No more lightsabers? Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker will reportedly see the end of Jedi and Sith

Star Wars: Episode 9
Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm (Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm)

In a galaxy far, far away – you know how it all goes by now. Except, maybe you don’t. Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker is promising to shake things up in a big way if a new rumour is to be believed. No more Sith, no more Jedi and, potentially if that rings true, no more lightsabers. It’s looking like the triple-trilogy topper that is Star Wars: Episode 9 will end more than you bargained for come December, including thousands of years of conflict between the yin and the yang of the Star Wars universe.

You’ve probably already witnessed the massive Vanity Fair blowout reveal of Star Wars: Episode 9 but tucked away in the piece by Lev Grossman is an interesting tidbit from an unnamed source: “Sources close to the movie say that Skywalker will at long last bring to a climax the millennia-long conflict between the Jedi Order and its dark shadow, the Sith.”

That certainly adds a whole new meaning to the subtitle Rise of Skywalker – and one that’s been thrown about across forums, by watercoolers, and anywhere else you won’t get glared out for geeking out about Star Wars. The Jedi and Sith – or at least, the concept of them – may be no more. In its place, the rise of the Skywalker legend as one unifying force (pun absolutely intended).

If we’re to believe the report, it would absolutely mark the biggest change in Star Wars history since Darth Vader told Luke who his real pappy was. The idea of Sith and Jedi has been around, chronologically-speaking, since way back in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and never seemed like going the way of the space-dodo.

It also ups the stakes of the final movie considerably. If an institution like the Jedi can fall, then no one is really safe. Just how far are J.J. Abrams and co. willing to leave their mark on Star Wars? We’ll find out soon enough.

So, what comes next? Here are all the new Star Wars movies you need to know about.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.