Minggu, 22 Desember 2019

Eddie Murphy Returns to ‘Saturday Night Live’ - The New York Times

It took 35 years, but Eddie Murphy came back to host “Saturday Night Live.”

The last time Murphy hosted the show, it was Dec. 15, 1984, just a few months after this one-time wunderkind (who joined “S.N.L.” when he was 19 years old) quit the program to focus on his flourishing film career. In the sketches that aired that night, he revisited several of his beloved characters, including Buckwheat, Gumby and Mr. Robinson.

Tonight, in an episode that also featured the musical guest Lizzo, Murphy returned to those characters once again. But first, in an opening monologue, he updated the audience on the last several years of his life and received tributes from a few surprise guests.

Taking the stage of NBC’s Studio 8H, Murphy told “S.N.L.” viewers: “This is the last episode of 2019. But if you’re black, this is the first episode since I left back in 1984.”

He then showed a photograph of himself when he was still an “S.N.L.” cast member. “Yeah, I look at least five years younger there,” Murphy said. “You know what they always say: Money don’t crack.”

Among the ways that his life has changed since then, Murphy said, is that “I have 10 kids now — 11 if you count Kevin Hart.” He added, “If you had told me 30 years ago that I would be this boring stay-at-home house dad and Bill Cosby would be in jail, even I would have took that bet.” Slipping into his Cosby impersonation, Murphy said, “Who is America’s Dad now?”

Tracy Morgan, a fellow “S.N.L.” alum, joined Murphy onstage and offered him praise. “If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be here,” Morgan told him. “Like, literally. I was conceived on the ‘Delirious’ tour bus.”

Chris Rock, who was also an “S.N.L.” cast member before becoming a stand-up superstar, said that the show’s creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels had compared him to Murphy when he joined the show.

“When I got hired, Lorne told me, ‘You’re going to be the next Eddie Murphy,” Rock said. “And then a year later he said, ‘No, you’re not.’”

Dave Chappelle, another titan of stand-up, told Murphy he had been an inspiration. “I followed your blueprint for my entire career,” Chappelle said. “I became the biggest star on television and then I quit.”

Looking over the assembled group, Chappelle said, “Right now you’re looking at half of Netflix’s budget, right here onstage.”

Morgan said: “Not me. I made all my millions on the road.”

Murphy asked, “You mean touring?”

Morgan replied, “No, I got hit by a truck.”

In the first of several segments in which Murphy reprised his former “S.N.L.” characters, he donned the sweater and sneakers of Mr. Robinson, his Mr. Rogers parody, who told viewers that his neighborhood had changed considerably since the last time they saw him.

As Murphy sang in his opening song:

I was gone for a bit, but now I’m all right.
My neighbors was all black, but now they white.
The check cashing place turned into a bank.
Elevator works and the stairs they don’t stink.
The white people came and changed everything,
But I am still your neighbor.

He also taught his audience about the word “gentrification”: “It’s like a magic trick,” Murphy said. “White people pay a lot of money and then poof, all the black people are gone.”

What started out looking like a straightforward lampoon of Fox’s reality competition series “The Masked Singer” took a turn when Chris Redd (playing the show’s host, Nick Cannon) introduced a new contestant, dressed in a giant corn-on-the-cob costume, who began crooning “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in an almost unintelligible patois.

It was, of course, Murphy, playing his version of Buckwheat, the old “Our Gang” character, who went onto sing other popular tunes including “Dine, Teal, Dawibba,” “I Chot Da Chariff” and “Tinga Nadies.”

Melissa Villaseñor, playing the panelist Nicole Scherzinger, told Murphy, “We’ve missed you these past 30 years.” He told her not to worry, saying, “Wherever I am, I’m doing o-tay.”

You know how these celebrity-laden, impression-heavy segments go, so we’ll give you a quick rundown of who played whom and what their best lines were:

  • Heidi Gardner as the moderator Judy Woodruff: “Just like ‘The Bachelor,’ the further we go, the less diverse it gets.”

  • Kate McKinnon as Elizabeth Warren: “I’m here and I am in my element. PBS is my safe word. Last debate, I gave you policy T.M.I., and now I am ready to walk it back.”

