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Secret CGI, subtle callbacks, and those other Rise of Skywalker details you didn't spot!
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00:00Now, sadly, this list won't be able to turn back time and change the fact that Rey
00:05was actually a Palpatine all along, however, it will be able to shed some light on-
00:10some easily missed cameos, a few brilliant nods to the past that won't leave you-
00:15cringing, and many more Rise of Skywalker features and easter eggs you possibly-
00:20never noticed.
00:21So I am Gareth here from WhatCultureStarWars, and here-
00:25Here are 20 things you somehow missed in Star Wars Episode 9 The Rise of Skywalker-
00:30Number 20 That Mysterious Message Could Actually Be Heard-
00:35On Fortnite Within the opening few seconds of The Rise of
00:40Skywalker-
00:40Fans were hilariously informed that the dead speak-
00:44As Episode 9-
00:45Episode 9's opening crawl explained how Emperor Palpatine had recently sent out a-
00:50mysterious broadcast threatening REVENGE!
00:53However, the words of Zombie-
00:55what Emperor Palpatine uttered in this message were never actually heard-
00:58in the film that is-
01:00If you weren't immersed in the world of Fortnite at the time of the movie's release, you'd
01:05probably-
01:05miss the fact that Palpatine's sinister broadcast actually debuted during a December-
01:1014th event in the game, dedicated to the incoming Star Wars feature-
01:15sometimes it pays to play video games, you know-
01:19Number 19-
01:20It's-
01:20Little Son
01:21Star Wars lost a mighty hero during the events of The Last Jedi-
01:25year, with Admiral Jeel Ackbar shockingly being blasted out of the Raddus. However-
01:30his legacy actually lived on in The Rise of Skywalker-
01:33That Mon Calamari-
01:35the resistance fighter seen on the hero's Ajahn Kloss base throughout Episode 9-
01:40That-
01:40That's none other than Jeel's own flesh and blood, Aftab Ackbar-
01:44a character first-
01:45seen in the Allegiance comic books-
01:47He was doing his daddy proud-
01:49Number-
01:50Number 18-
01:51Ralph McQuarrie's concept art inspired thrones and locations
01:55The late great conceptual designer Ralph McQuarrie was responsible for creating-
02:00some of the most fascinating concept art in movie history. With many of those ideas-
02:05heavily influencing the galaxy far, far away, fans know and adore today.
02:10I-
02:10And his exceptional work managed to find its way into the final Skywalker Saga entry to-
02:15Palpatine's intimidating Sith throne on Exegol was evidently inspired-
02:20by McQuarrie's unused concept art for the Emperor's throne in Return of the Jedi-
02:25As-
02:25As confirmed by Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Solstack on Ex-
02:29Also-
02:30As noted by Lucasfilm story group member Pablo Hildago-
02:33The Mirror spires on the-
02:35planet Avexia Poe Dameron lightspeed skips to early on in episode 9 were influ-
02:40by some of the work seen in the illustrated Star Wars Universe book that contained a-
02:45ton of Macquarie's fantastic art. Number 17, The Origins of Location
02:50names. The Rise of Skywalker introduced Star Wars fans to the likes of the-
02:55Snowy Kijimi, and another moon of Endor known as Kethbeer. When it comes-
03:00to that former location, you likely didn't spot that J.J. Abrams actually seemingly-
03:05opted for that specific name as a nod to a real-world item. Abrams-
03:10is quite the fan of a Japanese company known as Black Corporation, and they also-
03:15produce a synthesizer that goes by the name of, you guessed it, Kijimi. The company-
03:20even posted a photo of the director holding said item on their Instagram a few months-
03:25before the film came out. Elsewhere, the location where Janna and the rest of her stormtrooper-
03:30pals mutinied Ansett Island is actually an anagram of Staten Island.
