Before long, The Rise of Skywalker will have been out for a year. Discussing the film can really feel like beating a dead Fathier at times, as the lines for where people stand on the film are clearly drawn and likely won't be shifting for a long time.
There are many, many people who dislike the film, but Daisy Ridley isn't one of them. The actress was surprised by the heavy backlash towards the film , having had such a great time working on it herself. Rey truly does get to do it all in Episode IX , and for that reason alone Ridley has a difficult time seeing the potential for doing more stories...
NEWS
In an interview with IGN , actress Daisy Ridley said that The Rise of Skywalker was Rey's perfect ending:
"I think for me the beauty of Episode IX is it ends with such hope and such potential. I just feel like that was Rey's perfect ending. The big battle was in Episodes VII, VIII, and IX. I think really she's probably running around the forest somewhere having a great time [following the events of The Rise of Skywalker]."
The actress feels satisfied with the end of her character's journey and can't see how it could continue:
"I feel totally, totally satisfied with how that story finished. I just don't know what else she could do that I didn't have to do."
Ridley cited The Mandalorian as an example of the new directions Star Wars could go:
"Also, there are so many amazing characters in Star Wars, that it's sort of an amazing thing. I was watching the new episode of Mandalorian, and it's just like the places it can go beyond even where it is now is so exciting."
WHAT THIS MEANS
Everyone has a strong opinion regarding the Sequel Trilogy. At the same time, it's strange that the trilogy has almost disappeared from the realm of public interest and discussion, despite having ended just under a year ago. The ultimate legacy of the films has yet to be decided, but the current trend could indicate that enthusiasm for a continuation of the story is a long ways off.
Daisy Ridley worked her tail off and put everything she had into her role. There's a new generation of young fans who look up to Rey, and that's all because of Ridley and her performances. To that end, there will always be a group of fans who want to see more of the character.
Ridley is certainly right in that Rey got to do everything, though that's part of the problem many fans have. From flying the Millennium Falcon to frying the Emperor's face off, the actress was able to roll out all the stops with her character, and the culmination of Rey's story certainly feels like a new beginning.
At the end of the day, Ridley is likely right that there are bigger and better things for Star Wars to focus on right now. The Mandalorian is insanely popular and the storytelling in that part of the timeline is just getting underway, and with the various other projects in the works, there's little room to fit in a story post- Episode IX .
Maybe someday, when the dust has settled, the time will come to bring the main saga back. The Rise of Skywalker (unintentionally) left room for the return of a member of the Skywalker bloodline to make a return, and actor John Boyega is on-board with coming back so long as his co-stars are in as well . While not in the immediate future, a continuation of the Sequel Trilogy's story seems to be an inevitability, and a writer with the right ideas can surely craft a story that gives Rey more things to do.
