As we mentioned a few days ago, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's novelization includes an interrogation scene between Kylo Ren and Chewbacca which sheds a little more light on their relationship. However, another excerpt has found its way online today (via Screen Rant) which could address an apparent plot hole from 2015's The Force Awakens.
At the time, many fans found fault with the decision to have Rey so easily defeat Kylo Ren in the final battle, especially as she had never wielded a lightsaber up until that point. On the surface, it just didn't make sense that she would get the better of someone clearly well-trained in the ways of the Force!
Well, as has been theorised on multiple occasions since, it was all down to Chewbacca shooting him.
"'I have not forgotten that you shot me,' Kylo said. That wound had resulted in a defeat at Rey's hands," the book reveals. "Had he been in top fighting form, the scavenger never would have gotten the best of him." Well, that explains that (for those of you who have still been wondering), but with so many plot holes in The Rise of Skywalker, this has been forgotten about for the most part.
Throw in the fact that Rey was Force-sensitive even back then, and it's no wonder she was able to get lucky that day. Of course, it's a shame this wasn't better explained at the time because it might have lessened the amount of people dubbing the character a, sigh, "Mary Sue."
Regardless, the new Star Wars trilogy is likely to remain divisive for the foreseeable future and, like the prequels, it should continue generating discussion among fans from now until the end of time!
What are your thoughts on this explanation?