'Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker' Featurette Pulls At The Heartstrings, Seemingly Teases The Return Of Another Original Trilogy Character
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been billed as the conclusion of the "Skywalker Saga" that began back in 1977. But those are just words. Do you you know what is more than just words? A surprisingly lovely featurette filled with behind-the-scenes footage from the entire Star Wars series from 1977 through 2019 that feels specially built to make those eyes of yours water.
However, this video also seems to indicate that a previously unannounced character from the original trilogy will return in The Rise of Skywalker. And honestly, I'm not sure any of us saw this coming.
The Rise of Skywalker Featurette
The video opens with priceless footage of Harrison Ford awkwardly rehearsing a famous scene from the original Star Wars, shooting the camera annoyed glances as he stumbles over dialogue that seems so alien to him (but so familiar to us).
If the featurette was just wonderful footage from the sets of the various Star Wars films from over the decades, that would be enough. And while there is a lot of that – including a few touching reminders of those who have left us – the video also drops this pleasant surprise:
Yes, that is franchise actor and good luck charm Warwick Davis once again suited up as Wicket the Ewok, last seen in 1983's Return of the Jedi. Davis was 13 years old when he originally played the part of the adorable/ferocious creature, who assisted the Rebel Alliance in their final battle against the Empire on the forest moon of Endor.
But with The Rise of Skywalker taking us full circle, and even returning to the remains of the second Death Star, it makes sense that he'd show up one more time. Does the Resistance return to Endor to find the Death Star wreckage and end up reconnecting with an old ally and possibly recruiting him to their cause? After all, it seems like Star Wars fans have turned around on the Ewoks – after decades of hating on them, everyone seems to have decided that that these little guys were always pretty cool. We'll know for sure in just a few weeks.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hammll, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong'o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid, Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher. It hits theaters on December 20, 2019. Surely you've bought your tickets by now, right?