The idea of a Star Wars sequel trilogy was a good one. Disney acquired the rights to George Lucas’ space opera franchise, and wasn’t going to let it fade away into obscurity. The powers that be even proved their seriousness by bringing in a wringer, J.J. Abrams, to helm the first sequel movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. For the most part, the project went off without a hitch, setting the stage for an epic return to form for the franchise. The good times didn’t last forever, though, as Rian Johnson, who directed Star Wars: The Last Jedi, solved the mysteries but didn’t get everyone on board with his vision.
The backlash to The Last Jedi made Lucasfilm go back to the drawing board for the ninth film in the Skywalker Saga and bring back Abrams for one last ride. He had no chance of stopping the bleeding because Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker focused too much on nostalgia. However, a connection to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story that the movie glossed over would’ve helped it feel more like the swan song Abrams and Co. intended it to be.
Kylo Ren Returns to an Important Rogue One Location in The Rise of Skywalker
At the start of The Rise of Skywalker, the galaxy is in disarray. The First Order’s rising influence seems like the biggest issue, but then Emperor Palpatine shows his ugly mug again and starts making trouble. Kylo Ren doesn’t want anyone stepping into his territory, so he sets out to find Palpatine. The only way to do that is to locate a Sith wayfinder, and the first one Ren catches wind of just so happens to be on Mustafar. Of course, the Skywalker family has a complicated history with the lava planet, as it’s where Anakin Skywalker lost his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and suffered serious burns. Mustafar lived rent-free in Darth Vader’s head after the accident, leading him to build his castle there.
While most of the structure’s history comes to light in supplementary materials, such as comic books and novels, its first live-action appearance comes in Rogue One. After Director Krennic fails to finish off the rebels on Jedha, the Empire must use the Death Star’s laser on Jedha City. The Emperor doesn’t appreciate people playing with his toys before he’s ready for them to, so he sends Krennic to meet with Vader at his home. The Sith Lord teaches the Imperial a lesson about passing blame along before returning to his regular business. Vader’s castle makes one other live-action appearance in Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, but it’s also present in The Rise of Skywalker; the movie just doesn’t care enough to show it.
The Rise of Skywalker Fails to Confirm Where the Movie Starts
The only way to figure out that Ren is on Mustafar at the start of The Rise of Skywalker is by being familiar with the planet’s surface. When the First Order ships are hovering over the location, there are clearly rivers of lava below. However, the existence of Tatooine and Jakku proves that multiple planets in a galaxy far, far away can look the same. Ren’s mission on the ground doesn’t help matters because Mustafar looks different following an event years prior, when significant amounts of energy were released due to Vader’s attempt to resurrect his dead wife, Padmé Amidala.
Ren isn’t interested in a history lesson when he gets to Mustafar, as he comes face to face with a group of Sith loyalists who don’t want anyone finding the wayfinder. He makes quick work of them and grabs the object, but spending a bit more time sightseeing would’ve done him some good. After all, the sight of his battle is his grandfather’s castle, which has to be a big deal for him since he’s a Vader fanboy. Unfortunately, The Rise of Skywalker decides to move on without mentioning the castle or Mustafar, and it’s worse for it.
After The Last Jedi, Lucasfilm believed it had to go big in order to make everyone happy. However, it failed to think about the one Star Wars project that had been universally praised under the Disney umbrella: Rogue One. Connecting The Rise of Skywalker to the 2016 film may have helped smooth things over and made it a must-watch during a Star Wars rewatch rather than one of the movies to avoid.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story are streaming on Disney+.
Did you know that Kylo Ren visits Mustafar in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker? Should the movie have made that clearer? Let us know in the comments below!
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