  • Colin Jost as Pete Buttigieg: “I’m the only person on this stage who isn’t a millionaire or billionaire. I live on my mayor’s salary plus a $20 a week allowance from my parents, and that’s only if I do my chores.”

  • Larry David as Bernie Sanders: “Look at me. Are you really surprised that my main concern is the temperature?” He added: “Let me tell you, no matter how hot the earth gets I will not wear shorts. I swim in corduroy.”

  • Jason Sudeikis as Joe Biden: “Notice anything different about me? Grandpa Joe got the glow up. I was ‘Irishman’-ed. Younger? Yup. Taller? Sure. Better? Ehhh.”

  • Fred Armisen as Michael Bloomberg, explaining his uninvited appearance at the debate: “For $30 million, PBS is now owned by viewers like me.”

Yes, there was also an appearance by Alec Baldwin as President Trump (who said he was there “so you people will actually watch this little freak show”), and McKinnon changed costumes mid-sketch to reappear as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose Christmas gift to Trump was two articles of impeachment.

Over at the Weekend Update desk, the anchors, Colin Jost and Michael Che, made a Christmas joke swap and riffed on the latest impeachment news.

Jost:

On Wednesday, the House voted to impeach President Trump. But Nancy Pelosi refuses to send the articles to the Senate until they guarantee a fair trial. So now we’re all in this weird limbo where no one knows exactly what’s going on, there’s this cast of wild characters making fools of themselves, and everyone is thinking, “Please, God, just let this end.” So basically it’s “Cats.”

Che:

In a letter to Nancy Pelosi, Trump claimed that he has been treated worse than those accused in the Salem witch trials. You know where they set women on fire for, like, wearing pants. Well, according to Donald Trump, impeachment is, like, literally worse than that. I’m a little disappointed in Donald Trump. I knew he would snap but I thought it would be fun like Tupac in ’96. This is more sad like Britney in ’07.

In another welcome head-fake, Jost began to set up a joke about Mitch McConnell, only to be interrupted by Murphy, playing his dyspeptic version of Gumby, the venerable clay-animated character.

Murphy joined Jost and Che at the Weekend Update desk, mostly to bellow out his famous catchphrase, “I’m Gumby, damn it,” and to roast the two anchors.

“I’ve passed kidney stones with more personality than the two of you,” Murphy told them. “Face it, kid, the two of you together couldn’t Velcro my sneakers.” (Meanwhile, if you were hoping to see Murphy’s old character Velvet Jones, he turned up in a “Black Jeopardy” sketch later in the show.)

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2019-12-22 08:18:00Z
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‘SNL’: Eddie Murphy Revives ‘Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood,’ Buckwheat, Gumby, Velvet Jones (Watch) - Variety

When Eddie Murphy stepped back into Studio 8H for the first time in three-and-a-half decades, he brought with him some classic characters from Mister Robinson to Velvet Jones.

Murphy’s first sketch in the Dec. 21 episode of “Saturday Night Live” was “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood.” After so many years away, he was still living in his same apartment in a quickly gentrifying neighborhood, thanks to squatter’s rights.

“I was gone for a bit, but now I’m all right. My neighbors were all black, but now they’re white. The check cashing place turned into a bank; elevator works and the stairs stink. The white people came and changed everything, but I am still your neighbor,” he sang.

He commented on other things that have changed in the time he has been away from the audience, such as 23 And Me — “because of them, 23 people said their father is me.”

Later in the episode Murphy brought back Buckwheat, who was a surprise contestants on “The Masked Singer.” Dressed in a giant corn on the cob costume, his distinctive voice was obvious, even when crooning “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You.”

Beck Bennett as Robin Thicke guessed the celebrity under the mask correctly, and the other judges followed suit. Buckwheat was unmasked, to which Kate McKinnon’s Jenny McCarthy said she was freaking out because he was her idol.

Once he was unmasked, he had some more to sing, including lines from “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours,” “Feliz Navidad” and “Single Ladies.” The show put the lyrics on the screen, karaoke-style, but based on what it sounded like he was singing, not the actual lyrics are.

