Leia Holds a Lightsaber in new Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spot

When Carrie Fisher passed away on December 27, 2016, the world lost not only an incredible actress but also a sensational writer—and one of the funniest, most bracingly honest talents in Hollywood. For the world of Star Wars, Fisher’s passing meant that her most iconic role of all—Leia Organa—would now possibly have her arc handled off-screen, a deeply sad development for one of the franchise’s most important characters. Then we learned that she would appear in Episode IX after all (now titled Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) when co-writer and director J.J. Abrams released this statement: “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”

Now we have a new look at some of that unseen footage thanks to this The Rise of Skywalker TV spot titled “Celebrate.” In it we see Fisher’s Leia in a lush forest holding a lightsaber (presumably her brother Luke’s). This brief moment is all the more powerful for knowing that Leia’s story wasn’t cut short despite Fisher’s passing. In Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, Leia revealed her incredible Force powers by getting herself back into a blasted spaceship using the power of her mind. She was leading the depleted but plucky Resistance right up until the end when Luke’s arrival helped them escape certain death at the hands of Kylo Ren and the First Order. We don’t know quite how Abrams and his co-writer Chris Terrio crafted Leia’s story arc, but we can be certain she’ll have a crucial role to play in the 9th and final installment in the Skywalker Saga.

Check out the TV spot here. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens on December 20, 2019.

For more on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, check out this clip of flying Stormtroopers, watch the Knights of Ren and a Sith Trooper in action, behold the new character posters, read this helpful Star Wars timeline, watch the latest TV spot, read our breakdown of the final trailer, watch the final trailer itself, read our break down of a bunch of new images, and a have look at Rey and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver)’s complicated relationship.

Featured image: General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) in STAR WARS: EPISDOE IX. Courtesy Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Studios