Not too long ago, Disney held a marketing conference.  A Reddit user (Xyzsvtabc) said they were present and caught some new details.  Starwarsnewsnet.com verified the details from other sources as well sited past correct rumors from this source.  While still under “rumor” they passed on these new, possible Episode IX details.

The source did confirm what was widely believed that we are only looking at a one year time jump between ep8 and ep9.  That being the case, this entire saga will take place within a very short amount of time 1-2 years.  The source also stated Episode IX would be a build up to a climactic battle between Rey and Kylo.  Pretty sure we knew this as well.

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A Focus On Legacy

Their source had the following to say:

“I didn’t take notes and I’m going off of memory so I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot of stuff. Anyway, here you go: the overall theme of their marketing will be focused on the legacy characters and really re-introducing them to the younger generation of fans.”

While this sounds cool, should this have not been done starting with Episode VII?  Why are these now Episode IX details? How do you focus on the legacy characters when all but one have already been introduced and only three are even alive (Soon to be two!).  The worst part is that I am afraid JJ Abrams is making the same mistake he made in The Force Awakens.  JJ was so dead set on not using CGI because of the prequel back-lash that he never logically asked if something would be better as CGI or puppetry.  JJ may be so focused on the past movies that he forgets to tell the current story.

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Possible Episode IX Details: Kylo Rebuilds

“[They] did show a ton or artwork of planets and characters. [They] said Kylo has his helmet back and that it has been put back together with some kind of red adhesive. It looked kinda cool with the red lines going through it.”

Appearance-wise this could be very cool.  Kylo had a unique mask that would have served his character well had he not destroyed it in the turbo-lift.  Now it will have red lines going through it that could give it an intense look. It will be interesting to see how the toys attempt to capture this look.

What I do not like is that this completely undoes what Rian did character-wise in The Last Jedi.  Kylo smashed the helmet.  He gave up trying to be someone else and set his mind to being himself.  He turned away from the past as he told Rey.  This was a major plot point to his character development and now it will be tossed aside.  Also, why not just build another helmet?  Why rebuild one you smashed into a hundred pieces?  Let me guess, he had Tag and Bink go fish the pieces out of the trash compactor before the Star Destroyer was “Holdo’d”. This seems like too odd an Episode IX detail to be true.

I can’t wait for the first nerds with OCD going frame by frame through TLJ and comparing the fractures.  “That line can’t be there because it broke this way in the last movie.”