10 Major Plot Holes In The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

I’ll admit it—I wanted to love the Star Wars sequels. But every time I rewatch them, these plot holes just jump out at me like a rogue Sith Lord.

I mean, how did Palpatine even survive? Why is C-3PO suddenly fluent in Sith? And don’t even get me started on Leia flying through space.

I put together a list of the 10 biggest ‘Wait, what?’ moments. Let me know if I missed any!

1. Somehow, Palpatine Returned

Easily the most heavily criticized and well-known sequel trilogy plot hole is the return of Emperor Palpatine. 

After the first two movies focused on Kylo Ren as the trilogy’s main villain, The Rise of Skywalker suddenly brought back Palpatine at the last minute. 

This sharp turn came without any meaningful setup, leaving fans wondering how he survived his death in Return of the Jedi.

The movie itself offers little explanation beyond vague mentions of “dark science” and cloning. 

Even with canon books and shows trying to fill in the gaps since then, it remains a poorly handled twist. For many, Palpatine’s return is still the most glaring plot hole in the sequel trilogy.

2. C-3PO’s Knowledge of the Sith Language

One of the more puzzling moments in The Rise of Skywalker is the reveal that C-3PO can understand the Sith language but is forbidden by his programming from translating it. 

While this is a fun twist that adds some tension to the story, it doesn’t make much sense when you think about it.

C-3PO was originally built by a young Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine—a boy who had no knowledge of the Sith at the time. 

Even later, when Anakin became Darth Vader, there’s no reason to believe he updated C-3PO’s programming to include Sith languages. 

And who else would have added this? The Sith language is incredibly rare and forbidden, making it an odd inclusion for a protocol droid designed for diplomacy and etiquette.

Despite this, C-3PO’s ability to read Sith inscriptions becomes a critical plot point, allowing the heroes to find the Wayfinder they need. 

But the lack of any explanation for how or why this programming exists makes it feel like a convenient shortcut rather than a carefully planned story element. 

3. Lightspeed Skipping Breaks All the Rules of Hyperspace

In The Rise of Skywalker, Poe introduces lightspeed skipping—rapid hyperspace jumps to evade pursuit. 

While it’s visually exciting, it completely breaks established Star Wars rules. Until this point, ships couldn’t jump to hyperspace until they were clear of a planet’s gravitational field.

The movie never explains how this works or why the rules suddenly change, leaving fans scratching their heads. 

Later books and comics have tried to justify it, but in the film itself, lightspeed skipping feels like another flashy addition that ignores Star Wars canon.

4. Rey’s Intact Lightsaber in Episode IX

Among the less obvious plot holes in The Rise of Skywalker is the mystery surrounding Rey’s lightsaber.

At the end of The Last Jedi, we clearly see the Kyber crystal inside Luke’s saber split in two during her tug-of-war with Kylo Ren. 

Yet, at the beginning of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey’s lightsaber appears completely intact, as if nothing had happened.

This goes against the internal logic of Star Wars. Kyber crystals are rare and crucial to lightsaber construction, so repairing a saber with a completely broken crystal should have been a major challenge. 

It would have made far more sense for Rey to build something new—maybe even dual-wield smaller sabers with pieces of the original crystal. 

Instead, the movie skips over this entirely, offering no explanation for how Rey’s lightsaber was restored.

5. Luke’s Location on Ach-To

The Force Awakens focuses heavily on the search for Luke Skywalker, who has gone into hiding.

The Resistance and the First Order are both desperately trying to piece together a map to locate him. 

But here’s the strange part: Luke is hiding on Ach-To, one of the most historically significant Jedi worlds in the galaxy.

Ach-To wasn’t some obscure, forgotten planet. It was tied to the origins of the Jedi Order, making it a place that both the First Order and the Resistance should have been aware of. 

How is it possible that neither side could locate him without a map? For a galaxy that seems to have detailed star charts and hyperspace lanes, the idea that Ach-To’s location was somehow a mystery doesn’t hold up.

6. The Holdo Maneuver and the First Order’s Pursuit

In The Last Jedi, Admiral Holdo’s hyperspace ram is one of the most visually stunning moments in the sequel trilogy—but it also raises some major questions. 

If Holdo could use a hyperspace jump to obliterate the advancing First Order fleet, then why didn’t the First Order use hyperspace jumps to catch the Resistance fleet in the first place?

Instead of pursuing the Resistance at sub-light speed and waiting for them to run out of fuel, the First Order could have easily jumped ahead to intercept them.

If hyperspace ramming is so devastating, why wasn’t this tactic used before, especially in desperate situations?

7. Leia’s Space Flight

In a surprising turn during The Last Jedi, Leia Organa uses the Force to endure the vacuum of space, stunning fans.

After her ship is attacked, Leia is blown into space but manages to fly back to safety using nothing but the Force. 

While the scene was meant to highlight her connection to the Force, it felt completely out of place and raised more questions than answers.

Before this moment, Leia’s Force sensitivity had been subtly implied but never shown in such a dramatic way. 

Even powerful Force users like Anakin Skywalker never demonstrated anything close to surviving in the vacuum of space without protective gear, let alone propelling themselves back to a ship.

8. How Is It That a Throne Survived Such an Explosion?

We all remember the destruction of the Death Star II in Return of the Jedi—a defining victory for the Rebels, marked by the station’s obliteration into countless fragments.

Yet, in The Rise of Skywalker, we see the debris of the Death Star II scattered across the ocean moon of Kef Bir.

What’s even more surprising is that during Rey and Kylo Ren’s lightsaber duel on the wreckage, we catch a glimpse of the Emperor’s throne—somehow intact amidst the chaos.

Much like its owner, the throne “somehow returned,” leaving fans scratching their heads at how it survived such catastrophic destruction.

If we look back at Return of the Jedi, the Death Star II’s explosion is so catastrophic that it seems impossible for anything to survive. 

Yet somehow, in The Rise of Skywalker, the Emperor’s throne remains intact. Much like Palpatine’s unexplained return, this feels like another case of the sequel trilogy leaning on plot convenience rather than offering clear answers.

9. Leia Didn’t Use the Force on Crait to Save the Resistance

By the time we reach The Last Jedi, it’s clear that Leia Organa has a strong connection to the Force. 

The film itself showcases her incredible power when she survives being thrown into space and flies back to her ship. Yet, during the final moments on Crait, Leia doesn’t use the Force at all—even when the Resistance’s survival hangs in the balance.

When the Resistance fighters are trapped in a cave, it’s Rey who uses the Force to lift the rocks and clear an escape route. 

But here’s the question: why didn’t Leia, who’s clearly powerful in the Force, attempt to do the same? 

The situation couldn’t have been more desperate, yet Leia remains passive throughout the battle, relying on others to act.

10. The Millennium Falcon’s Mysterious Fuel Supply

In The Force Awakens, the Millennium Falcon’s dramatic return is thrilling, but it raises questions. 

We’re told the Falcon has been sitting abandoned on Jakku for years, yet it powers up instantly and is ready for high-speed maneuvers without any repairs.

Even more puzzling is the fuel situation. If the ship had been left to rot for so long, any fuel in its tanks would’ve evaporated long before Rey and Finn found it. 

The movie never explains how the Falcon was suddenly ready to fly, leaving this as yet another unexplained plot hole in the sequel trilogy.