Bowen Yang portrayed show judge Ken Jeong, who said that as a doctor he was comfortable diagnosing Buckwheat as “100% juicy.”

Murphy’s Buckwheat said he was going to go away again but he didn’t want anyone to worry about him. Wherever he is, he said, he’s “doing o-tay.”

His Gumby made an appearance during “Weekend Update,” storming out on stage to angrily ask co-anchors and co-head writers Colin Jost and Michael Che how they were going to put on the show without him. “They know who the hell I am, I’m Gumby!” he said as he sat down.

“I should have been in every damn sketch from the top. I’m the one that made that Eddie Murphy a start. He was just a regular coon boy until I saw him,” he said.

Che did say they assumed no one would know who Gumby was.

“This is the thanks I get for saving this show from the gutter? Shame on you, Lorne Michaels. Shame on you, NBC,” Murphy’s Gumby said.

Both Jost and Che tried to get him to calm down, which drew more anger, resulting in Murphy’s Gumby calling Jost “trailer boy” and Che a “black bastard.”

“You know why you don’t come out from behind this desk? Because your jokes don’t have legs, you schmucks,” he said. “I passed kidney stones with more personality than the two of you.”

Because he’s green and children love him, Murphy’s Gumby said he was a Christmas character and said an opportunity was wasted by not using him sooner in the show. “The people want to see me!” he declared.

And finally, during a “Black Jeopardy!” sketch, Velvet Jones, introduced as “the founder of the Velvet Jones Institute of Technology, which he said meant he “showed ladies how to start their own business making up to $1500 dollars a week with my No. 1 bestseller, ‘I Want To Be A Ho,'” was one of the contestants.

Murphy’s Jones kept pimping (pun intended) his new books, almost all of which had “ho” in the title, which had the show’s host (played by Kenan Thompson) noting that “folks on the internet are going to be mad.” He was even prompted to ask if Jones had heard of #MeToo.

“Of course. You like hoes? Me, too,” he replied.

But things took a more modern turn when he was given a clue that asked what you shouldn’t do if your niece showed up to a holiday in a crop top.

“What you not going to do is judge this woman. It’s 2019, and she has every right to be sexy and to show off her beauty. She is independent, and she can make her own money. She doesn’t have to have sex with anyone,” he said. “It’s all in my new book entitled ‘How to Be an Instagram Ho’ and make $1500 a week from the comfort of your own bedroom being a strong, independent Instagram ho.”

Saturday Night Live” airs live coast-to-coast Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT on NBC.

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2019-12-22 05:52:00Z
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Sabtu, 21 Desember 2019

Does ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ Have a Post-Credits Scene? - TheWrap

After taking last December off, it is “Star Wars” season once again. “The Rise of Skywalker” is here to dominate all pop culture discourse for at least a couple weeks. Maybe longer, since this will be the last new “Star Wars” movie we get until 2022. And boy, what a discourse it will be.

So far “The Rise of Skywalker” has earned the second-worst Rotten Tomatoes percentage, at 57 percent as of this writing, of the franchise, with only “The Phantom Menace” getting a worse mark. Even “Attack of the Clones” managed to get a 65-percent positive rating. Not that a Tomatometer score is necessarily a good gauge of how a film will be remembered, but it certainly works as a gauge for the how the discourse is going right now.

With the “Star Wars” films going on break for the next three years after “The Rise of Skywalker,” and given that “The Mandalorian” hasn’t really driven much in the way of fun “Star Wars” discourse outside of all those Baby Yoda memes, maybe it’s a good thing that we got a film that’s causing so much consternation. We don’t get enough chances as it is to fight with everyone we know about something that actually doesn’t really matter. So we have to make it count when the opportunity arises.

Given the impending hiatus for the films, it’s valid to wonder if “The Rise of Skywalker” might want to get into the post-credits scene game. Not all post-credits scenes are teases for future movies — there are plenty that simply serve as an extended epilogue.  So is now the time when “Star Wars” joins this popular trend, by throwing in a bonus mid- or post-credits scene?

Unfortunately for fans hoping for any extra content during or after the credits, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” has no post-credits or mid-credits scenes. Once the credits begin, the movie has no more content for you beyond just the credits themselves. We’ve still never had a post-credits scene on any “Star Wars” movie.

