History Awesome / TheRiseOfSkywalker

* Considering the BoxOfficeBomb from ''Film/Solo''[[note]]The movie that was released in the previous year[[/note]] and despite being the lowest grossing in the Sequel Trilogy, it comes off as "[[Memes/ThePhantomMenace surprise to be sure but a welcome one]]" that the movie actually manages to cross the one billion mark on the box office. Outside the Sequel Trilogy, only ''Film/RogueOne'' beats it.

** 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. [[PowerCreep He's never been ''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]]

* Poe Dameron was just about to lose all hope as he disheartenedly 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 the ''[[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.

** Right at the end, quick enough that you might have missed it... [[HesBack His Royal Wrinkliness, is back]]!

* 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 despite being unexpectedly shot in the leg he took it in stride. In fact, if it wasn't for Hux, the Final Order would have won.

* The end of the sequel trilogy is the same as the beginning of the original trilogy's: the hero looking out into the twin desert suns of Tatooine with a droid by their side.

** Villainous example: After [[ActionDuo Rey and Kylo]] (now Ben Solo once again) defeat the Imperial Guard and Knights of Ren, they turn to face the [[DarkLordOnLifeSupport decrepit Emperor]] together as he dangles from his life support system... and Palpatine/Sidious [[UnderestimatingBadassery disarms]] and [[MuggingtheMonster immobilizes]] them both with a single Force push.

* Palpatine deciding he's reached his personal GodzillaThreshold, blasting 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 disabled by this unprecedented demonstration of Force powers. [[PowerCreep He's never been ''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]]

--->"Let's fly, Lando!"

* Villainous awesome: Palpatine/Sidious deciding he's reached his personal GodzillaThreshold, zapping the aforementioned orbiting calvary starfleet with Force lightning from his bare hands. Starfighters, frigates, cruisers, and carriers are all seen tumbling aimlessly above Exegol, all disabled by this unprecedented demonstration of Force powers. [[PowerCreep He's never been ''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]]
** Enric Pryde gets one when he easily sees through Hux's bullshit and shoots him on the spot, selling the point that he's a much more competent and dangerous officer.
** Another Villainous example: After [[ActionDuo Rey and Kylo]] (now Ben Solo once again) defeat the Imperial Guard and Knights of Ren, they turn to face the [[DarkLordOnLifeSupport decrepit Emperor]] together as he dangles from his life support system... and Palpatine/Sidious [[UnderestimatingBadassery disarms]] and [[MuggingtheMonster immobilizes]] them both with a single Force push.

** Right at the end, quick enough that you might have missed it... [[HesBack His Royal Wrinkliness, Palpatine, is back]]!
** It should be stated that Palpatine's presence in this film cements him and him only as the ultimate BigBad of ''Franchise/StarWars''. Not [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Darth Vader]], not [[Film/TheForceAwakens Kylo Ren]], not [[Film/TheLastJedi Snoke]], not [[Film/ANewHope Tarkin]], not [[Film/RogueOne Krennic]], not [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars Dooku or Grievous]], not [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Maul or Nute Gunray]], not [[Film/{{Solo}} Dryden Vos]], not [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends the Yuuzhan Vong, Revan, or Ysanne Isard]] and not [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Thrawn or the Grand Inquisitor]]. It's Palpatine, no ifs, ands, or buts. AsLongAsThereIsEvil, there is Emperor Palpatine.

* Blink and you’ll miss it: on the planet Kijimi, Rey, C-3P0, and the crew walk into a bar tended to by a human named Oma Tres. The name is an anagram of ‘Maestro’...and he’s played by the [[Music/JohnWilliams legendary Star Wars composer himself]].

** One Y-Wing can be seen doing a barrel roll while splashing two oncoming TIE Fighters before laying in a strike on a Star Destroyer's planet killer gun, taking out the massive warship in a single pass.

** And now that he's back and Ben rises to face him once more, an annoyed Palpatine Force chokes Ben and gives us the following line... before Force yeeting Ben into an abyss (you can just imagine him thinking, "Take that, Anakin!"):

* ( Luke's presence is felt through his voice-over, suggesting that a little thing like the passing of his physical body isn't going to stop [[SpiritAdvisor his spirit from lending aid]].

* Finally, after three whole movies of using the Skywalker lightsaber, Rey finally reveals her own at the end. It's gold and looks like it's made of scrap, paying homage to who she started out as: a simple no-name scavenger on Jakku.

** And now that he's back and Ben rises to face him once more, an annoyed Palpatine Force chokes Ben and gives us the following line... before Force yeeting Ben into an abyss:

*** 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

** Damn near every non-Imperial ship from the series' history is in there somewhere, plus a few ships that were Legends only up until now. Old Republic cruisers, Trade Federation battleships, Mandalorian fighters, the ''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.

** Meta Awesome: the film brings back the original actors and voices; Creator/LiamNeeson (Qui-Gon Jinn), Creator/SamuelLJackson (Mace Windu), Creator/HaydenChristensen (Anakin Skywalker), Creator/EwanMcGregor along with doctored audio of Creator/AlecGuinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Creator/FrankOz (Yoda), Creator/FreddiePrinzeJr (Kanan Jarrus), Creator/AshleyEckstein (Ahsoka Tano), [[Creator/OliviadAbo Olivia d'Abo]] (Luminara Unduli), Creator/JenniferHale (Aayla Secura) and Angelique Perrin (Adi Gallia).

** After Rey gets the courage to hunt down the Emperor, she realizes she has no way to get off Ahch-To, as she set Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter on fire upon landing. [[Chekh`ovsGun Luke knows a way]]. He uses the Force to levitate his X-Wing from the submerged place in the ocean. [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack At one time, he thought that impossible]]. Now, [[AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence after becoming one with the Force]], [[CharacterDevelopment he's grinning like a fool, seeing the full potential of his power at last]]. Also doubles as a massive moment of heartwarming.

** After Rey gets the courage to hunt down the Emperor, she realizes she has no way to get off Ahch-To, as she set Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter on fire upon landing. [[ChekovsGun Luke knows a way]]. He uses the Force to levitate his X-Wing from the submerged place in the ocean. [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack At one time, he thought that impossible]]. Now, [[AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence after becoming one with the Force]], [[CharacterDevelopment he's grinning like a fool, seeing the full potential of his power at last]]. Also doubles as a massive moment of heartwarming.

* While it's also a scary and sad moment, there's something rather awesome about seeing Rey take down a First Order transport with force lightening.

** Even better, Lando is shown leading the charge in the Falcon, implying he managed to organize this army in time. And who does he have manning the gun while he pilots? Wedge Antilles! ([[RoleReprisal reprised]] by Denis Lawson)

* Just seeing Creator/IanMcDiarmid ham it up Palpatine once again.