Report: Rey Goes Dark Side in Star Wars Rise of the Skywalker Footage at D23

A new report indicates Rey will embrace the Dark Side as footage showcased at D23 saw her wielding red lightsabers.

Brandon Davis at ComicBook.com saw the Rise of the Skywalker footage at D23 and provided this description:

“A special look back at Star Wars plays to conclude the presentation. It includes all of the previous films. “We’ve passed on all we know. The thousand generations live in you now but this is your fight.” It culminates with footage from the new movie. The group overlooks a small village. An army of ships in spaces. Rey cuts through trees. Kylo emerges from a ship. Rey and Kylo fight surrounded by water. Palpatine narrates — it nears its end” Rey is wearing a black robe — her red lightsaber splits in two, dual wielding like Darth Maul.”

Of note, Rey is shown wearing black robes, but more importantly she is wielding red lightsabers and apparently will be dual wielding them. However, his description is a little odd because he notes she dual wields them like Darth Maul. Dual wielding indicates one lightsaber in each hand. Darth Maul famously used a double-bladed lightsaber until one end was cut in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi. He then fights with a single blade.

Given Rey was seen fighting with a staff in The Force Awakens, it’s more than likely Davis is referring to the double-bladed lightsaber that Darth Maul wields.

Despite the confusing description, the idea that Rey would fall to the Dark Side seems apparent. For readers of Marvel’s recent crop of Star Wars comics, how Sith construct their red lightsabers is revealed.

Writer Charles Soule and artists Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cam Smith, and David Curiel reveal just how the Sith create their red lightsabers in the pages of Darth Vader #5. (Related: How Darth Vader Obtained His Red Lightsaber)

They must first acquire the Kyber crystal from a Jedi’s lightsaber. After acquiring the crystal they must travel to a location that is strong in the Dark Side. In Vader’s case he travels to Mustafar. While there, the Sith must “corrupt the Kyber crystal. Teach it your pain. Teach it your anger. Hear it sing a hymn of darkness. Make it bleed.”

If Rey is wielding a double bladed red lightsaber, she must have tapped into the Dark Side in order to make the Kyber crystal bleed red.

It’s also possible she discovered an old double-bladed lightsaber, but the description seems to indicate it is her weapon. Rey was seen wielding Kylo Ren’s lightsaber in a commercial promoting The Last Jedi. (Related: Rey Wields Kylo Ren’s Red Lightsaber in Latest Star Wars: The Last Jedi Clip)

However, the whole clip might actually be a major facade. It could be a vision Rey has similar to Luke’s in The Empire Strikes Back when he fights Darth Vader on Dagobah. Rey might be seeing what she could become if she falls to the Dark Side.

It could even be a manipulation by The Emperor to create a vision to sow distrust and doubt within Rey. We’ve seen The Emperor attempt to perform a similar trick with Yoda in The Clone Wars. He was unsuccessful. (Related: Alleged Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Leaks Reveal How Emperor Palpatine Returns)

What do you make of this report that Rey might turn to the Dark Side? Do you think this could be a vision? Or do you think Rey might embrace the Dark Side?