Given how many people put in a lot of work to bring the film to life, it’s not the worst idea in the world to stick around in appreciation for their effort. But if you gotta go, you gotta go — and you can rest assured you aren’t missing something crucial if you head out when the credits start.

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2019-12-21 16:47:00Z
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UK's Prince Harry, Meghan, son Archie in Canada for holiday - Yahoo Entertainment

FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 file photo, Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive to attend the WellChild Awards Ceremony in London. Prince Harry's office has confirmed on Friday, Dec. 20 that he and his family will be spending “private time” in Canada over the Christmas holidays. That means Harry, his wife Meghan and their seven-month-old son Archie will miss Queen Elizabeth II's traditional Christmas gathering at her Sandringham estate, which typically includes the exchange of gifts on Christmas Eve and a church service and fancy lunch on Christmas Day. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, file)

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry's office has confirmed that he and his family will be spending “private time” in Canada over the Christmas holidays.

Harry, his wife Meghan and their 7-month-old son Archie will miss Queen Elizabeth II's traditional Christmas gathering at her Sandringham estate.

Palace officials Friday night confirmed Harry's family is in Canada but did not provide details.

Meghan lived in Canada for many years before she married Harry while she was filming the TV series “Suits."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed the family with a tweet.

“Prince Harry, Meghan, and Archie, we’re all wishing you a quiet and blessed stay in Canada,” he said. “You’re among friends, and always welcome here.”

The couple is taking a break from royal duties. Harry has said that he and his brother Prince William are going in different directions at the moment.

He has also complained about intrusive press coverage of his young family.

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2019-12-21 12:27:00Z
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Box Office: 'Rise of Skywalker' Soars to $90M Friday, 'Cats' Declawed - Hollywood Reporter

Friday audiences didn't like 'Cats' much more than critics, giving the musical a C+ CinemaScore, while 'Rise of Skywalker' is the first recent 'Star Wars' pic not to earn an A.

J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker soared to $90 million at the Friday box office, putting the tentpole on course for a domestic debut in the $190 million range.

Not even The Force is immune to some sequel fatigue, despite the latest Star Wars pic being billed as a finale to the Skywalker saga. Two years ago, Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi — which divided fans — opened to $220 million domestically, preceded by a then-record $248 million for Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015.

Nevertheless, $190 million would be a huge number, as well as repping the third-best December launch of all time behind Force Awakens and Last Jedi. Friday's haul, which included $40 million in Thursday previews, is likewise high up on the list of all-time biggest first days for any time of the year, or No. 6, according to Comscore.

Movies hitting the big screen just before Christmas can enjoy unusually strong multiples during the final two weeks of the year, putting less pressure on the opening number.

Potential challenges facing Skywalker include mixed reviews and a B+ CinemaScore. It's the first Star Wars pic made by Lucasfilm and Disney not to earn an A from audiences. Exit scores on PostTrak are more promising.

Elsewhere, Universal and Working Title's Christmas event movie Cats is looking at a disappointing fourth-place finish behind holdovers Jumanji: The Next Level and Frozen 2 with a projected $8 million weekend, behind expectations.

On Friday, Cats took in an estimated $2.6 million after landing a dismal C+ CinemaScore from moviegoers and getting banished to the litter box by critics.

Directed by Tom Hooper, the PG pic hopes to make ground in the coming days as families become available. (Two years ago, The Greatest Showman bowed to $8.8 million over Christmas on its way to grossing $174.3 million domestically.) Cats cost $100 million to make after tax rebates and incentives. That doesn't include marketing costs.

Lionsgate's Bombshell is likewise coming in behind expectations in its nationwide expansion, albeit by a slimmer margin. The Fox News drama rounded out the top five Friday with an estimated $1.8 million for a projected weekend gross of $5.5 million-$6 million.

Of the three movies, Bombshell — an awards contender — boasts the best Rotten Tomatoes score (65 percent), followed by 57 percent for Star Wars and a mere 19 percent for Cats.

