It has been over a month since the release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. No longer do we have to live in fear of the dreaded spoilers whether we be giving them or receiving. Finally we can speak with freedom about all the unanswered questions that our brains were brimming with as we left the theatre. Not behind closed doors, not just with those who we knew had seen the film, no now we can finally speak out in the open about the film’s mysteries. But just in case you have managed to read this entire preamble without realizing, “Hmm, maybe there might be some details from the movie in here,” let it be known . . .
Spoiler Warning!
Actually you know what, that’s not good enough. Go see the movie. The rest of us will wait . . .
So you’ve watched it now? Well frankly its about time, its been out for a month and everyone else has already seen it at least twice. But at least now you’re ready for today’s discussion. Possibly the biggest of mystery of the film . . .
Who the Hell are Rey’s Parents!?
Seriously.
Fortunately for you treasured reader, we have some theories . . .
Theory #1: Han and Leia
Now let’s all just come out and admit, if this turns out to be true there are some major plot holes, but Star Wars has had bad writers before so its not out of the realm of possibility. This theory states that Rei is actually Rei Solo, daughter of Han and Leia and sister to Ben Solo aka Darth Vader Jr. aka Kylo Ren. This theory has almost nothing to back it up besides the fact that it plays on some fairly stereotypical tropes. One of the big things in favor of it besides fans wishing upon a star, is that Rey is a badass with the Force. In the span of a few days, Rey is able to learn enough mastery of the Force to pull off a full fledged Force Pull, and then channel the force to lay the smack down on Kylo Ren. We know that force sensitivity is connected to your bloodline, and the Skywalker bloodline is top shelf when it comes to the Force. So having Leia be her mother would align quite nicely with Rey’s abilities. The other item feeding the fire under this theory is the Star Wars Expanded Universe.
Before Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars there were literally dozens of books that continued the story past Episode VI. However, in one of their first acts after acquiring Star Wars, Disney unleashed its new super weapon: The ANTI-CANON CANNON. With this new weapon they blew up every story that took place before, after, and during Episodes I through VI that wasn’t one of the movies themselves. (RIP Knights of the Old Republic)
However some fans believe that Disney is still going to use parts of those stories in the new episodes. For example, Han and Leia’s children. In the EU they have three children, Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin Solo, all of whom become jedi. A lot of stuff happens, but at the end of the day Jacen goes naughty and becomes Darth Caedus. Jaina, after training under a number of people including my personal favorite character Boba Fett, goes on to use the mighty power of the light side of the force to defeat her evil brother and save the universe. Sound familiar?
Some fans believe that Disney is taking a cue from the expanded universe and following along with this plotline, with Rei and Ren being the new Jaina and Jacen respectively. But there’s a large flaw in that theory. Neither Han nor Leia give any indication that they have had any other children besides their son, much less that one of them was a daughter that was abandoned on Not-Tatooine-But-Still-Basically-Tatooine when she was five. We can’t rule out the possibility that some writer is going to think it’s a brilliant idea, but it’s honestly a little too ridiculous to be true.
So on we go to . . .
Theory # 2: Luke
Ahhhh, now here we have something that is actually plausible. We know next to nothing about what Luke did during the 30 odd years since Episode VI. Plenty of time there to find a nice girl, start teaching the next generation of jedi, and maybe decide you’d like to have one of your own? Again this theory is substantiated largely by fans going, “Oh man wouldn’t it be cool if . . .”, but it has more to stand on than Han and Leia’s forgotten other kid. The times actually line up pretty well even. Luke decides to go be a hermit and farm rocks in the middle of the ocean after his former star pupil Ben Solo starts to hang out with the cool kids known as the Knights of Ren. This took place likely when Kylo Ren was between 16 and 20. Conveniently this would make Rey around 5-9 years old at the time. So Luke, seeing his students slaughtered, possibly the mother of his child along with them, gives up on the galaxy. But he doesn’t want his daughter to be in danger either. So Luke, our hero, decides on a nice compromise. He’ll go farm his rocks, and he’ll drop his daughter off on the nearest planet that reminds him of his own happy childhood on a sun scorched near uninhabitable rock of sand and criminals. Great parenting right there.
This theory is actually very possible. As said, the times line up, and it fits within the whole Star Wars motif. This isn’t the first time a child has been hidden away on a desert planet to protect them from Darth Vader, and we know that Episode VII loved to borrow plot points from the earlier films. It would also give Rey some Skywalker blood, explaining her amazing force powers. There is actually not a lot to discount this theory besides the fact it requires that Luke had to be the galaxy’s worst parent. Plus just imagine how absolutely amazing it would be here Luke say, “Rey . . . I, am your father.”
. . . oh yeah . . . you know you loved just imagining that . . .
However there is another theory out there, and let me tell you boys and girls, IT. IS. GOOD.
Theory # 3: Rey . . . Kenobi?
Yup. That’s right. But how you ask? Obi-Wan is old . . . and dead. Excellent points dear reader, but let me remind you that Obi-Wan was played by two of the sexiest (and talented) actors to ever grace these films, Sir Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor, so age is hardly an issue to a man of such virility.
To be serious though, yes it wouldn’t make much sense for Rey to be Obi-Wan’s daughter. However granddaughter isn’t outside the realm of possibility. Obi-Wan was also a very talented and powerful force user himself, and is, chronologically, the first example we have of someone much less experienced in the Force defeating someone with a greater amount of training than themselves. Seriously, the likelihood the Obi-Wan, a padawan, could defeat Darth Maul, a full Sith Lord, is about the same as Rey beating Kylo Ren. It must be in the blood. So, if we need Rey to have a powerful force bloodline to justify her abilities then the Kenobi blood is as viable as the Skywalker blood.
Also there is something poetic about having another Kenobi running around cleaning up after the Skywalkers, just like Obi-Wan did for most of his life.
But the real meat of this theory comes from Rey’s Force vision when she touches the ol’ Skywalker lightsaber. Diligent fans noticed that during her vision, you can very faintly hear the voice of Obi-Wan saying Rey’s name, and the very end he says, “Rey . . . these are your first steps”. All of this was voiced by Mr. Ewan McGregor himself. Actually, through some clever sound editing, they were even able to get Sir Alec Guinness’s voice to say “Rey” at one point despite his death in 2000. Does this mean there is necessarily a connection between Obi-Wan and Rey? Maybe. However there are times when you can also here Yoda speaking during the vision. Maybe it was just powerful Force spirits speaking to Rey, or maybe it was her ancestor preparing her for what is to come.
Also Obi-Wan and Rey both have British accents, if that counts for anything. Perhaps she was raised on the old Kenobi Homestead before she was dropped off at the galaxy’s least successful day care center, who knows.
And then of course we have our final and most important theory of all . . .
Theory #4: Yours!
We would love to hear what you have to say. These are three of the most popular (and supported) theories, but I am sure there are others out there that no one has thought of yet. Personally it would make me very happy to see none of these theories come true. Maybe Rey is so powerful because she ate a force crystal one time? Maybe she’s an anomaly in the Force, just like Anakin was? Maybe she’s Boba Fett’s daughter? I don’t know! The Skywalkers have been hogging the limelight for years, and it is about time some other characters got a chance to shine. I’m not saying my theories make much sense, but it would be nice to see something a little different.
So please, if you have another theory, let us know. We’d love to hear about it, and at this point she is just as likely to be Jabba the Hutt’s daughter as she is anyone else’s, so don’t be afraid to throw something crazy out there. The Force knows it can’t be any worse than the plot of the prequels.
