New Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker TV spot teases what fans have dubbed the "Sith Dagger" – GamesRadar+

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is fast approaching, and the sheer number of TV spots being released by Disney and LucasFilm is becoming slightly overwhelming. While we still have little idea of what's going to actually happen in Episode 9 the final instalment in the Skywalker saga there are numerous clues that fans have picked up on. One of them concerns a certain dagger.

At around the 13-second point in the above footage, Rey can be spotted holding up a blade, affectionately known as the "Sith Dagger" by fans. We've actually seen this before in a Rise of Skywalker trailer, though only those who analysed every frame would have actually picked up on the weapon being present. In the final trailer, when Rey and Kylo smash a statue of a Darth Vader-looking person, the dagger can be seen in Rey's left hand.

So, why all the fuss about a dagger? Well, turns out Star Wars fans may have seen the weapon before. In the Clone Wars animated series, the Dagger of Mortis is introduced. The item was used by a character known as the Father, a powerful Force user, as a means to control his own children and make them immortal. In the series, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker come to fight the Father's own son, and it all ends with the Father being killed by the dagger, thus ending his children's immortality. The blade, as well as the planet it's housed on, Mortis, then disappeared.

Could the powerful dagger have been found again? Perhaps by the Knights of Ren, for Kylo's use? Or by Palpatine, to grant himself immortality? Then how would it have ended up with Rey? Unless this is all part of Palpatine's evil plan, nine movies in the making? Maybe that's not even the same dagger and we're clutching at straws? Perhaps there's more than one mystical dagger in the galaxy far, far away? Maybe Rey will kill Palpatine once and for all with the dagger?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker director J.J. Abrams recently hinted that we'll see new uses for the Force in the upcoming movie. It was really important that we not just redo the things youve seen, but add new elementswhich we knew will infuriate some people and thrill others," he told Vanity Fair. Could Abrams be alluding to one of the characters using the dagger? Becoming immortal? So. Many. Questions. Luckily, we don't have too long to wait, as Rise of Skywalker reaches UK cinemas 19 December and Us theatres 20 December.

For more on Star Wars, check out our deep-dive into theStar Wars timelineand our article onhow to watch the Star Wars movies in order including seven different ways!

Read more:

New Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker TV spot teases what fans have dubbed the "Sith Dagger" - GamesRadar+