fighters, the ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Ghost]]'', the ''Outrider'', it goes on and on. It’s as if the whole galaxy is proclaiming in a single, united voice that they've had enough of Palpatine's reign of terror. This is the third war that's devastated their galaxy, and they're tired of being afraid and letting it be reduced to nothing.

* Finn leading a damn ''literal'' cavalry charge ''across the hull of a Star Destroyer'' in order to destroy its signal relay and strand the Final Order armada on Exegol. And when he and Jannah realize that they've only temporarily blocked the signal by destroying the relay, they then hijack one of the ship's cannon batteries and use it to blow up the bridge, causing the ship to crash and finishing the job.

** Palpatine deciding he's reached his personal GodzillaThreshold, deciding to blast the aforementioned orbiting cavalry starfleet with an immense barrage of Force lightning from his bare hands. Starfighters, frigates, cruisers, and carriers are all seen tumbling aimlessly above Exegol, all either disabled or destroyed by this unprecedented demonstration of Force powers. He's never been ''[[PowerCreep this]]'' powerful before.[[note]]Not in the new canon, anyway. It was one of his [[https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Force_storm_(wormhole) abilities]] during his resurgence in the Legends continuity, so it's a nice tip of the hat to the old canon.[[/note]]

** The music for the trailer launches into an ''epic'' rendition of Music/JohnWilliams' "Princess Leia's Theme".

* Palpatine is eventually HoistByHisOwnPetard when trying to get rid of his incorruptible granddaughter with Force lightning -- Rey uses the same technique of deflecting them with a lightsaber ala Mace Windu decades ago. Only this time there's no one to stop her, and she adds Leia's lightsaber, crossing it with the other saber and allowing her to become an AdvancingWallOfDoom before sending Sidious's lightning right back at him, disintegrating the Sith Lord.

** Rey tells Finn that she has to go alone. His reaction? "No, we are doing this together". It's awesome because he has stopped running long ago and is willing to follow his friends to the end. Plus, Finn had been subject of a lot of unfair abuse, while Rey had a lot of mentors and tools given to her. Him saying "no" to her is Just. Plain. '''AWESOME.'''

*** Not cavalry as in tanks or starfighters or speeders. [[UsefulNotes/MountedCombat Mounted cavalry]], on horse-analogues, galloping across the hull of an Imperial Star Destroyer.

** Above levity aside, it should be stated that Emperor Palpatine's presence in this film cements one critical truth: After over 40 years of material, in film, television, books, everything spanning centuries, there is and always will be one BigBad of ''Star Wars''. Not [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Darth Vader]], not [[Film/TheForceAwakens Kylo Ren]], not [[Film/TheLastJedi Supreme Leader Snoke]], not [[Film/ANewHope Grand Moff Tarkin]], not [[Film/RogueOne Director Krennic]], not [[Film/AttackOfTheClones Count Dooku]] [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars or]] [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith General Grievous]], not [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Darth Maul or Nute Gunray]], not [[Film/{{Solo}} Dryden Vos]], not [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Darth Revan, Vitiate/Valkorion, Vaylin, Darth Bane, Ysanne Isard, the Yuuzhan Vong, Abeloth, or Darth Krayt]] and not [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels the Grand Inquisitor]] or even [[CanonImmigrant Grand Admiral Thrawn]]. In the beginning, there was Senator Sheev Palpatine. At the center, there was Darth Sidious. And at the end of everything, be it meta or in-universe, there is the Emperor. When it comes to ''Star Wars'', AsLongAsThereIsEvil, there is Palpatine. %%(at least as far as ''The Skywalker Saga'' goes)

** Above levity aside, it should be stated that Emperor Palpatine's presence in this film cements one critical truth: After over 40 years of material, in film, television, books, everything spanning centuries, there is and always will be one BigBad of ''Star Wars''. Not [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Darth Vader]], not [[Film/TheForceAwakens Kylo Ren]], not [[Film/TheLastJedi Supreme Leader Snoke]], not [[Film/ANewHope Grand Moff Tarkin]], not [[Film/RogueOne Director Krennic]], not [[Film/AttackOfTheClones Count Dooku]] [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars or]] [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith General Grievous]], not [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Darth Maul or Nute Gunray]], not [[Film/{{Solo}} Dryden Vos]], not [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Darth Revan, Emperor Vitiate/Valkorion, Vaylin, Darth Bane, Ysanne Isard, the Yuuzhan Vong, or Darth Krayt]] and very much not [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels the Grand Inquisitor]] or even [[CanonImmigrant Grand Admiral Thrawn]]. In the beginning, there was Senator Sheev Palpatine. At the center, there was Darth Sidious. And at the end of everything, be it meta or in-universe, there is the Emperor. When it comes to ''Star Wars'', AsLongAsThereIsEvil, there is Palpatine. %%(at least as far as ''The Skywalker Saga'' goes)

