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Inspired by the recent threads on the Force and Ahsoka vs. Rey, and some ideas I've been playing around with. Basically, post any theories you have about Star Wars that aren't actually proven by canon.

For me:

1. Palpatine was able to kill three Jedi in a fight so easily because he used a sort of intensified, localized burst of the Shroud of the Dark Side to jam their Force senses. I don't think I came up with this one, but I can't recall where I heard it. But I think it fits with the ease of their defeat. IIRC we also hear some sort of weird sound effect right before he attacks them. Also, if its something he can sustain at that level only briefly, or that their senses can eventually compensate for after the initial shock, it explains why the first two he cut down basically just stood their, while the third in line (Kit Fisto) put up a bit of a fight, and the fourth (Windu) was able to shrug it off and match Palpatine blow for blow (also, of course, Windu's Vapaad techniques, at least in Legends, would have allowed him to channel Dark Side energies).

2. Padme died due to medical malpractice, because no doctor worth the title would use "she's lost the will to live" as a diagnosis. Perhaps the droids tending to her were unfamiliar with human anatomy. Of course, there are a lot of theories about Padme's death, but Occam's Razor makes me pick this one.

3. Another popular theory, which I think makes sense- Rey is another iteration of the Chosen One, a reincarnation of Anakin of sorts. There are multiple Chosen Ones- they emerge whenever the Force gets out of whack/the Dark Side gets too strong, like Snoke said (though Snoke doubtless put his own spin on it).

4. Snoke is a former Imperial Inquisitor. I don't recall where or how I got this idea, but it really, really makes sense. We know there are supposed to be 13 Inquisitors (because apparently Christian superstitions about unlucky numbers exist in the Galaxy Far Far Away) of whom only threes' fate is known, we know Snoke has knowledge of the Force and the Dark Side, that he has a high enough opinion of Vader (who trained the Inquisitors) to want to make his own Vader from Vader's blood line, and that he has a grudge against Luke/the NR. My idea is that he was an Inquisitor who survived the Empire's fall because he was off working either on researching old Sith arcana (hence his whole Dark Side Philosopher schtick), or working on secret weapons projects (how he was able to pull of something like Starkiller Base so effectively). He lost everything after the Empire fell, and blames Luke/the NR.

5. Mara Jade was one of Luke's students, and was killed dueling Ben/Kylo to protect the other students from him/avenge Luke (this may or may not be dis-proven if she turns out to be Rey's mother in Episode IX). Fear of her death was part of what pushed Luke to consider killing Ben (paralleling Vader and Padme), and the fact that he ultimately caused it by self-fulfilling prophecy contributed to his guilt and self-exile. She was also an ex-Inquisitor, in this timeline. Snoke probably took special care to make sure his old colleague/rival was eliminated. It fits very well, I think- I'm just not sure how to tell that story without making it a case of "Stuffed in the Fridge".

6. Luke's version of his clash with Ben is closest to the truth, but not one hundred percent true.

7. If Luke had actually tried to kill Ben in anger, he would have succeeded. And then fallen to the Dark Side, becoming Emperor Skywalker to "protect" his friends and family via first strikes against other threats like the First Order, before eventually turning on them too when they failed to appreciate his actions. He also knows that he almost fell, which is part of why he went into exile- he was afraid that he would fall if he faced Ben/Kylo again.

8. Not sure if this is actually canon, but- Palpatine engineered Ahsoka's expulsion from the Jedi Order because she was a positive influence on Anakin who might have kept him from falling.

9. Palpatine is not alive (this will be proven or dis-proven by IX, I suspect), but is a malevolent Force presence haunting the ruins of the Second Death Star at Endor.

10. Related to the above, Anakin's Force ghost has been trying to communicate with Ben and tell him to knock it the fuck off and stop murdering people in the name of granddad's memory, but Palpatine's spirit and/or Snoke has been blocking him.

11. Kylo was full of shit when he said that Rey was No One. It may or may not be true, but he didn't know. He simply read her fears in her own mind and then told them back to her. Because the Dark Side lies to you by playing on your fears.

12. Not sure if this is canon or not, but I think its a popular theory at least- the Knights of Ren are those of Luke's students who joined Kylo to escape death.

13. Starkiller Base began as a weapons project under the Empire, one that Snoke was assigned to help protect/oversee.

14. Rey could have learned Vaapad, at least if there were anyone left alive to teach her. She seems to be able to channel emotions, including anger, in a fight without actually falling.

15. Ahsoka would have become a teacher of younglings had things played out differently. She always did seem to be a natural at instructing and leading younger Jedi.

16. Ahsoka is basically a dueling savant- not much raw power in the Force, at least compared to the top tier, but just instinctively good at swordsmanship. Though this is arguably canon, or at least implied canon.

