History Awesome / TheRiseOfSkywalker

** 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.

-->"The Force will always be with you. ''Always.''"

!!Meta
* Just seeing Creator/IanMcDiarmid ham it up as Palpatine once again.
* 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 maestro himself]].
* 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 managed to cross the one billion mark on the box office.

* 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.

[[caption-width-right:350:''"[[TheCavalry There are more of us.]]"'']]

** 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 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 for the Skywalker Saga.

* 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 maestro himself]].

** Above levity aside, it should be stated that Palpatine's presence in this film cements one critical truth: After over 40 years of material, in film, television, books, everything, there is and always will be one BigBad of ''Star Wars''. 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]]. 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.
** A ''gigantic'' fleet of Star Destroyers that comes straight from the time of the Empire.

* 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 diabolical monstrosity 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!

* A small moment but after Hux tells Pryde that the captured Chewie used to fly with Han Solo, Chewie roars ferociously as if to tell Hux, '''''"YOU DON’T GET TO SAY HIS NAME!"'''''

* CharacterDevelopment in a single shot: Finn drops into the ''Millenium Falcon''[='=]s gunwell to shoot off some TIE Fighters. In stark contrast to the first few times we saw him in similar positions, for just an instant, he looks ''bored''.

* The movie shows that Rey wasn't actually backflipping onto Kylo's ship, but backflipping ''over'' it while using her lightsaber to '''bisect one set of its wings clean off'''. You decide which one is more awesome.

* 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 ''[[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.

* The end of the Sequel Trilogy is the same as the beginning of the Originals and the ending of the Prequels: the hero looking out into the twin desert suns of Tatooine.

* As Rey checks out Luke's old home on Tattooine, she's greeted by a stranger who asks her to introduce herself. When asked for her surname, Rey pauses, sees the Force spirits of Luke and Leia, and proudly introduces herself as Rey ''[[MeaningfulRename Skywalker]]''.

** 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.

* 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.

* 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're 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.

* Finn leading a damn 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're 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.

-->'''Rey''': And I... am all the Jedi.

* In one of his first appearances, Ben (as Kylo) rants about he wants to "finish what Vader started." At the time, it comes across as him wanting to rule the galaxy. Here, however, by assisting in Palpatine's downfall and saving the woman he loves (Rey) from certain death, he ''does'' finish what Vader started. And just like his grandfather, he dies a redeemed man.
* Finally, after three whole movies of using the Skywalker lightsaber, Rey finally reveals her own at the end. It's gold and made from parts salvaged from her staff, paying homage to who she started out as: a simple no-name scavenger on Jakku. It sort of looks like a golden ray of sunshine - a subtle play on her name.
* The end of the sequel trilogy is the same as the beginning of the original trilogy's and the ending of the prequel trilogy's: the hero looking out into the twin desert suns of Tatooine.

** Even better. With this Force push, [[InternalReveal he senses that Rey and Ben are both part of a Force Dyad]] due to him inadvertently drew some of their life force. [[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.

** 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]]

*** 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.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Creator/IndustrialLightAndMagic ILM]] must have gone, "[[TheCavalry Screw it]]."]]

* Ben and Rey wordlessly coming up with a plan during the final battle - she sends him the Skywalker lightsaber ''through their force bond.'' He then does [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi the same cocky shrug as his father]] before laying waste to the Knights of Ren, as if to say "Okay...warm-up over. My turn."

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Creator/IndustrialLightAndMagic ILM]] must have gone, "[[TheCavalry Fuck it]]."]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Creator/IndustrialLightAndMagic ILM]] must have gone, "[[TheCavalry Screw it]]."]]

** 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 ''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.

* 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. It sort of looks like a golden ray of sunshine - a subtle play on her name.

** The Colossus is also seen as part of the fleet in a blink and you miss it moment.

** One Y-Wing can be seen [[DoABarrelRoll 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.

** One that you may have missed: One of those CR-90s? It's the ''Tantive IV''. The very first ship that introduced us to the ''Star Wars'' saga.

* 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.