Let there be lightsabers: New ‘Star Wars’ movie has title, trailer

Hang on to your lightsabers, “Star Wars” fans, the final episode of the third trilogy has a title and a spine-tingling trailer.

“Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” will hit theaters in December.

The trailer debuted Friday morning at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Chicago before being rolled out online.

At the convention, director J.J. Abrams said some time has passed between the events of 2017’s “The Last Jedi” and the beginning of “The Rise of Skywalker.”

The trailer starts with a close up of a Daisy Ridley as Rey, out of breath and staring down an oncoming menace in the distance.

After a panel with the words “Every generation has a legend,” the “Star Wars” universe bursts into life, with glimpses of many of the saga’s beloved, and not so beloved, characters, including Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian and the late Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia.

Internet viewers seemed especially worked up about the apparent return of the evil Emperor Palpatine, who we all thought was killed at the end of “Return of the Jedi” when Darth Vader saw the light side and saved his son, Luke Skywalker.

Toward the end of the new trailer, Luke’s voiceover says, “No one’s ever really ever gone.”

That’s followed by Palpatine’s unmistakable and chilling laugh.

Twitter users, of course, welcomed the meme potential of the character also known as Darth Sidious.

Palpatine coming back means more meme content. pic.twitter.com/u4QYPezgwO

— MisterBatfleck (@Mister_BatfIeck) April 12, 2019

Me: Let the past die

Palpatine: Laughs in #EpisodeIX pic.twitter.com/dr3DCYYzDt

— Sad Kylo Ren (@KyloIsSad) April 12, 2019

Snoke: I show you the true power of the force!

Palpatine: Hold my beer. pic.twitter.com/hxaUeFt7wr

— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) April 12, 2019

Luke: "No one is ever really gone."
Palpatine: #TheRiseofSkywalker pic.twitter.com/L4BwygwJrV

— Sean Scalise (@Nerd_Awakens) April 12, 2019

Others speculated about how he could have survived being thrown down a shaft on the Death Star.

you're gonna sit there and tell me…….with a straight face…..that palpatine somehow walked away from THIS? #StarWarsIX pic.twitter.com/TpT9wZh9tF

— Drip Gawd 🦇 (@ClammChowda) April 12, 2019

After falling continuously for 30+ years, Emperor Palpatine deploys an airbag and softly lands on the ground below. He then immediately dashes back up the stairs, yelling “again, again!” #StarWarsIX #StarWars #EpisodeIX #TheRiseofSkywalker pic.twitter.com/uxmpUut1rx

— Sarah O'Connell (@SarahO_Connell) April 12, 2019

The Associated Press contributed to this report.