'Star Wars 9' Theory Reveals Dark Rey May Be Possessed by Palpatine

The mystery of Dark Rey is pretty much all we can think about. Ever since the release of new Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker footage at D23, fans have speculated about one shot of Rey wielding a double-edged red lightsaber. One theory even suggested that this image of her going Dark side definitely means she’s a clone. But now, an intriguing new theory, posits this version of Rey is actually possessed by Emperor Palpatine.

Wearing a cape and dark clothing is usually the biggest indication that a character has gone over to the Dark side in the Star Wars franchise. Rey is no different. In the new Episode IX trailer, Rey stands with a grim look on her face, dark robes cascading behind her. She brandishes her red lightsaber and a moment later, it expands into a longer weapon, the blade coming up on both sides, ready for battle. This is definitely not the Rey we’re used to.

Now, there have been a plethora of theories surrounding the return of Palpatine and what that means for Episode IX. So far, however, Palpatine has been largely linked to Supreme Leader Snoke. Fans have speculated that the former emperor may have used a Force-transfer to occupy Snoke’s body, while another theory proposed that Snoke had knowingly allowed Palpatine to possess him (and that they knew each other prior to the fall of the Galactic Empire). No matter how many ways you look at it, though, the Snoke and Palpatine connection is there.

So how does Rey factor into all of this? After all, there have been no hints that she has any sort of connection to Palpatine, but that doesn’t mean they won’t cross paths in The Rise of Skywalker.

Redditor u/onelungas theorizes that the lightsaber Dark Rey carries is the biggest clue in her turn to the Dark side. “Color of the stripes is burgundy, not red. Favorite color of Palpatine. So this is definitely Palpatine - not Rey turned to the dark side,” they write.

This theory definitely sounds plausible. If Palpatine could hypothetically possess Snoke and others, why not do the same with Rey? And we know he prefers the burgundy color, so the lightsaber could, in fact, belong to him. Of course, taking over Rey’s body means that the Jedi and the franchise’s big bad may have confronted each other at some point beforehand.

However, it could simply mean that Palpatine may have already known about Rey long before meeting her. How he might come to possess her is anyone’s guess at this point, but it could imply that Rey has shown inklings of turning to the Dark side of the Force. Was Kylo preparing her for a hostile takeover throughout The Last Jedi? Whatever the case may be, the Dark Rey twist is a great way to keep fans on their toes.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters December 20, 2019.