'Mandalorian' Episode 3 just shut down a big 'Star Wars 9' theory about Rey

Ever since the first trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hit back in April 2019, we’ve been trying to guess what Rey is holding in the very last shot. You know, the one that zooms in on a mysterious white device dangling from her hand before panning up to reveal the broken remains of the Death Star. Three trailers and eight months later, we still don’t know what Rey’s holding, but the latest episode of The Mandalorian may have inadvertently revealed what it is — and it’s a bit of a letdown.

Light spoilers for The Mandalorian Episode 3 and speculation for Rise of Skywalker ahead.

Let’s back up for a minute. Multiple leaks have suggested that a special device called a “wayfinder” could play a crucial role in Star Wars: Episode IX, serving as an object that both Rey and Kylo Ren pursue and which could presumably lead them to Emperor Palpatine or some other clue related to the Sith Lord.

So when that trailer arrived, fans were quick to assume that the object in Rey’s grasp could be the wayfinder. Makes sense, right?

Well, think again. In the latest episode of The Mandalorian, after our pal Mando hands over Baby Yoda to his client (Werner Herzog), he’s given a futuristic briefcase full of Beskar Steel. Take a closer look at the briefcase though, because it looks awfully familiar.

And here’s Rey in the Rise of Skywalker trailer again for comparison:

So what does this mean? Well, I’m not 100 percent sure that the white objects in these two images are the same. They’re not a perfect match, but maybe the one in Rise of Skywalker is just a little more beat up. After all, things have gotten a lot worse in the galaxy in the time between The Mandalorian and Episode IX, what with the whole rise of the First Order. A good sci-fi briefcase may be hard to find.

Of course, assuming that the white object in The Rise of Skywalker isn’t important, whatever is inside that briefcase could still be key to the movie’s plot. Maybe it’s that mysterious dagger, or Palpatine’s compass. Or maybe it’s just some sandwiches for the road.

We’ll likely find out when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker finally releases next month, but until then, it’s worth noting that what we first thought was a pretty revealing Episode IX clue might actually just be Rey’s lunchbox.

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