The release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker [1] is still months away, but ever since the first teaser trailer [2] dropped, we've been wracking our brains trying to decipher what the title might mean. Some popular theories point to either Kylo Ren [3], Rey [4], or even Anakin [5] being the titular Skywalker, playing into the "Chosen One" narrative that began with Luke in the original trilogy, and continued with Anakin in the prequels. These sorts of theories tend to lean heavily into ideas of destiny and specialness, with the hero being "chosen" for greatness long before they ever actually do anything noteworthy.
However, we suspect that director J.J. Abrams is attempting to throw us off the scent, and that the title is phrased to be deliberately misleading. Abrams is well-known for his love of "mystery box [6]" storytelling and shocking twists, so it's unlikely that he'd give away a big piece of the puzzle in the title. Furthermore, back in 2015, Abrams gave an interview [7] to Slashfilm in which, when asked about "Chosen One" stories in Star Wars, he said:
"To me Star Wars was never about science fiction — it was a spiritual story. And it was more of a fairytale in that regard. For me when I heard Obi-Wan say that the Force surrounds us and binds us all together, there was no judgement about who you were. This was something that we could all access. Being strong with the Force didn't mean something scientific, it meant something spiritual. It meant someone who could believe, someone who could reach down to the depths of your feelings and follow this primal energy that was flowing through all of us. I mean, that's what was said in that first film! And there I am sitting in the theatre at almost 11 years old and that was a powerful notion. And I think this is what your point was, we would like to believe that when shit gets serious, that you could harness that Force I was told surrounds not just some of us but every living thing. And so, I really feel like the assumption that any character needs to have inherited a certain number of midi-chlorians or needs to be part of a bloodline. It's not that I don't believe that as part of the canon, I'm just saying that at 11 years old, that wasn't where my heart was. And so I respect and adhere to the canon but I also say that the Force has always seemed to me to be more inclusive and stronger than that."
Given that Abrams seems to personally reject the idea of Star Wars as a Chosen One narrative, it seems highly unlikely that his ending to the saga would revolve around that particular trope. While Abrams had to know that most theories about the title would centre either Rey or one of the previously established Skywalkers, it seems probable that The Rise of Skywalker was intentionally designed to point us in one direction, while actually indicating something completely different.
Read on for three theories about what The Rise of Skywalker could mean that manage to eschew the Chosen One narrative.
Skywalker is a Code Name
The "Skywalker" of the title may in fact refer to Rey, but as an honourific rather than a reference to her actual bloodline. Perhaps it's a code name that she's taken up within the Resistance in order to honour Luke's memory. This could potentially lead to a powerful "I am Spartacus" moment, where the First Order tries to ferret out who the rebel Skywalker is, only to be met with multiple Resistance fighters claiming to be Skywalker in order to protect Rey. In doing so, they would all, in a way, become Skywalker, subverting the Chosen One narrative by allowing an entire group to claim the hero's mantle.
Skywalker is the Resistance
While the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi led to most of the Resistance getting wiped out by the First Order, the ending of the film hinted at a new generation of children who support the Resistance spread throughout the galaxy. In an interview with Variety [8], Abrams said that "some time has passed" between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, so it's possible that the kids we saw at the end of the previous film could be young Resistance fighters in the next one. "Skywalker" could be the name they adopt for themselves, especially once word gets out about how Luke Skywalker faced down the entire First Order by himself.
While the previous theory still kept the focus on Rey as the first one to take up the Skywalker mantle, this one shifts that focus to the Resistance as a whole. Having a group collectively refer to themselves as Skywalker, named for a single man who stood his ground against overwhelming odds, seems to be in line with Abrams' inclusive interpretation of the Star Wars mythology, and would provide a satisfying note for the end of the saga: if we choose to stand for what is good, even in the face of great evil, we are all Skywalker.
Skywalker is a New Order
The Jedi have long had a prophecy [9] that states that ""A Chosen One shall come, born of no father, and through him will ultimate balance in the Force be restored." This is why, in the Star Wars prequels, the Jedi believed that Anakin was the Chosen One, since he had no father and was strong in the Force.
Of course, Anakin ultimately turned to the Dark Side and joined the Sith, dashing the Jedi's hopes that he would fulfil the prophecy. Many have wondered [10] if Rey may turn out to be this long-awaited hero, and her arc in both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi seems to hint that she feels equally drawn to both the Light and Dark sides of the Force.
However, what if the film's title refers not to Rey herself, but to a brand new order of Force users, who are able to use the Force in perfect balance? Not only would this circumvent the Chosen One narrative, but it would fit perfectly with the previous two titles. Now that the Force has awakened, and the last Jedi is gone, perhaps that clears the way for "Skywalkers," Force users like Rey who are able to tap into both of the opposing sides of the Force and harness that power for good, instead of losing themselves to one side or the other.
Note that the prophecy never stated that the Chosen One would be the one to bring balance to the Force himself; it said that through him, balance would be restored. Remember that Rey received her Force instruction from two Skywalkers: Luke and Kylo Ren, each focusing on a different side of the Force. If she is the one to bring those sides into balance, and the one to begin and name a new order of Skywalkers, then Anakin's line did, in fact, fulfil the prophecy.