Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker Final Trailer Review - 8 Ups & 5 Downs

5. Hope Not Darkness

Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker Finn Poe Chewy
LucasFilm

You really cannot argue with the tone of this trailer, and nor should you. Despite what appears to be an escalation towards a potentially dreadful war event that will cost lives and the very real chance of the demise of some beloved characters, there is very much a feeling of hope.

That's not uncharacteristic of Star Wars marketing, but it's a welcome deviation from what could have been. Because this could have been more of the same teasing that Rey might be headed towards a turn to the Dark Side that we've already seen before (and before her, with Luke as well). That clearly will be part of the story, but to double-down on it here would have been the wrong thing to do.

Instead, this teaser feels significantly more like a celebration of this world, even as it comes to its "end" and it's a far better way of selling hype to an already excited fanbase.

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