*Spoiler* Rey's Force abilities

[Isnogut]

I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say that I agree that Rey's parentage is heavily hinted toward Luke being her father. But honestly I could see them doing another borrow move from the EU and making her related to the Shan family. I keep going over in my head that in the movie that line in the trailer that Luke was saying about how the force is strong in his family could've been said to Ben Solo when they were beginning their training. I'm not buying into the idea that they need a family connection to sense each other's memories, or share visions together. If Rey is as powerful within the Force then no matter what those visions would've happened to her with the lightsaber because of the strong emotional users who wielded the saber before. The living force could've surrounded itself around that object .

 

I know it's heavily implied but people really are grasping at straws at the Han/Leia theory. Lets not forget that we have other Jedi and force sensitive people in the Star Wars universe at this time. Kanan and Ezra could easily be one of her fathers. Not to mention they could just borrow another idea from EU, rename it a bit, and boom now we have a whole new plot. Ben Solo, and Moraband are literally from the EU and they just changed the names a bit. Also I'm not going to be happy if we find out she's a Solo. Just seems too convenient. So I'm going to stick with that she's a Shan that was discovered by the Rebel's crew and after Luke's disappearance they left her on Jakku to protect her from Ren/Snoke/Dark Side force users.

 

I don't buy the idea that Ren wanted to train her because he knows they're family. I think he wants to train her so together they can overthrow Snoke. Just like every Sith does some day. They go out, find a powerful apprentice, train them and attempt to overthrow any Dark Side user ahead of the former apprentice. Not saying that Snoke/Ren are Sith but I mean I'd bet Snoke is an old school Sith who was trained on Moraband.

Oh, dear God anybody but not Shan/Revan anylonger. pleeeeze!!!!

 

Second, where do you get the idea Snoke is Sith? By his dialoges he seem neither Sith nor a previous Jedi, but a Darksider with clearly other idology. And Kylo Ren is deifinetely not taught as a Sith aprentice. He behaves way to unstable. Sith are absolute driven. And they overcome fear with anger, he however is fullfiled with fear, as sensed by Ray and seen on the bridge where he kills Han. He want to overcome it by absolute decisions, but you can see his fear in any of his actions. I have no idea what he is, but he is clearly no Sith.

 

Maybe that is the reason so many viewers interpret his actions as a emo Darth Vader wannabe. They do not behave at all the same. He is just terrified, while Vader was horrifing.

[phalczen]

I'm not sure I buy into the "Rey Skywalker" theory. What we know is that Rey has a vision of her being separated from people as a young girl when she touches the lightsaber that used to belong to Luke and Anakin. In this vision, she was given or indentured to the same alien that runs the Nimma outpost, a creature which chronically mistreats her.

 

I find it implausible that Luke would willingly sell his daughter into slavery in his new Jedi Order. The only way I see it happening, is that Luke is unaware he impregnated anyone. His consort, likely a padawan in his new jedi order, may have been unaware she was pregnant, or maybe unwilling/unable to tell Luke, at the time that Kylo Ren and his Knights of Ren attacked and killed Luke's jedi. His consort ran away, gave birth, but some event early on in Rey's life, perhaps under duress from the First Order, forced her to sell or otherwise indenture Rey to the guy in Nimma outpost. First Order involvement is doubtful though, given that Snoke seems like he would have preferred to kill them rather than keep them alive.

 