** An Imperial Star Destroyer rising out of a field of ice.

** Above levity aside, it should be stated that Emperor Palpatine's presence in this film cements one critical truth: After over 40 years of material, in film, television, books, everything spanning centuries, there is and always will be one BigBad of ''Star Wars''. Not [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Darth Vader]], not [[Film/TheForceAwakens Kylo Ren]], not [[Film/TheLastJedi Supreme Leader Snoke]], not [[Film/ANewHope Grand Moff Tarkin]], not [[Film/RogueOne Director Krennic]], not [[Film/AttackOfTheClones Count Dooku]] [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars or]] [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith General Grievous]], not [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Darth Maul or Nute Gunray]], not [[Film/{{Solo}} Dryden Vos]], not [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Darth Revan, Emperor Vitiate, Vaylin, Darth Bane, Ysanne Isard, the Yuuzhan Vong, or Darth Krayt]] and very much not [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels the Grand Inquisitor]] or even [[CanonImmigrant Grand Admiral Thrawn]]. In the beginning, there was Senator Sheev Palpatine. At the center, there was Darth Sidious. And at the end of everything, be it meta or in-universe, there is the Emperor. When it comes to ''Star Wars'', AsLongAsThereIsEvil, there is Palpatine. %%(at least as far as ''The Skywalker Saga'' goes)

* Even if his motive was petty, you can't deny that Hux turning traitor against the First Order is probably the character's finest moment. Despite being established as a [[DirtyCoward dirty coward]] he: leaked information about PALPATINE, took out his own soldiers to save Finn, Poe and Chewbacca, led them back to the Falcon and took being unexpectedly shot in the leg in stride. In fact, if it wasn't for Hux, the Final Order would have won. Hux wanted so badly to be Supreme Leader after Kylo stole the vacant position from him and he'd rather see the First Order fall to pieces than anyone else lead it.
* Kylo Ren continues to demonstrate his badassery as a dark sider who [[FrontlineGeneral leads his troops from the front]] like his grandfather before him, engaging Resistance troopers with a vengeance — and utilizing his saber's crossguard blades along with the main one.

** Even better. With this Force push, [[InternalReveal he senses that Rey and Ben are both part of a Force Dyad]] due to him inadvertently drawing from the life force of both of them. [[GameChanger Sidious immediately seizes this unexpected opportunity to drain the power of this connection]], restoring himself to the form he had just before his first death on Endor, the form we all know with his distinctive yellow eyes, the form we all know and love. The Dark Lord of the Sith is back.
* The chilling scene where Kylo tells Rey she is a Palpatine cements an interesting theme to the sequel trilogy - the idea that "ignorance is bliss". In the two movies before this, Rey is obsessed with her parentage and hopes that they're still out there and will one day rescue her and give her a warm, comforting home. However, she refuses to accept that her parents don't matter in her life, and that she should focus on her future, not her past. In this film, we find out that not only are her cowardly parents dead and therefore not coming back (as Maz Kanata predicted) but the only living person she is connected to is the most evil man in the history of the galaxy. Suddenly, she wishes that she never searched for the answer to who she is, because the answer made her feel overwhelming guilt as opposed to the sense of completion she longed for. In other words, be careful what you wish for, because you might get it!

* Palpatine is eventually HoistByHisOwnPetard when trying to get rid of his incorruptible granddaughter with Force lightning -- Rey uses the same technique of deflecting them with a lightsaber ala Mace Windu decades ago. Only this time there's no one to stop her, and she adds Leia's lightsaber, crossing it with the other saber and allowing her to become an AdvancingWallOfDoom before sending Sidious' lightning right back at him, disintegrating the Sith Lord.

*** Even more awesome is the use of the exact same triumphant John Williams score from ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' when Yoda did the exact same thing. You know from Luke's grin that he's thinking of that exact moment when he lifts the old starfighter. His grin and chuckle even has a bit of Yoda flavor to it... the apprentice has become the Master.