A new teaser for The Rise of Skywalker previewed a darker look at Rey than we have ever seen before. But is there more to her turn to the Dark Side than first meets the eye?

It is impossible to deny that, for a legion of Star Wars fans across the ages, Rey has become something of an inspiration and a role model to look up to. From her badass abilities, no-nonsense attitude, and willingness to show her vulnerability, Rey is a competent but not a perfect character — though the strength of her convictions has been a central tenent of the new Skywalker trilogy.

Which is why it came as something a surprise to many fans that a darker version of the character, wielding a dual-bladed red lightsaber featured in the latest teaser for The Rise of Skywalker. But is that glimpse at a hooded, Sith-like Rey as simple as her falling to the Dark Side? We have a few different theories for where, exactly, the next entry in the Skywalker Saga could take the character.

A Vision

Over the course of the Skywalker Saga, several characters have had to face a version of themselves that was beyond recognizable to them. While training with Yoda, Luke experienced a vivid vision where he faced down Darth Vader, only to discover his own face staring back at him from behind the mask. Likewise, in The Clone Wars, Anakin had a Force vision predicting the future, and his own fall to the Dark Side.

So it stands to reason that, when The Rise of Skywalker hits the big screen, Rey will have to reckon with herself through a vision that casts her in the role of a Sith. The circumstances that will lead her there are less clear — but anything from a manifestation of her anxieties, whether that stems from her role as a hero or her still clouded identity — but it would certainly follow a trend of the central Star Wars movies thus far.

It also would not be the first time that Rey has had a vision through the Force, as she also experienced one in The Last Jedi, meaning that the character is already sensitive to having them. If we were to hedge our bets behind just one of the theories on this list, this would be our all-in.

A Clone

With the return of Palpatine fast approaching in The Rise of Skywalker, it would not be too far outside the realm of possibility that other elements of the previous films might return with him. After all, if Palpatine is seeking to wrest control of the Galaxy back from the First Order, he will need an army and a steadfast but powerful servant to the Dark Side loyal to him. Which raises the question of how Palpatine might be able to amass an army large enough to take on both the First Order and the Resistance, all under the radar and with no warning.

Clones — as seen in the prequel trilogy — may be the answer. We already know that Palpatine has a strong connection to Jakku from supplemental Star Wars material, so drawing the line between him and Rey wouldn’t be much of a stretch. Likewise, when Rey is on Ach-To, she sees an endless reflection of herself in the caves, potentially hinting at the possibility that she may not be the only version of herself.

After all, we only have Kylo Ren’s word to go on with respect to Rey’s heritage, and that word has yet to be proven as trustworthy. So could Palpatine have a clone army behind him, with Rey as the mold? Or is Rey unique in respect to there being both a Light and Dark side of her, created by Palpatine, to reshape the prophecy earlier in the Saga to his advantage?

Rey’s Fall

The most straightforward reading of the teaser is that Rey, at some point during The Rise of Skywalker, will fall to the Dark Side. This is the theory that requires the most suspension of disbelief, in my opinion — yes, even more so than the clone theory — because we have seen Rey, time and again, choose to stand by her convictions and her friends, and does not take kindly to betrayal.

But if Rey does fall, it could lead to the “rise” of Skywalker hinted in the title of the movie. And by that, we mean the central Skywalker of the new trilogy: Kylo Ren, a.k.a. Ben Solo, son of Han and Leia. Rey and Kylo Ren have been set up as foils to one another since The Force Awakens, taking on the Dark and Light side of the conflict that has become so iconic across the Skywalker Saga. So it stands to reason that if Rey should fall, Kylo might return to the light, and rise up as a Skywalker.

It is difficult to envision Kylo and Rey switching sides, not least because their final interaction in The Last Jedi appeared to solidify their respective roles, and Kylo has engaged in several acts of violence that would be near-impossible to come back from. But, then again, nothing is ever truly impossible when it comes to Star Wars…

The Rise of Skywalker opens in movie theaters everywhere on December 20.