Marvel's Skywalker Adaptation Meets Fans' Demands with Key Change

More than six years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premiered in theaters, Marvel Comics has finally finished adapting the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Adaptation may have arrived late to the table—originally announced in 2020 and later shelved due to the COVID-19 pandemic—but it brings fresh material to the story. The series introduces scenes and dialogue not found in the film, including a significant change longtime fans have been asking for.

Read on to discover the pivotal moment that unfolds differently in the final issue—and why this alteration raises some unexpected questions.

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The Rise of Skywalker Adaptation's Biggest Change

Like the novelization before it, Marvel’s adaptation doesn’t just retell the film’s plot—it expands it with new scenes and dialogue. Issue #5 alone introduces several meaningful additions. We witness the full message Lando sends across the galaxy as he rallies a fleet to confront the Sith Eternal. We also witness Rey and Ben Solo communicating through the Force as their dyad connection deepens.

But the most impactful change occurs during the climactic moment when Rey, battered but resolute, faces her resurrected grandfather, Palpatine, in his Sith temple on Exegol. In the film, Rey draws strength from the voices of fallen Jedi—Anakin and Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luminara Unduli, Mace Windu, Ahsoka Tano, Kanan Jarrus, and others. While this tribute honored the Jedi’s enduring legacy, many fans criticized the lack of visual presence; the scene showed Rey alone, even though the framing suggested space for a full army of spectral Jedi. Marvel’s adaptation addresses this by giving Rey physical companions on Exegol:

Art by Will Sliney. (Image Credit: Marvel/Lucasfilm)This version delivers a far more cinematic moment—though it’s a pity the film didn’t go this route, as assembling so many actors for a fleeting ensemble shot would have been a monumental challenge.

This isn’t the only instance where issue #5 inserts Force Ghosts into scenes that lacked them in the movie. During the post-battle celebration on Ajan Kloss, Luke and Leia appear in spirit form, gazing upon their friends with pride and sharing a quiet moment of sibling banter.

Director J.J. Abrams faced limitations with Leia’s role following Carrie Fisher’s passing in 2016. Both the novelization and this comic take advantage of their medium’s freedom, crafting new scenes to deepen Leia’s presence in the Sequel Trilogy’s conclusion.

The Mystery of Ahsoka Tano

While the inclusion of Force Ghosts in this issue is welcome, it also raises perplexing questions. How are so many Prequel-era Jedi—like Mace Windu, Luminara Unduli, Aayla Secura, and Ki-Adi-Mundi—able to manifest? The franchise has established that becoming a Force Ghost requires specific, advanced training passed from Qui-Gon Jinn to Yoda and Obi-Wan. Why do these Jedi now appear without such training shown onscreen? Is the Force bending its own rules for this defining moment?

We’re also puzzled by the inconsistency in their appearances. Why do Anakin and Obi-Wan appear as they did during the Clone Wars, but Luke is shown as the weathered hermit from Ahch-To? When has Obi-Wan’s spirit ever taken the form of Ewan McGregor instead of Alec Guinness?

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But the most pressing question involves Ahsoka Tano—a character whose fate during the Sequel Trilogy remains unresolved. Ashley Eckstein, who voiced Ahsoka in The Clone Wars and Rebels, recorded a line for her in the film—long before Rosario Dawson was cast as the live-action version—yet it was never confirmed whether this implied Ahsoka’s death. Dave Filoni has since cast doubt on that interpretation.

Should Ahsoka’s appearance on these pages be read as confirmation she has passed on? Or is she merely Force projecting, as Luke did during his final confrontation with Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi? Lucasfilm may take time to clarify this. For now, Ahsoka’s story after Return of the Jedi remains unfinished. Dawson will reprise her role in the upcoming second season of Star Wars: Ahsoka and is expected to play a pivotal part in Filoni’s live-action Star Wars film.

What do you think of the changes in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Adaptation? Do they enhance the story? Let us know in the comments below. And be sure to catch up on every Star Wars movie and series in development.