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2019-12-21 16:21:18Z
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Are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Really 'Making Diana Proud'? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

There’s no doubt that Princess Diana would be big on social media. The “people’s princess” had millions of followers before social media was even invented. Before we had selfies, she was one of the most photographed people in the world. 

So it’s safe to say Instagram would have been her thing. Before social media, Princess Diana was already using photographs very strategically. She knew her power as a public figure, and she tried to bring awareness to various causes through photography.

Georges De Keerle
Princess Diana | Georges De Keerle/Getty Images

She was pictured holding hands with a man suffering from AIDS, during an epidemic of the disease. The public didn’t know a lot about how HIV and AIDS were transmitted. By being photographed simply holding hands with someone with the disease, Princess Diana educated the public without a word. 

Princess Diana was brilliant in her ability to use her image for the greater good. She never had the chance to try out social media, but her children have. And they’re using social media platforms to carry on her legacy.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are active on Instagram

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, made an Instagram account earlier this year. A lot of thought went into the Sussex Royal account. The couple was very careful about their color scheme, and all pictures are uniformly formatted with white borders.

Duchess Meghan apparently even studied Instagram algorithms. It’s not because they wanted to maximize likes on their selfies. They use their page almost exclusively for promoting charitable causes. 

Every month they post about a new cause. And usually, pictures of the duke and duchess are taken at charitable events or other meetings to promote social causes. 

One royal expert says it’s exactly what Princess Diana would have done on social media. According to the expert: “Diana would be so proud of what Harry and Meghan are doing with their platform at the moment – being creative with it, thinking outside the box, doing things differently.”

It’s not just social media

View this post on Instagram

We are proud to announce that Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Sussex is the Guest Editor for the September issue of @BritishVogue. For the past seven months, The Duchess has curated the content with British Vogue's Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful to create an issue that highlights the power of the collective. They have named the issue: “Forces for Change” For the cover, The Duchess chose a diverse selection of women from all walks of life, each driving impact and raising the bar for equality, kindness, justice and open mindedness. The sixteenth space on the cover, a mirror, was included so that when you hold the issue in your hands, you see yourself as part of this collective. The women on the cover include: @AdwoaAboah @AdutAkech @SomaliBoxer @JacindaArdern @TheSineadBurke @Gemma_Chan @LaverneCox @JaneFonda @SalmaHayek @FrankieGoesToHayward @JameelaJamilOfficial @Chimamanda_Adichie @YaraShahidi @GretaThunberg @CTurlington We are excited to announce that within the issue you’ll find: an exclusive interview between The Duchess and former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, a candid conversation between The Duke of Sussex and Dr Jane Goodall, inspirational articles written by Brené Brown, Jameela Jamil and many others. Equally, you’ll find grassroots organisations and incredible trailblazers working tirelessly behind the scenes to change the world for the better. • “Guest Editing the September issue of British Vogue has been rewarding, educational and inspiring. To deep dive into this process, working quietly behind the scenes for so many months, I am happy to now be able to share what we have created. A huge thanks to all of the friends who supported me in this endeavour, lending their time and energy to help within these pages and on the cover. Thank you for saying “Yes!” – and to Edward, thank you for this wonderful opportunity.” – The Duchess of Sussex #ForcesForChange

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may use Instagram to promote causes, but they’re not putting all their eggs in the social media basket.

The duchess also promoted various activists on her Vogue cover in September. The issue was highly publicized, and she undoubtedly brought a lot of awareness to some important causes. 

Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry also took a trip to Africa this fall. The journey was highly publicized. Even people who don’t follow the royal couple on social media likely heard about the trip, and what they were doing there. 

They retraced some of Princess Diana’s steps while there. Prince Harry was photographed walking across the same former minefield in Angola as his mother. The princess visited in the 1990s.

Prince Harry and Kate Middleton deserve some credit too

Markle and Prince Harry are often favorably compared to Princess Diana, but her other son is doing his part to further her legacy as well. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, also have an Instagram.

The Kensington Royal account also does its part to promote charities. Most recently, Duchess Kate was photographed during an event for the Family Action charity, and the pictures were posted on social media. 

The older royal couple has more royal duties than Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, so naturally, their social media focuses more on the formal aspect of being a royal. It’s still important to note that they are very charitable and try to bring awareness to good causes when they can.

