for Star Wars: Episode 9?

With "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

less than two months out,

it is not hyperbole to say that expectations are high

for the 9th and final chapter in the Skywalker saga.

And it has many wondering if it will stick the landing.

And it's not just the sequel trilogy that this is riding on,

but potentially the prequels as well.

- Hello there.

- Ever since director J.J. Abrams

said that the Rise of Skywalker

would tie together all of the trilogies,

diehard fans have been wondering

could this mean that Episodes I through III

might finally get some big screen respect?

If you've been living under a rock

for the last 40 years of Star Wars,

Episodes I through III haven't always

had the best reputation with OG Star Wars fans,

especially right after their release.

- It's embarrassing.

- However, this hatred has cooled

somewhat over the past few years,

and the films have seen a resurgence, with audiences

embracing the films and their more campy moments,

as well as having fun with prequel memes.

And with the children who grew up

with them as their Star Wars,

plus additional content like the animated series,

The Clone Wars, providing greater context,

it's fair to say that some fans even like them more

than the original trilogy.

- I agree, bad idea.

- And while the sequel trilogy has paid homage

to the original trilogy many times,

the prequels have, so far, been largely ignored

other than a brief mention of a clone army

or when Luke explains the Fall of the Jedi

and the rise of Darth Sidious.

But Abrams' comments as well as

the appearance of a B1 battle droid in the

Rise of Skywalker's most recent trailer,

has fans hyped that they may see

more references to the prequels.

And beyond Palpatine's return in the film,

one of the best ways to pay homage to the past

would be for the return of one Anakin Skywalker,

AKA Hayden Christensen.

- This is where the fun begins.

- And thanks to a few photos of the actor

hitting social media this week,

it appears fans might be getting what they want.

So, let's look at all the evidence

to see if Hayden might be returning

to the galaxy far, far away for Episode IX.

On Tuesday, Christensen was snapped

by Disney Brand Ambassador @SasakiTime

and later shared by Star Wars while taking a tour

of Disneyland's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

He posed in front of the Millennium Falcon

and was later snapped inside the cockpit.

In a third photo, we see him gift

a crafted blue light saber to a young fan,

and while we have some reservations

about letting Anakin near younglings,

(light saber hums)

it's still a touching photo.

Speaking of younglings,

he's made hospital visits to young fans

with fellow Star Wars alum, Ian McDiarmid,

who plays Sheev Palpatine

and is set to return in Episode IX.

Hayden also appeared at this year's Star Wars Celebration,

where we learned the first information

about the Rise of Skywalker,

and he was set to appear at a Star Wars panel

with McDiarmid at the FanX Convention,

which Disney canceled at the last second,

reportedly for fear of spoilers.

And while this could have been

fear of spoilers from McDiarmid,

this also set fan speculation into overdrive.

So basically, what does this all mean?

Well, it seems that over the past couple of years,

Hayden appears to be embracing the role

that he's kind of stepped away from after fan backlash.

But is all of this a pretext

for him showing up in Episode IX?

Let's run down the possibilities.

First option, no.

This means nothing about the films.

This is just Hayden Christensen connecting with fans

because the character is a part of him,

and his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker

has made him a part of the greater Star Wars tapestry.

Second option, confirmed for Episode IX.

This is definitely set up on the part of Disney

to get fans excited to see him again.

And with all of the comments about Episode IX

bringing together all of the films,

plus the subtle hints we are already seeing in the trailer,

it wouldn't be a big stretch to see

Anakin Skywalker return for the film,

most likely as a Force Ghost alongside

Luke Skywalker and maybe even Obi-Wan.

Based on Kylo's obsession with Darth Vader,

maybe Anakin is the one to turn him around.

Third option, confirmed for the Obi-Wan spinoff.

Yes, Disney wants fans to be hyped for Anakin,

but not for Episode IX.

With the announcement

of an Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+,

Hayden could don some Jedi robes to film some flashbacks

for that series when it goes into production.

Fourth option, publicity stunt.

This is all a bid to get people to buy the new

Thrawn Trilogy of novels from Timothy Zahn

and visit Galaxy's Edge since in the books,

Anakin Skywalker travels to Batuu,

the planet that houses

the Black Spire Outpost at Galaxy's Edge.

We have to admit that this one might be a bit of a stretch.

Honestly, if we had to make a bet

based on all of these possibilities,

we think the most likely option

is that Anakin Skywalker will show up

as a Force Ghost in Episode IX.

I mean, come on, the whole thing

is being called The Skywalker Saga.

His name is literally in the title.

Of course, we'll just have to wait and see

when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

hits theaters on December 20th.

But what do you folks think?

Do you think Anakin Skywalker will be in Episode IX?

Is it possible he could be in the Obi-Wan series instead?

And what other Force Ghosts could we see?

Mace Windu, Obi-Wan, Kit Fisto?

Let's discuss.

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(quirky electronic music)