The Lightsaber Hand-Off Through The Force In 'The Rise Of Skywalker' Was So God Damn Awesome
*Spoilers for 'Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker' below*
Kinda random blog on this random Tuesday morning, I know, but a pretty high-quality clip of possibly the greatest moment in 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' just hit my timeline, and I can't help but remind everyone how friggin amazing this was from start to finish. It's 1 minute and 18 seconds of pure unadulterated Star Wars porn, and regardless of how you feel about the movie, or even the sequel trilogy as a whole, you gotta give it up to how well done this was.
For starters, this performance from Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver, saying so much while saying nothing at all...
Rey is standing before The Emperor (Space Hitler) who she just fucking found out is her GRANDFATHER, and he is threatening everyone she knows and loves - and in a way, the whole galaxy! Palpatine is trying to persuade her to strike him down, allowing his spirit (along with the spirits of generations of Sith Lords) into her body, transforming her into Empress Palpatine.
As she contemplates everything in that moment, though, she feels the presence of Ben Solo - not Kylo Ren - who she trusts, and who has followed her to Exegol...and he gives her a nod in return. Sheev even lets out a great "DEW IT!" here as well!
Since 'The Force Awakens', Rey and Kylo/Ben have had this extraordinary bond in the Force.
It begun with reading each other's thoughts...
Progressed into Forcetimes…
Eventually, physical elements started bleeding through into each other's realities, allowing Kylo Ren to snatch Rey's chain in 'The Rise of Skywalker', and later allowing them to Forcefight as well - dueling while in two separate locations - and we'd soon find out it was all due to their Dyad in the Force.
This moment basically serves as the culmination of Rey and Kylo/Ben bond in my eyes, showing it at its most heightened power-wise, allowing the Skywalker saber to be passed through the Force via semi-teleportation…
It's shot so perfectly, you can feel the hum of the lightsaber as Ben pulls it out behind his back in your gut, and the shrug that follows is just all time…
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Ben and Rey go on all-out rampages from there - Ben taking out the Knights of Ren like they were B1 Battle Droids and Rey making her grandfather's guards wish they didn't show up to work that day, and it's just so fucking cool…particularly the Ben Solo stuff here. Adam Driver's ability to differentiate between Kylo and Ben in his performance was mind-blowing, and he actually made me like the character I didn't even care to see redeemed!
Finally, this clip culminates with Rey and Ben, standing side-by-side to defeat Emperor Palpatine once and for all, wielding the lightsabers of the Skywalker Twins to do it. Just absolutely fucking tremendous.
If you can't find some enjoyment in that, you've got a big ol dump in your pants!
Clem and I discussed a ton of Star Wars news - including The Emperor being a clone, the new 'High Republic' books, Harrison Ford not knowing what the fuck a Force Ghost is, and more - in My Mom's Basement this week on EPISODE 50!
If that sounds like somethin you're into, give it a listen!