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Grim 'Star Wars 9' leak may reveal how Leia and more major characters die

Leia's death could determine the outcome of a major battle.

Lucasfilm

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker wouldn’t be a fitting conclusion to the sequel trilogy without some high-profile deaths, and the latest leaks suggest the film may kill off more characters than expected.

Warning: Possible spoilers ahead for Rise of Skywalker.

That’s right, this latest leak details the deaths of several characters. Yes, that sadly includes the beloved General Leia Organa, though her character’s death is less surprising considering that Carrie Fisher passed away in December 2016. But fans may be surprised to hear that Leia isn’t the only major character to die in the film. Apparently, C-3PO and General Hux will also meet their doom in Episode IX.

It wasn’t that long ago that Star Wars leaker extraordinaire JediPaxis released information detailing the first act of Episode IX. Now they’re back with a new Reddit post that provides extensive detail about the events of The Rise of Skywalker’s second act. JediPaxis, who has an established reputation for sharing credible leaks from reputable sources, dropped some major bombshells, revealing exactly how Leia, C-3PO and General Hux will die. Let’s dive in.

Is this the last time Rey and Leia see each other? 

Lucasfilm

Although details remain murky about the events leading to her death, JediPaxis claims Leia will die as Rey and Kylo Ren duel on Endor. One of the most interesting aspects of the scene? Someone pays Leia a visit right before she passes on.

“Before her death, we hear the voice of a familiar hero come to bid her farewell and pass on one last bit of knowledge,” they write. Who could this “familiar hero” be? Is it too ridiculous to believe it might be Han Solo? That would be an amazing reunion. There’s also the possibility that Luke will return to his sister in her final moments. We already know the Jedi master returns in The Rise of Skywalker as a Force ghost, so perhaps he appears to Leia before she draws her last breath.

According to JediPaxis, both Kylo and Rey will sense Leia is dying, pulling them out of the heat of battle. Kylo hasn’t yet shared a scene with his mother — and probably won’t ever, given the circumstances. Rey completed her Jedi training with Leia. While both are affected emotionally by her passing, Rey “recovers from the shock sooner and leverages the moment to take Kylo’s weapon from him.”

C-3PO will sacrifice himself. 

Lucasfilm

Elsewhere, JediPaxis contends C-3PO could sacrifice himself to support the Resistance. An earlier fan theory had predicted C-3PO’s demise after his eyes were shown turning red in the Episode IX trailer. Could Darth Vader or Palpatine have hacked his system to spy on the Resistance? The new leaks say no. Instead, the droid will have committed a message to memory, and in order to read it, his programming would need to be hacked and his memories erased.

“In an act of self sacrifice C-3PO voluntarily consents to the modifications, knowing that (for all intents and purposes) the droid we’ve all known for years will essentially die,” writes JediPaxis. The leaker also reveals it’s the reprogramming that turns the droid’s eyes red, as opposed to any Dark Side tampering. Still, he’s the last character anyone actually expected to die, right? While this sounds like a rather tragic sendoff for 3PO, wiping his memory doesn’t mean the end for him: his memory was also erased at the close of Episode III.

Say goodbye to those sideburns.

Lucasfilm

Finally, there’s General Hux, whose demise may be the least surprising of the three. JediPaxis suggests Hux will help the Resistance, practically confirming previous theories that posited he’d betray the First Order. However, this information takes things a step further, claiming Hux was a double agent this whole time. Plot twist! Subsequently, the leaks reveal that Kylo will kill the bitter general for turning his back on the First Order.

With the fight against the First Order and Palpatine in full swing, it’s no surprise that there’ll be a good share of casualties. It’s probably a good idea to bring some tissues to your screening of Episode IX, because when Leia dies, we suspect there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters December 20, 2019.

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