03:35The birthplace of Episode 9 screenwriter Chris Terrio. Coincidence? I-
03:40think not. Number 16, Lando Calrissian and Wedge Antilles record-
03:45the first-setting returns after 36 years away. The Rise of Skywalker was the first-
03:50time in over three decades both Billy Dee Williams and Dennis Lawson-
03:55appeared on screen as Lando Calrissian and Wedge Antilles respectively. Though Lawson-
04:00did actually lend his voice to the character for GameCube Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2 Rogue-
04:05leader game back in 2001. But with that not technically counting as a live-action-
04:10slash on-screen performance from the OG trilogy Thespian, both Lawson and Willie-
04:15James' welcome comebacks to the galaxy far, far away, ultimately set the record for the long-
04:20longest time between on-screen Star Wars appearances. With both of the original trilogy-
04:25actors last appearing in The Return of the Jedi, a whopping 36 years before Episode-
04:309 landed in theatres. Number 15, Rey was right about BB-
04:358 doing the same thing she did. Not long after showing she possessed the ability-
04:40to heal other living beings by transferring force energy from herself to a wound-
04:458 landed in Vexus. Rey tells her little astromech pal BB-8 that-
04:50he would have no doubt done the same in that position. Far from being a throwaway-
04:55compliments from the powerful force user though, this actually acts as a subtle piece of-
05:00foreshadowing. When the gang eventually find themselves on Ochi's ship on Persona-
05:05the rolling hero bumps into another small droid, and after spotting that this diminutive-
05:10bot was very much deactivated, BB-8 swiftly decided to pump some power into-
05:15to little Dio, voiced by JJ Abrams in the flick, and bring him back to life-
05:20proving that this resistance legend certainly would offer a bit of his own energy to heal-
05:25slash-fix someone when given the chance to. Rey knew her droids, dammit.
05:30Number 14, Ben Solo's facial scar disappears after he's healed.
05:35The Force Awakens ended with the fallen Ben Solo clearly getting slashed across-
05:40the bridge of his nose by an unexpectedly powerful Rey on Starkiller Base.
05:45He got his ass whooped. This scar then bizarrely moves a few inches across his mug-
05:50and-
05:51and-
05:52and-
05:53and-
05:54and-
05:55and-
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06:37and-
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06:39and-
06:40and-
06:41and-
06:42Translate the Sith language pointing the team in the direction of the all-important Wayfinder.
06:47A B-1 battle droid can be found sitting over the golden figure's shoulder.
06:52And that wasn't the only bad robot in Frick's place of work, either.
06:55According to the film's...
06:57Creature Effect Supervisor Neil Scanlan, an actual Little Red Droid version of...
07:02...of the mascot for Abrams' bad robot production company, was also hanging out somewhere...
07:07...in the area.
07:07You just never know who you're gonna bump into in Frick's Droid Wonderlander.
07:11Number...
07:12Number 12 A New Hope Starfield makes an appearance
07:14Rey had just been well...
07:17...and truly drained by her despicable grandfather.
07:20That did not sound as weird in my head...
07:22However, just as Darth Sidious was in the middle of ripping apart the Resistance fleet...
07:27...with his ridiculously powerful Force Lightning Storm.
07:30His own flesh and blood...
07:32...began to ask the Jedi of the past to give her a hand in taking out the revived Emperor.
07:37And it was in this moment when a Starfield could be seen as Rey heard the many different...
07:42...helpful voices.
07:43But this wasn't just any old collection of stars, folks.
07:46It was eventually...
07:47...confirmed by Visual Effects Supervisor Patrick Tubuk...
07:50...that this is actually the same...
07:52...that Starfield fans first saw all the way back in 1977...
07:56...when the...
07:57...opening crawl of the first Star Wars had reached its end.
08:00How cool is that?
08:0211.
08:03Some Famous Jedi Helped Rey Take Down Palpatine
08:07And while on the subject of Rey calling on the Jedi of the past to help her whoop Palpatine's wrinkle...
08:12...the collection of famous Jedi faces J.J. Abrams managed to assemble...