They may not have the same knack for public promotion as Princess Diana did or the freedom as Prince Harry, but Princess Diana clearly left her older son with an impressive sense of duty to the greater good. 

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2019-12-21 09:19:21Z
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's ending, explained - CNET

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

This is it for the Skywalker Saga.

Walt Disney Pictures

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker caps off a story that spans nine films over the last four decades. That's a lot of baggage to unload, and director J.J. Abrams attempts to pay off earlier elements while offering nods to the classic trilogy. That's a fine line to walk. 

But just who is the Skywalker in the title? And does everything make sense?

I'll break down the ending of the film. There's a decent amount to unpack. But first, here's your courtesy spoiler alert.

spoilers-starwars

One last warning: Spoilers below! 

Now playing: Watch this: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - Official Trailer (2019)

2:20

The Rise of Skywalker ends with a massive space battle between the Resistance and the First Order, this time armed with a freshly built fleet of Star Destroyers because, well, it's Star Wars and that's how these movies end. At first, it's just the Resistance, but Lando Calrissian (a clearly having fun Billy Dee Williams) and Chewbacca rounded up seemingly every free ship in the galaxy for a massive assault. It's a visually impressive moment as the screen fills with ships jumping out of hyperspace.

The real action, however, is on the Sith planet of Exogol below, where Rey has her own fight against a resurrected Emperor Palpatine.

Throughout much of the latter half of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey (Daisy Ridley) has to deal with the revelation that she is Emperor Palpatine's granddaughter. She's not just Rey, she's Rey Palpatine. It's a retcon of The Last Jedi's idea that anyone could be a Force user and a meaningful player in this series. Nope, she's basically Force royalty.

And no, the movie doesn't bother to explain how Palpatine survive, but he's apparently been around the whole time pulling the strings, and even created Snoke. 

Rey's flirtation with the dark side is a key theme that plays a role in her final struggle with Palpatine, and spills into her attempts to turn Kylo Ren back to the light side.

Like he did with Luke in Return of the Jedi, Palpatine invites Rey to strike him down and fulfill her legacy as the new emperor. She doesn't, of course, and gets help from Ben Solo, who dropped the Kylo Ren act earlier in the film after Rey impaled him with a lightsaber, only to use the Force to heal him. If you're surprised by that particular power, note that The Mandalorian sets it up in Episode 7. (Oh, there's no Baby Yoda in this film.) But Palpatine was expecting this, and taps into the Force powers of both Rey and Solo to fully revive his damaged body and sends Solo flying off a cliff.

As Palpatine cackles that he carries all of the Sith with him, a chorus of classic Jedi, from Yoda to Mace Windu and even Star Wars Rebels' Kanan voice their support for Rey, and she responds by saying she represents all Jedi. She brandishes both Luke and Leia's lightsabers in a very Wonder Woman-esque cross-pose and deflects the lightning that's attacking her, killing the emperor and herself in the process.

Solo climbs back up and proceeds to use the same Force healing technique to resurrect Rey. When she wakes up, they embrace and kiss, and he dies, having sacrificed his life energy to revive her.

And the Skywalker?

It's the final scenes that offer a true answer to who the Skywalker is and rebuts the idea that Rey is a Palpatine and evil. After a victory celebration, Rey travels to Tatooine, visiting the moisture farm Luke Skywalker grew up on. It's there she buries Luke and Leia's lightsabers together, and shows off her own new yellow lightsaber. Building your own lightsaber is one of the milestones on the way to becoming a true Jedi, and that glimpse is a nice visual cue of just how far she's come.

An old woman passes by and asks Rey who she is.

Rey looks out and sees the Force ghosts of Luke, Leia and Ben, and she answers, "Rey Skywalker."

So even if she's a Palpatine by blood, her time spent training under Luke and Leia, and her efforts to redeem Ben, forged her new family.

She and BB-8 stand in front of the twin suns of Tatooine, echoing the beginning of Star Wars and the end of Revenge of the Sith. Cue John Williams' epic score.

Note: This story was originally published earlier.

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2019-12-21 03:30:00Z
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