Less likely is that Luke and/or Rey's mother intentionally left the child Rey with people in an attempt to hide her from the First Order. These people subsequently found themselves unable to care for Rey, and so they sold her as a slave. Luke seems more likely to have taken his family with him into exile than to leave his daughter with strangers, given what happened with him and his twin sister, especially ones who would later prove to be without the means to care for her. Also, hiding his family from Kylo Ren/Snoke is a lot different than what Yoda and Obi-Wan had to do with Anakin's children to hide them from the Emperor. As far as Anakin knew, his unborn "child" had been killed when he unwittingly killed his wife in anger on Mustafar. Beyond the obvious threat of the chosen one's offspring to the Emperor's power, Anakin the father had turned to evil, and could harm or at the very least corrupt the children. With Padme dead and Anakin evil, there is no reliable parent left to care for the kids. Even still, you don't find Obi Wan and Yoda leaving the twins with just any old couple. They send them to Alderaanian nobility and Anakin's half brother with Obi-Wan close by to watch his growth and development. In this case, Luke had not turned to the dark side and hadn't tried to harm the mother of his supposed child ... the safest place for his family is in exile with him, the most powerful light side user in the galaxy. Anakin was a danger to his children. It is a dangerous life to be Luke Skywalker's child, but Luke is not a danger to his children the way Anakin was. If Luke can hide himself for three decades, he can hide his wife and child too. Even if they have to stay hidden because they are not ready to face Kylo Ren/Snoke, the best place is with him, to be trained. There are no other jedi to be able to watch over them (certainly none stronger), and if Rey had to be sold into slavery then the foster parents weren't wisely chosen, similarly implausible.

 

The other possibility is that the reason why the Skywalker saber calls to her isn't because she is a Skywalker, but because she was conceived the same way Anakin was, that is, by the midichlorians. This would go along with the "Snoke is Plageuis" theory, although I'm inclined to believe Snoke is someone new, created from JJ Abrams' imagination rather than Lucas'. The Force seems to seek out these unlikely heroes. Anakin was born to an enslaved mother, so why shouldn't Rey?

 

Either way, that flashback scene really just does not fit well with the idea that she is Luke's daughter, in my opinion.

Edited December 29, 2015 by phalczen

[Madeira]

Genuinely surprised there hasn't been more discussion about this theory:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu56bOmthZc

[maxetius]

She's luke's daughter

 

accept it now.

Edited December 30, 2015 by maxetius

[Audoucet]

Genuinely surprised there hasn't been more discussion about this theory:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu56bOmthZc

 

I actually had thought that.

[Isnogut]

Genuinely surprised there hasn't been more discussion about this theory:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu56bOmthZc

I didn't tought of that and at some point this would even make sense. In the TCW there is a episode plot where Obiwan Anakin and Ahsoka had a powerfull vision of the warden of the force, his silblins, the daughter who ist the incarnation of the light side and his son, the incarnation of the dark side. The warden tells Anakin that in order to keep the balance he has to become the new warden, but he won't. So the Chosen One doesn't fulfill his actual purpose. But does Anakin bring balance to the force as Darth Vader, as people like to see him? I am not quite sure. While during the Republic times there was clearly an inbalace in favor for the light side, he choped that down, and there was the Empire who fovoured the dark side. Then he destroyed the Sith and there was only one Jedi left. Again there was an imbalance.

 

Let's assume the chosen one is not bound to one corporeal beeig but it is only a vergence who is been reborn over and over again to correct tne imbalance. Rey might be that new imbodiment and it would explain why she understood so fast the idea of the force. The cosen one is a prodigy in the use of the force. Her actions were raw but she had the right direction to use the force. -This might be the right answer also for the trinity of rise, fall and redemption. The chosen one could really be the Space Jesus profecys talked about.

[Zharik]

<snip>We see this on QuiGon while fighting Darth Maul, Yoda vs. Tyrannus, etc. This kind of force ability she used during the duel.<snip>

 

Ummm no, what you saw was how a dark side waited for force fields to lower (by pacing like a caged animal) vs how a light side waited, patiently while conserving strength/energy. Obi Wan was eager and young, hence why he showed his desire to engage the dark sider so plainly. Also the director for that film was GL... need I say more? You're confusing the battle meditation of the EU which magnified the capability of an entire army/navy vs a self buff like you use in a video game... do NOT try to compare a movie to a video game. Games make a mockery of a good movie every time.

[Madeira]

I didn't tought of that and at some point this would even make sense.

 

To piggy-back on your post what makes me genuinely like the idea of Rey being the resurrection of "The Chosen One" (previously embodied by Anakin) is that the development brings an "Avatar" type twist to a premise that can fully utilize it.