08:17...this awesome voiceover ensemble is more impressive than you initially may have realised.
08:22Along with the awesome return of the likes of Mark Hamill and Hayden Christensen as Luke and...
08:27...Anakin Skywalker, respectively.
08:29Deep breath.
08:30Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon J...
08:32...Sir Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
08:35Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Ta...
08:37...Freddy Prince Jr. as Kanan Jarrus.
08:39Olivia Diabo as Luminara Unduli.
08:42Jennifer Hale as Ayla Secura.
08:44Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu.
08:46Angelique Perry.
08:47Queen as Adi Gallia.
08:48And last but certainly not least, Frank Oz as Yoda...
08:52...or show up when Daisy Ridley's Rey needs them the most.
08:55This was pretty much Star Wars version...
08:57...of a muddy Chris Evans bringing together Earth's Mightiest Heroes...
09:00...to take down a nutsack...
09:02...back-chinned Mad Titan.
09:04Number 10.
09:04Rey's new lightsaber was built from...
09:07...her quarterstaff.
09:08After using the lightsabers of various Skywalkers during the...
09:12...Saga, Rey finally switched on her own personal Jedi weapon just before...
09:17...The Rise of Skywalker concluded.
09:19And there's a solid chance you were too blinded by the fact...
09:22...Rey decided to go for a fresh yellow blade for her weapon of choice...
09:26...complete with a...
09:27...yellow kyber crystal to spot exactly what that lightsaber was made of.
09:31Well, ask...
09:32...confirmed by Visual Effects Production Supervisor Roger Guyot...
09:35...the hilts of the laser sword was...
09:37...actually crafted from bits of the quarterstaff she'd been using since Episode 7.
09:42So she'll always carry a piece of her Jakku past with her...
09:45...whenever she's slicing her way out of...
09:47...trouble in the years post-Rise of Skywalker.
09:49Number 9.
09:50C-3PO's last line in...
09:52...the saga was the same as his first.
09:54In another cute nod to the film that starred...
09:57...wanted it all in the flick that...
09:58...well, ended it.
09:59C-3PO's final line in the sky...
10:02...Saga was actually the same as the first one he ever uttered in the galaxy far...
10:07That's right, back when C-3PO and R2-D2 were first introduced on a...
10:12...rebel ship in the opening scene of A New Hope.
10:14The Golden Protocol droid's first words were...
10:17...did you hear that?
10:18And that's exactly the same thing Anthony Daniels droid legend as his long...
10:22...time astromech pal on Arjun Kloss...
10:24...after the Battle of Exegol when Rey arrives...
10:27...back at the Resistance base in Luke Skywalker's X-Wing.
10:30Number 8.
10:31C-3PO's last line in...
10:32...42 years line is a reference to the release of 1977's first...
10:37...Star Wars.
10:38When Poe, Dameron, Finn, Chewbacca, Rey, BB-8 and three...
10:42...C-3PO arrive on Persona to continue Luke Skywalker's search for Exegol...
10:47...the iconic Protocol droid was quick to let the gang know...
10:50...that they had landed in the middle of the...
10:52...Aki-Aki Festival of the Ancestors.
10:54What are the chances?
10:56He'd also reveal...
10:57...to the lucky group of Resistance heroes...
10:59...that this vibrant festival only happened one...
11:02...once every 42 years.
11:04And you'll never guess how long it had been since the release of a new...
11:07...hope at the time the Rite of Skywalker was originally in theatres.
11:10Yep, 42 years...
11:12...bebe!
11:13Number 7.
11:14A star-studded Resistance fleet...
11:17...just when it looked like our heroes were done for as they attempted to stop the Emperor's final order...
11:22...on Exegol, the mother of all reinforcements arrived to save the day.
11:26And we...
11:27...with so many ships, a staggering 14,000 strong, soaring into a...
11:32...insist Poe Dameron and what remained of the Resistance...
11:34...it would have been pretty much impossible to spot...