Feel free to add any of your own.

Edit: 17: Changing history in Star Wars isn't actually possible. Ezra saving Ahsoka always happened, after all. And it always would. We just saw the events from a different perspective.

There was no first order, no Snoke, no Canto Bight, and Anakin Skywalker was an adult pilot when he met Obiwan. However, Thrawn was real, there are giants on (the forest moon of) Endor, and one time a shuttle full of tourists helped destroy a Death Star.

Bob the Gunslinger wrote: ↑2019-06-07 11:56am There was no first order, no Snoke, no Canto Bight, and Anakin Skywalker was an adult pilot when he met Obiwan. However, Thrawn was real, there are giants on (the forest moon of) Endor, and one time a shuttle full of tourists helped destroy a Death Star.

Okay, I need the story behind that last one.

Thrawn exists in both continuities, so I don't know why he wouldn't be real.

Oh, new one!

Thrawn is sitting out on the edge of the galaxy, looking in at the, for lack of a better term, leadership of the First Order, and thinking "Fuck this shit, I'm staying out here. A plague on both their houses!"

Seriously, I like the ST, but there's no scenario where Thrawn would look on the likes of Hux with anything but contempt.

Also, Ezra and Thrawn were forced into an "enemy mine" situation in the Unknown Region, and are now uneasy allies, with Ezra having moved a bit towards the more ruthless Imperial methods, and Thrawn having gained grudging respect for the Jedi approach.

I think the 'shuttle full of tourists' bit is from one of the LEGO Star Wars animated series'

Ah, I wondered where it was from. I thought I'd heard most of the craziest shit that happened in Legends by now.

Batman wrote: ↑2019-06-07 10:09pm I think the 'shuttle full of tourists' bit is from one of the LEGO Star Wars animated series'

Actually, it was originally from a Star Wars ride, (I believe it was called Star Tours) where you end up flying against the Death Star after a hyperdrive malfunction.

If I recall correctly, it was added to EU Canon, as a 'Third Death Star' that was being assembled by the Penstar Alignment, under a former Imperial Moff that was planning to become the New Emperor.

Which means that Superlaser weapons can't catch a break in Star Wars. 4 Death Stars (the prototype, 2 movie, 1 ride), the Tarkin (Marvel comics), the Dark Saber (novels), and the various Eclipse/Conquerer Class Star Destroyers. All get built, and then destroyed quickly.

Well the proponents of them tend to live not much longer than their creations so it's not like they get much time to learn from their mistakes

Batman wrote: ↑2019-06-07 10:09pm I think the 'shuttle full of tourists' bit is from one of the LEGO Star Wars animated series'

No, it's from Star Tours, the original version.

Batman wrote: ↑2019-06-07 11:36pm Well the proponents of them tend to live not much longer than their creations so it's not like they get much time to learn from their mistakes

Almost like the Force itself doesn't like weapons that can cause it massive trauma.

Here's one or two of mine.

1. The Rakata existed mostly as described in KOTOR. Gallius Rax's supercomputer - the one he used to chart the path to the Unknown Regions - used salvaged Rakatan technology.

2. The Rakata first figured out Hyperspace travel by using the Force and technology to enslave Purgills, using them as 'mounts' of a sort. After a while they figured out how to open Hyperspace portals with the Force, and started using ships instead.

3. The Midi-Chlorian concept is either a misunderstanding or an oversimplification. Midi-Chlorians do not allow one to use the Force; they merely exist wherever the Force exists, perhaps feeding on it, or existing in harmony with it.

3. The Jedi philosophy has always had two sometimes-contradictory goals; to understand and obey the will of the Force, and to seek the greater good. Ironically, this fed into the eventual split with the Sith; the latter being more inclined to put the Force to practical use, and change the universe around them for the better.

4. What aligns a person to the Light or Dark sides is not so much their actions, thoughts, or feelings, but rather the impulses and deeper motives underlying them. The Dark side is the aspect of death and destruction, and tends to respond to aggressive, destructive impulses; which unfortunately tend to be instinctive responses. Thus, one can hurt or kill others without necessarily falling to the Dark side, so long as they kept their impulses under control, and acted in the right spirit. By the same token, one might never harm a person directly and yet still fall to the Dark side, simply by allowing their impulses and instincts to dictate their thoughts, feelings and actions. The only meaningful defences against the Dark side are self-knowledge and self-understanding; to recognize your darker impulses and know when they are influencing you.

5. The Hundred Year Darkness - in which the Sith broke off from the Jedi - happened some time between 7000 and 6000 BBY; in a convenient gap in the new canon timeline.