 

The Force exists. It has a constructive/destructive duality to it (light vs dark) Certain individuals can harness it. The entire galaxy is subject to it. There is an entity born every generation to balance it.

 

This new aspect of force-cannon can be SO ancient that even Yoda wasn't aware of the full scale of it. Yes there were prophecies of "The Chosen One" but no one (neither Sith nor Jedi) recognized how deeply it ran. This would also address one aspect of TFA that nagged at me.

 

Why did Luke seek out the first Jedi Temple? Something bad happened when he attempted to rebuild the Jedi order (sounds like his nephew went darkside and forced a bloody monopoly of Force status) but if it was a matter of being disgraced then Luke would have just pulled a Yoda and gone some place completely off the radar. But he deliberately sought out the first Jedi temple as if he stumbled upon a revelation that was SO ancient it had to be uncovered from the foundation.

 

This would also explain why he damn near pooped himself when he came face-to-face with Rey.

 

 

So yeah. . . . I don't expect the resurrection theory to hold despite how solid it is but darn it's a good one.

[Echoedge]

If there was ever a time for the double light saber to make a return to the movies, Rey is the right Jedi for it.

[Isnogut]

Ummm no, what you saw was how a dark side waited for force fields to lower (by pacing like a caged animal) vs how a light side waited, patiently while conserving strength/energy. Obi Wan was eager and young, hence why he showed his desire to engage the dark sider so plainly. Also the director for that film was GL... need I say more? You're confusing the battle meditation of the EU which magnified the capability of an entire army/navy vs a self buff like you use in a video game... do NOT try to compare a movie to a video game. Games make a mockery of a good movie every time.

 

There are actually 2 manifestation of the battle meditation. Both are known in the former SWEU now called Star Wars Legends. Those are not canon, so it is quite hard to say it there is exact the same thing that happens to Rey while she focuses.

 

Second the battle meditation I already mentioned seen in the movies is the only we saw and it is canon. You may call it focus or what else not, but it is mentioned as battle meditation. What you think you saw in the duel between Quigon, Mace and Obi wan is not the difference of how the Dark Side/Light Side waits the next move but only Quigon taping into the force controlling his body, clearing his mind. Yes exact the same thing Yoda tries to each Luke on Dagobah. But Luke is not listening; he doesn’t tap into the force but only temper himself.

 

To piggy-back on your post what makes me genuinely like the idea of Rey being the resurrection of "The Chosen One" (previously embodied by Anakin) is that the development brings an "Avatar" type twist to a premise that can fully utilize it.

 

The Force exists. It has a constructive/destructive duality to it (light vs. dark) certain individuals can harness it. The entire galaxy is subject to it. There is an entity born every generation to balance it.

 

This new aspect of force-cannon can be SO ancient that even Yoda wasn't aware of the full scale of it. Yes there were prophecies of "The Chosen One" but no one (neither Sith nor Jedi) recognized how deeply it ran. This would also address one aspect of TFA that nagged at me.

 

Why did Luke seek out the first Jedi Temple? Something bad happened when he attempted to rebuild the Jedi order (sounds like his nephew went dark side and forced a bloody monopoly of Force status) but if it was a matter of being disgraced then Luke would have just pulled a Yoda and gone some place completely off the radar. But he deliberately sought out the first Jedi temple as if he stumbled upon a revelation that was SO ancient it had to be uncovered from the foundation.

 

This would also explain why he damn near pooped himself when he came face-to-face with Rey.

 

 

So yeah. . . . I don't expect the resurrection theory to hold despite how solid it is but darn it's a good one.

I have another theory why Luke is on the Planet with the ancient Jedi temple. By the way it is not mentioned this might be Thython. First of all it doesn’t fit the galaxy map, not even the right quadrant. Anyway, my theory is he is in search of what he did wrong and what did the ancient Jedi did right. He is in search after the solution how to train Jedi and those have not to doubt themselves to fall to the Dark Side. This is one thing he never was taught.

