Would Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's big Rey Skywalker moment be more effective at a different point in the movie? Following the divisive The Last Jedi and the departure of Colin Trevorrow, J.J. Abrams was always facing an uphill battle with The Rise of Skywalker, and sure enough, the finale of the Star Wars sequel trilogy proved just as controversial as its predecessor. Frequently-cited criticisms included the jam-packed plot, the reveal that Rey was Palpatine's granddaughter, the dropping of past storylines, and the kiss between Rey and Kylo Ren, which may or may not have been romantic, depending on who you ask. Nevertheless, some fans enjoyed The Rise of Skywalker as a more authentic Star Wars movie, and most who disliked The Last Jedi preferred its sequel, and vice versa.
One moment both sides of the Star Wars fandom largely praised in The Rise of Skywalker was the "Rey Skywalker" finale. Returning to Tatooine to bury Luke and Leia's lightsabers in one final show of respect to her two sibling mentors, Rey unveils her own yellow-bladed design, watched by the two Skywalker twins in Force ghost form. An especially nosy resident of Tatooine approaches and asks Rey who she is, to which the Jedi replies "Rey Skywalker," revealing that she had wisely passed on "Palpatine" in favor of taking her Jedi masters' surname. Rey becoming a spiritual Skywalker was a touching conclusion that suited all parties - Rey's identity crisis was resolved, and the legacy of the Skywalker family would continue, even after their role in the galaxy came to an end.
But the "Rey Skywalker" ending might've packed a more emotive punch if it were moved into a completely different scene. During the final fight against Palpatine, the Emperor conjures the collective might of all previous Sith. Rey responds by summoning the voices of deceased Jedi, proudly proclaiming "I am ALL the Jedi." While it was certainly nice to (briefly) hear a few returning voices from Star Wars' past, some argued that the scene was underwhelming. Not only is the "hero hulking-up by channeling her predecessors" trope cliched, but The Rise of Skywalker missed a golden opportunity to include an epic army of Force ghosts leaping to Rey's aid. Abrams was evidently trying to position Palpatine and Rey as polar opposites, one embodying the light side, and the other the dark, but like much in The Rise of Skywalker, the story was too rushed to have the desired impact.
And this is where Rey should've officially adopted the Skywalker surname. Instead of proclaiming, "I am ALL the Jedi," Rey could've heard the voices of her Jedi predecessors, felt the rush of inspiration, and shouted out "And I am Rey Skywalker." There was precious little build-up to Rey becoming a representative of the entire Jedi faith, so her big moment lacked the wider significance the final fight of the Skywalker saga should've held. On the other hand, Rey's connection to the Skywalker family was prominent throughout the Star Wars sequel trilogy, so becoming an official Skywalker mid-battle would've made more thematic sense.
Moreover, the Skywalker clan were always the bane of Palpatine's existence - it surely would've held more weight for Rey to align with her grandfather's eternal foes than to somehow draw from the power of numerous Force ghosts that the audience aren't seeing. Palpatine was undone by a pair of Skywalkers once before in Return of the Jedi, and now his own granddaughter is bringing the name back to haunt him. This adds a more personal touch to a duel between two characters who have never previously met in the Star Wars franchise.
Arguably, Rey's "I am ALL the Jedi" line lessens the importance of her subsequent "Rey Skywalker" reveal. Ever since her introduction in The Force Awakens, Rey has been searching for her family, and when she takes on the mantle of the entire Jedi order, that ongoing quest for identity is resolved. Rey isn't "nobody," she isn't a Palpatine - she's a Jedi proudly continuing a heroic, hopeful tradition into the future. But when Rey later chooses to take on the Skywalker name, she's solving that same problem a second time. These two The Rise of Skywalker scenes actively work against each other, and since "Rey Skywalker" is the more fitting and emotional conclusion, this should've replaced Rey's big Jedi moment during her victory over Palpatine.
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