6. The Massassi are basically the red-skinned Sith from Legends, with Moraband/Korriban as their homeworld. Before the Sith conquered them, they were ruled by a Force-wielding elite of Magi and Priest-Kings, who had a habit of coming back as Force spirits. As such, their habit of building elaborate tombs had a double purpose; to honour the dead on the one hand, and to empower their spirit on the other. As a curious side effect, the Massassi were relatively unafraid of death; for they saw it as merely a stage in a greater cycle of existence. This made them quite useful as warrior-fanatics in Sith service.

7. The Zygerrians were enslaved or vassalized by the Sith at one point; warping their culture and causing them to become obsessed with dominating sapient beings.

8. The Sith/Great Hyperspace War aside, the events of Tales of the Jedi, KOTOR, and TOR happen pretty much as advertised. Once again, the new timeline contains a very large and convenient gap.

9. The Dark Age and the Jedi-Sith War were basically the same thing, the latter causing the former. The Sith in this case were a mix of 2nd Empire (TOR) leftovers hiding on the Outer Rim, Jedi schismatics, and some other hangers-on. They attempted to take over the Republic by attacking Coruscant, but only succeeded in decapitating the government and the Jedi order; the Republic balkanizing as a result.

My head canon is that the Jedi are actually an offshoot of the Sith, not vice-versa.

Noa from "Battle For Endor" was actually a Force User in exile after Order 66. Palpatine knew he was there, and that Noa was believed to be so powerful and fickle that Palpatine didn't dare approach the planet until Noa left, after which Palpatine and his inquisitors plundered the planet for any artifacts Noa may have left behind, and then built the Death Star II in orbit there to honor Noa's power.

NeoGoomba wrote: ↑2019-06-10 02:31pm Noa from "Battle For Endor" was actually a Force User in exile after Order 66. Palpatine knew he was there, and that Noa was believed to be so powerful and fickle that Palpatine didn't dare approach the planet until Noa left, after which Palpatine and his inquisitors plundered the planet for any artifacts Noa may have left behind, and then built the Death Star II in orbit there to honor Noa's power.

Given how several Eworks spoke English after contact with the Wendels, and didn't during ROTJ, I believe Caravan of Courage and Battle for Endor happened AFTER ROTJ

The Star Wars galaxy is slowing edging towards a collapse of galactic civilization, and unless steps are taken, things are going to go the route of the Galactic Empire from the Foundation books.

FaxModem1 wrote: ↑2019-06-11 12:13am The Star Wars galaxy is slowing edging towards a collapse of galactic civilization, and unless steps are taken, things are going to go the route of the Galactic Empire from the Foundation books.

I'd say its a bit past that point, actually. They're in the middle of a galactic dark age that began with the decay of the Old Republic some time in the years before Phantom Menace, and first became obvious when the Clone Wars broke out.

Solauren wrote: ↑2019-06-10 05:14pm
Given how several Eworks spoke English after contact with the Wendels, and didn't during ROTJ, I believe Caravan of Courage and Battle for Endor happened AFTER ROTJ

*sticks fingers in ears*
Lalalalalalalala!

Also, the Nightsister that is helping Terok simply because in her lust for knowledge she became seduced by Noa's might, and after a torrid affair he discarded her as a weakling. She hoped to gain revenge, not realizing the full might of Wilford Fucking Brimley

The Romulan Republic wrote: ↑2019-06-05 05:32am2. Padme died due to medical malpractice, because no doctor worth the title would use "she's lost the will to live" as a diagnosis. Perhaps the droids tending to her were unfamiliar with human anatomy. Of course, there are a lot of theories about Padme's death, but Occam's Razor makes me pick this one.

The theory I've seen on that is Anakin was (unconsciously) draining her life through the Force in his anger/desire to stay alive. So Palpatine wasn't exactly lying when he said Vader killed her.

Hence "lost the will to live" because her vitals were circling the drain but there was literally zero medical reason for them to do so and the droids were at a loss for how to explain it.

RogueIce wrote: ↑2019-06-12 03:57am

The Romulan Republic wrote: ↑2019-06-05 05:32am2. Padme died due to medical malpractice, because no doctor worth the title would use "she's lost the will to live" as a diagnosis. Perhaps the droids tending to her were unfamiliar with human anatomy. Of course, there are a lot of theories about Padme's death, but Occam's Razor makes me pick this one.

The theory I've seen on that is Anakin was (unconsciously) draining her life through the Force in his anger/desire to stay alive. So Palpatine wasn't exactly lying when he said Vader killed her.

Hence "lost the will to live" because her vitals were circling the drain but there was literally zero medical reason for them to do so and the droids were at a loss for how to explain it.

Yeah, that works too, but like I said, Occam's Razor- injuries from being choked/giving birth and incompetence is simpler than an obscure Force power that isn't explicitly confirmed.