11:37...each and every epic spaceship cameo present in this triumphant arrival during a...
11:42...first watch.
11:42But when you do take a second to pause the heroic entrance of the Citizen's fleet...
11:47...everything from Harrison Doola's Ghost Ship to Princess Leia's Tantive IV flagship...
11:52...to the same sort of N1 starfighter used by the likes of Anakin Skywalker and Din...
11:57...Jarin over the years...
11:58...are all there flying into action.
12:00A Hammerhead Corvette...
12:02...first seen in the animated Rebel series...
12:04...a number of Mon Calamari starcruisers just like...
12:07...the one Admiral Raddus flew in Rogue One, A Star Wars Story...
12:10...and many more familiar sh...
12:12...ships were all led into battle by the legendary Millennium Falcon 2...
12:16...with the shot of the...
12:17...this fleet finally showing up, absolutely overflowing with starship nostalgia.
12:22Number 6, Another Holdo Maneuver
12:24After the Resistance's victory on...
12:27...Alexagol
12:27Thank you very much, Citizen's Fleet.
12:29Fans are taken back to the forest moon of...
12:32...and or in a sequence showing how folks across the galaxy were rising up against the first door...
12:37...here the brave Ewoks are seen staring at an obliterated Star Destroyer...
12:42...hovering over their home.
12:43And if you take a closer look at that recently ripped into ship from the...
12:47...first order fleet, it soon becomes clear that some fearless soul opted to take a leap...
12:52...out of Vice Admiral Amalyn Holdo's book in episode 9.
12:56One eagle-eyed...
12:57Fan on X noticed how the white beams of light bursting out of the back of the first order...
13:02...Destroyer looked exactly like the ones that were left behind by the Holdo Maneuver in the last...
13:07...Jedaya, with the Vice Admiral wrecking some enemy ships by ramming them as she jumped out...
13:12...and the hyperspace.
13:13One in a million moved my ass, Finn.
13:16Number 5, Tons of...
13:17Sinking Beans.
13:18As Rey, Finn, Poe and the rest of the gang find themselves...
13:22...slowly being pulled into a sinking field on Pasana...
13:25...you likely weren't thinking about exactly...
13:27...what that black sand was actually made of.
13:29Weirdly enough though, that wasn't really sand...
13:32...at all.
13:33The cast were very much sinking into a collection of different materials on set...
13:37...including black beans.
13:39A massive 30 tons of those little black beans...
13:42...were used whilst filming this impressive practical effect in the end...
13:45...due to the fact they were...
13:47...easier to push through than actual sand.
13:49So there you go!
13:50Number 4, The Ry...
13:52Joining the likes of the many returning cameo Jedi voices...
13:57...as...
13:58...one of The Rise of Skywalker's screenwriters, Chris Terrio...
14:00...voiced the aforementioned after...
14:02...Itsab Akbar.
14:03Warwick Davis made his Star Wars comeback as Wicket W. Warwick on the...
14:07...Loris Moon of Endor alongside his son Harrison Davis as Pommet...
14:11...and Ed Sheer...
14:12...and showed up as a Stormtrooper and the Resistance's Engi Golba in Episode 9.
14:17Elsewhere, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also helped create the Lido Hey song heard on...
14:22...Sanna, shows up in the background during the Resistance's celebrations on Arjen Kloss.
14:27Mark Hamill added another Star Wars cameo to his growing list by voicing the Ovisian who delivers...
14:32...a message to our heroes early on...
14:34...Clerks director Kevin Smith could be seen as a Kijimi...
14:37...and then there was the legendary John Williams, who briefly showed up on the...
14:42...that same planet as Oma Trez.
14:44With Abrams and his team actually surrounding the iconic...
14:47...composer with various props that celebrated many of the films he'd majestically scored...
14:52...over the years.
14:53Lovely touch.
14:54Number 3.
14:55Rey's dirty face and visor were...
14:57...actually CGI.
