Could the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Be Fixed with a Multiverse?

The Star Wars sequel trilogy is a really sore subject for fans, with many still hoping Disney will retcon it. But has 'a new hope' suddenly emerged? With the ‘Multiverse' now being introduced into the likes of the MCU, as seen in the trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home, and also in the upcoming Flashpoint within the DCEU, is it possible that this dramatic, canon-altering plot device could one day be used to ‘correct' the final trilogy in The Skywalker Saga?

A Multiverse suggests that an infinite number of alternate universes (or timelines) exist, concealed from one another by the fabric of reality. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, the MCU Multiverse is opened and so that universe will clash with those of non-MCU Spider-Man movies. In the trailer, we see Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus, while other villains from outside theMCUare also teased. The upcoming Flashpoint, which is part of the DCEU, will star Michael Keaton, who will be reprising his role as Batman from the Tim Burton movies, while Ben Affleck is also expected to once again don the cowl in the same film.

But how could Star Wars adopt this concept, when it's never even been mentioned or even remotely hinted at in any canon, whether films, TV shows, games, books, or graphic novels? After all, the Multiverse is something that has been long established in the Marvel and DC comics, so it's a completely natural step forward in their respective film franchises, and in no way jarring. If used to fix the Star Wars sequel trilogy, however, it would be so transparent and feel completely out of the left field.

The only way it could work is if it feels completely natural and believable. But how? Well, it might not quite be the Multiverse, but the concept of time travel has been introduced, in the animated show Star Wars: Rebels. But first, there are two really important episodes we need to look at - Season One's "The Twilight Apprentice Part II" and Season Four's "A World Between Worlds".

The former sees Ahsoka Tano finally come face-to-face with Darth Vader. The two clash lightsabers in a Sith Temple, and while we eventually cut away for a season finale montage, we do return to the temple and see Vader walking away, and moments later, Ahsoka too. In "A World Between Worlds", having discovered a portal in the form of an ancient Jedi mural on his home planet Lothal, Jedi Ezra Bridger enters a mystical dimension, or a 'World Between Worlds', a collection of pathways and doors suspended in space.

Once he's inside, we hear echoes of dialogue that span the entire Skywalker Saga, with the episode using archive recordings from the films, which "Part III" of the last four episodes of The Clone Wars also does. Among the voices are Yoda and Obi-Wan from the original trilogy, Qui-Gon from The Phantom Menace, and Rey from the sequel trilogy. This dimension shows everything that has been, and everything that is yet to come, as it exists between time and space.

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Ezra then approaches a doorway that shows him Ahsoka and Vader fighting at the end of Season 2. Believing Ahsoka to have been killed in the fight and that he's about to witness it happen, having not seen her in the time that has passed since, Ezra pulls her into the World Between Worlds with him. But as we know, Ahsoka never did die – although it's clear now that it's because Ezra always saves her from Vader. And as Ezra always believed she did die, he always ends up pulling her out, meaning this moment is caught in an isolated time loop.

In other words, to Ezra, he pulls Ahsoka from that fight in "A World Between Worlds", but to Ahsoka, he pulls her out at the time "The Twilight Apprentice Part II" is set. But what has this got to do with the Multiverse? Has Ezra created an alternate reality by doing this? No, it doesn't seem to be the case. But the World Between Worlds is a place where the creation of an alternate reality can quite possibly result from one's actions – depending on what they are.

Believing he has saved Ahsoka, Ezra then finds a portal through which he can also save his Jedi Master Kanan Jarrus, who was previously killed saving Ezra and the other rebels. However, Ahsoka explains to Ezra that, by doing this, he and his friends would die along with Kanan. Ultimately, Ezra doesn't follow through but had he done so, then he would have altered the course of fate, which may have branched off into another timeline - but not necessarily. The concept of time travel doesn't always include alternate realities, but the fact that the past can be changed from inside the World Between Worlds works in the franchise's favor, and also begs to question of whether the future can be changed too.

However, another way the Multiverse could be introduced to Star Wars is through the ever-evolving and limitless Force powers. As seen not just in the sequel trilogy, but in shows such as Rebels and even The Clone Wars, the Force is an incredibly flexible tool. And now that we know that the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural, this isn't something fans would necessarily scoff at. After all, the Force is what binds the universe together (or universes?).

But, regardless of what method, how exactly could the sequel trilogy be ‘Multiversed' in terms of narrative? There are likely many possible ways for this to be done, though it all depends on what fans really dislike about those films. The general consensus is that many hate the way in which Luke Skywalker is handled in The Last Jedi, the fact that Rey becomes the most powerful Jedi with little to no explanation, that the Emperor makes an inexplicable return in The Rise of Skywalker, and generally the fact that the films had no direction from the get-go.

Perhaps then, the sequel trilogy could exist in another timeline separate from the main one and is a result of someone having used the World Between Worlds to make certain changes. Possibly Palpatine, considering he was trying to control this dimension in the episode of the same name, as it's said that "He who controls it, controls the universe". His intentions, of course, would need to be fleshed out, and as for what elements of the sequel trilogy would exist in an alternate reality - whether it's one film, two, or all three - that would be up for debate.

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We doubt that this will ever be used to ‘wipe the slate clean' where the sequel trilogy is concerned, though, but if it is, then we can't see fans complaining about seeing a ‘new version' of the three films. With that said, they'd likely have to be animated, especially if we want to see the likes of Han, Luke, and Leia share the same scene – something we never got to see in the sequel trilogy. And while it would indeed be a ‘new version', Disney and Lucasfilm might wish to call it ‘How the Sequel Trilogy Actually Went Down', or something a little catchier.

So, the key to ‘correcting' the sequel trilogy lies in the World Between Worlds, or the Force itself – and it's something that could easily be explored further in future Star Wars canon, whether it's the upcoming Ahsoka series or one of the future movies.

Star Wars: Rebels is currently streaming on Disney+.