The Ships of the Resistance

It was going to be hard to lead the Resistance with just the Millennium Falcon; they needed ships. Lots of them. Where better to start than a First Order salvage planet? The story takes another group on a mission to recover captured ships that the First Order has sent for decommission and destruction. They’re able to recover a number newer-model X-wings and an A-wing in the raid…. And here’s where we debunk a rumor we told you about some time ago.

x-wing; star wars
A squadron of T-65B X-wings approach the Death Star in Star Wars: A New Hope.
(Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Among the ships the Resistance rebels procure is a T-65B model X-wing starfighter. Alas, Resistance Reborn tells us that the older X-wing we’ll see is not Luke Skywalker’s, after all.

We also reported that The Rise of Skywalker may see the return of Leia’s Corellian Corvette, the blockade runner Tantive IV. Guess what? It’s still possible. While on a mission to Corellia, Wedge, Poe and company must abandon their ships and are forced to steal, you guessed it, a CR90 Corvette. We have confirmation of its use in in the new trailer. Could it actually be the Tantive IV ?

Rise of Skywalker; Corerllian Corvette
A CR90 Corellian Corvette appears in The Rise of Skywalker. (Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

And here’s an interesting one…. Remember that scene in the initial Rise of Skywalker teaser when Rey jumps over a charging TIE fighter? Speculation told us Kylo Ren was piloting. After reading Resistance Reborn…. Let’s just say that Poe liberated a First Order ship from Corellia, as well. Could it be Poe helping Rey train and not Kylo Ren?

Leia’s fate teased in Resistance Reborn

Sadly, Carrie Fisher’s passing in real life has relegated Leia’s appearance in The Rise of Skywalker to recycled, unused, prior footage. There’s no avoiding the fact that Leia, like our real-life princess, will not survive to the end of the Skywalker saga. Resistance Reborn sets up Leia’s path to becoming one with the Force. The much-maligned “space-walk” from The Last Jedi took far greater a toll on General Organa than she or anyone else imagined.

Rise of Skywalker Trailer
Whatever happens with Leia, it’s gonna hit us right in the feels. (Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

In Resistance Reborn Leia begins to feel the effects of that ordeal in earnest. She’s growing tired, and weaker, as the stress of rebuilding the Resistance only compounds her declining health. At this point we’d expect a tearful, emotional deathbed scene in Episode IX.  

All in all, the novel plays into JJ Abrams’ plan for The Rise of Skywalker perfectly. We can’t wait to (hopefully) see all of these characters and ships in action come December 20 when Episode IX hits theaters.

In the meantime, Resistance Reborn arrives on bookshelves November 5.