Though Anakin doing it by the Force probably has more thematic resonance.

The Romulan Republic wrote: ↑2019-06-12 04:02am Though Anakin doing it by the Force probably has more thematic resonance.

A frequent ability to inadvertently drain the life force of one's significant-other would also make the "no romance for Jedi" fatwa suddenly go from self-defeating nonsense to making a lot of sense.

Anakin was pretty deep in the Dark Side by then so it's questionable 'all' Jedi would do so, but it'd put a whole new spin on the 'no attachments' idiocy

Anakin killing Padme via the Force, lines up with Kenobi going 'You have become the very thing you swore to destroy'.

He DID hear the conversation Anakin and Padme had, including 'only my new powers can do that....'

Add that consideration in, and maybe Kenobi was giving him one last warning/chance, and actually offering to help save Padme....

Not so much head canon as prediction, but a fun little thought that occurred to me about how Episode IX could go down:

Ever since we found out ol' Sheev was coming back, I've been arguing that it would be best if he didn't come back in the flesh. Its retreading old ground, and it cheapens Anakin's sacrifice in RotJ, plus I honestly don't think Rey could credibly beat him unless she gains a LOT of skill between TLJ and the end of Rise of Skywalker (Palpatine is THE best duelist in canon with the Force, bar none). There are, however, other possibilities. One is that its simply a holographic message, though that would be deeply disappointing to fans after the trailer made such a big deal out of Palpatine. The best, in my opinion, is Palpatine as a malevolent spirit or residue, haunting/bound to the ruins of the Second Death Star and taunting Rey and company/Kylo (or manipulate Kylo further toward the Dark Side). This has some precedent, at least in Legends, and it would allow Palpatine to return while still being limited, thus not so cheapening the significance of Light Side Force ghosts or of Anakin's sacrifice. It also fits with Palpatine's great power, what made him most dangerous, being as a manipulator. But it does preclude having a light saber duel. Which is where my theory comes in.

What if Palpatine's spirit were in communication with Kylo? Maybe ever since he (presumably) went to Endor to retrieve Vader's burnt-out mask. What if, in the finale, Palpatine is able to use that connection, and Kylo's strong ties to the Dark Side, to possess him and return to the mortal realm? So our final battle is Palpatine in Kylo's body vs. Rey. Palpatine-Kylo and Rey duel, Palpatine is winning, until Ben manages to regain control for a few moments and, realizing how he has been duped by Palpatine, allows Rey to kill him. Or while Kylo/Palpatine are distracted with their internal struggle, Rey takes advantage of the opening.

This and would allow for Kylo to still be key to the finale rather than being upstaged by Palpatine, while avoiding sidelining Palpatine to a minor role that would irritate fans by being a bait-and-switch. It would show off Palpatine's role as the manipulator, and tie into Kylo's story as someone who modeled himself after Vader. It would allow for a Kylo "redemption" of sorts without some lame, sexist "Rey saves her abuser with the power of wuv" crap. It would invoke a trope I normally hate, the "hero has to kill their insane/fallen love interest to save them from themselves", but it does pull an interesting gender reversal on how that trope usually goes. It would also give Adam Driver (arguably the most skilled actor in the ST) a chance to show off, by playing two roles at once (Ian Mcdiarmid would get to shine as Palpatine's voice during the haunting sequences).

Yeah, I think something like that is how I'd end the ST, at this point.

Another one:

Anakin HAS tried to communicate with Ben. Ben, however, is no longer listening, believing that Anakin sold out at the last moment and Vader is who is grandfather really was/should have been.

The Romulan Republic wrote: ↑2019-06-16 09:18pm Another one:

Anakin HAS tried to communicate with Ben. Ben, however, is no longer listening, believing that Anakin sold out at the last moment and Vader is who is grandfather really was/should have been.

I'm with you on this one. Ben Solo is trying to communicate with Vader, not getting that Vader doesn't exist, and Anakin is trying to talk to him, watching as his grandson breaks his heart.

So much so that there's been fanart about it:

said fanart

Another one, to close a TLJ plot hole:

Yoda never destroyed the tree. He never conjured lightning. That was just another illusion, meant to send a message to Luke. Mostly because Force users being able to physically affect the world from beyond the grave is one of those really cool ideas that becomes more and more problematic the more you think about it. Why don't they do it more often? Why can Yoda intervene then, and not all the time? If he can, why does he let the First Order overrun the galaxy? But I do like the idea that Yoda could create a convincing illusion of destroying the tree. After all, a Force Ghost is an image projected into the living world, and its not that far out that how they ghost chooses to appear could be something they could consciously control (ie Anakin in the original version of RotJ appearing to Luke in a form he never had in real life). Also, it fits with TLJ being a film built on misdirection and subversion.