14:58While there was certainly a decent amount of outstanding...
15:02...actical effects visible in J.J. Abrams' second sequel trilogy flick...
15:06...one particular...
15:07...involving the woman who murdered her evil grandfather on Exegol...
15:11...leaving that...
15:12...that planet actually boasted far more CGI than you likely noticed.
15:16As revealed...
15:17...in ILM's fascinating behind the scenes look at some of the magnificent...
15:20...digital effects used in...
15:22...episode 9.
15:23Daisy Ridley surprisingly didn't have to spend a bit of time in the makeup chair...
15:27...having dirt applied to her face and costume...
15:29...or look through a visor whilst filming her bathroom...
15:32...at a ground exit.
15:33All of these elements were actually entirely digital...
15:36...and in...
15:37...impressively layered on top of her performance...
15:39...after she'd shot the cockpit moment.
15:412.
15:42Maz Kanata was an animatronic instead of CGI
15:45From sneaky Star Wars CGI to an unexpected lack of it...
15:50...Maskanata's return in The Rise of Skywalker was actually a whole lot more practical than...
15:55...her first few appearances in episodes 7 and 8.
15:58J.J. Abrams had actually...
16:00...he originally wanted to go down the puppet route for Lupita Nyong'o's Pirate Queen...
16:04...during the making of the...
16:05...for The Force Awakens...
16:06...but eventually settled on creating the character via CGI...
16:09...slash mode...
16:10...in motion capture.
16:11However, when it came time to bring the humanoid back as Leia's advisor in episode...
16:15...of nine...
16:16...creature and special makeup effects creative supervisor Neil Scanlan...
16:19...would have...
16:20...eventually tell CinemaBlend that the director wanted the various characters...
16:23...sharing scenes with the late Carrie...
16:25...brought to screen via digital effects and unused footage from The Force Awakens...
16:30...to be quote unquote intimately involved.
16:33So the team created a...
16:35...highly advanced animatronic puppets for the moment...
16:37...Maz could be seen interacting with the likes of Leia...
16:40...and Chewbacca in the flick.
16:41With digital effects only being used to perfect a few deta-
16:45...and erase riggings.
16:47Number one.
16:48The callbacks to Rey's beginnings.
16:50Back when Star Wars fans first met Daisy Ridley's eventual Jedi warrior Rey...
16:55...and Jakku in 2015.
16:56As the nobody rummaged around the Empire's destroyed shi-
17:00...for parts.
17:01This involved a lot of jumping and swinging from high places...
17:04...before the...
17:05...the masked hero hopped on a piece of metal...
17:07...and slid down a sand dune.
17:08And as a nod to those humble...
17:10...beginnings.
17:11The Rise of Skywalker actually contains a few moments that act as callbacks...
17:15...to Rey's scavenging introduction.
17:17Take the moment Rey is searching for the Sith Wayfinder...
17:20...on the second Death Star.
17:21Her handy parkour skills are once again on show...
17:24...as she h-
17:25...and hops around another battered Empire relic.
17:28Also as she arrives on the desert planet of...
17:30...and Tatooine to bury her master's lightsabers...
17:32...the Jakku native simply couldn't resist going...
17:35...for one more little sand sled ride on her way down into the last homestead.
17:40Rey may have ultimately become one of the most powerful force users in the galaxy...
17:43...by the end of the Rise of Skywalker...
17:45...but she evidently never forgot where she came from.
17:48And that's our list number...
17:50Do you have any other things that people somehow missed in Star Wars Episode 9 The Rise of Skywalker?
17:55Well let us know all about them in the comments section right down below...
17:58...and don't forget to like, share and click on that subscribe...
18:00...button while you're down there.
18:02I have been Gareth from WhatCultureStarWars.
18:04Cheers for-
18:05...for hopping back into the Skywalker saga with us today.
18:08May the force be with you and hopefully we'll see-
18:10...see you soon.
18:11Bye-bye!
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