Star Wars 9 Rise of Skywalker footage sees Darth Vader helmet RETURN – Palpatine’s ghost?

Disney’s D23 Expo is underway in Anaheim, California where all the latest Marvel and Star Wars news has been announced. And as part of the opening ceremony yesterday, a sizzle reel revealed previously unseen footage from Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. According to Screen Rant, this included a line from Rey teasing that she, Finn and Poe will have to split up. She says: “It’s too dangerous. I have to go alone.” But what was most intriguing was the return of Darth Vader’s helmet.

The crushed headgear last appeared in Episode VII: The Force Awakens, in a scene where Kylo Ren reflected on his grandfather’s legacy as Darth Vader.

Having not featured in The Last Jedi, JJ Abrams – director of The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker – must have brought it back for a specific purpose.

After all, Episode IX is not just the last chapter of the sequel trilogy, but the conclusion of the whole Skywalker Saga.

Clearly, there’s going to be some big nods to both the prequel and original trilogies and no doubt Darth Vader’s helmet will be of some significance.

Considering Emperor Palpatine is back for The Rise of Skywalker, we wouldn’t be surprised if his Force ghost or soul is living on through Darth Vader’s helmet.

After all, as a redeemed Anakin Skywalker threw Palpatine to what was thought to be his death in Return of the Jedi, the Sith Lord used Force lightning on him, lighting up Darth Vader’s helmet.

What if, at this moment, Palpatine transferred his soul to the helmet?

After all, it’s canon now in official Star Wars comics for Sith to live on through Dark Side artefacts like headgear.