 

As for the "Avatar" theory, I also had exact the same first thought while listening to the video. nevertheless it might fit. And we have no idea if Dimatino and Koniezko or Lucas had this idea in t he first place. Keep in mind JJ only took already existent pieces of storylines which were already developed by Lucas arts and shaped those into an entire story. The whole Jacen, Jania Solo and Ben Skywalker story plot was never developed by Lucas arts but Timothy Zahn. The prime story ideas might be quite far off the stories we know from the SWL.

[phalczen]

Genuinely surprised there hasn't been more discussion about this theory:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu56bOmthZc

 

So I saw TFA again last night (#3 for me) and studied it hard to see if I could glean anything more about Rey's origins.

 

But I really like video author's idea and it fits with my other hypothesis that I posted above and will quote here for convenience:

The other possibility is that the reason why the Skywalker saber calls to her isn't because she is a Skywalker, but because she was conceived the same way Anakin was, that is, by the midichlorians. [deleted] The Force seems to seek out these unlikely heroes. Anakin was born to an enslaved mother, so why shouldn't Rey?

 

Now, some of the comments the video author makes I don't entirely agree with. He speaks of Rey's vision including a lava planet, but I disagree. I think that what she sees is Luke's new jedi academy in flames after the attack/betrayal by Kylo Ren. It doesn't look like mustafar. And she sees Luke and his cybernetic arm touching R2-D2, as if to say good bye old friend or good luck in your mission.

 

I also disagree with the video author's comments about the strange looks exchanged by Leia and Rey both at their initial meeting when the rescued Rey lands on the resistance base and at her departure for her quest. I think the looks are merely ones of sympathy/empathy/understanding. Leia realizes that Rey lost someone she viewed as a father/mentor, a man whom Leia loved as well. There may be some component of recognizing nascent Force sensitivity as well. In the second scene, its well wishes for her new mission. I think some people, including my wife and the video's author, may be reading too much into those looks between Leia and Rey.

 

Regardless, I think the video's author may be on to something and it explains the vision better than the notion that she is Luke's daughter.

[SithKoriandr]

I'm not sure I buy into the "Rey Skywalker" theory. What we know is that Rey has a vision of her being separated from people as a young girl when she touches the lightsaber that used to belong to Luke and Anakin. In this vision, she was given or indentured to the same alien that runs the Nimma outpost, a creature which chronically mistreats her.

 

I find it implausible that Luke would willingly sell his daughter into slavery in his new Jedi Order. The only way I see it happening, is that Luke is unaware he impregnated anyone. His consort, likely a padawan in his new jedi order, may have been unaware she was pregnant, or maybe unwilling/unable to tell Luke, at the time that Kylo Ren and his Knights of Ren attacked and killed Luke's jedi. His consort ran away, gave birth, but some event early on in Rey's life, perhaps under duress from the First Order, forced her to sell or otherwise indenture Rey to the guy in Nimma outpost. First Order involvement is doubtful though, given that Snoke seems like he would have preferred to kill them rather than keep them alive.

 

Less likely is that Luke and/or Rey's mother intentionally left the child Rey with people in an attempt to hide her from the First Order. These people subsequently found themselves unable to care for Rey, and so they sold her as a slave. Luke seems more likely to have taken his family with him into exile than to leave his daughter with strangers, given what happened with him and his twin sister, especially ones who would later prove to be without the means to care for her. Also, hiding his family from Kylo Ren/Snoke is a lot different than what Yoda and Obi-Wan had to do with Anakin's children to hide them from the Emperor. As far as Anakin knew, his unborn "child" had been killed when he unwittingly killed his wife in anger on Mustafar. Beyond the obvious threat of the chosen one's offspring to the Emperor's power, Anakin the father had turned to evil, and could harm or at the very least corrupt the children. With Padme dead and Anakin evil, there is no reliable parent left to care for the kids. Even still, you don't find Obi Wan and Yoda leaving the twins with just any old couple. They send them to Alderaanian nobility and Anakin's half brother with Obi-Wan close by to watch his growth and development. In this case, Luke had not turned to the dark side and hadn't tried to harm the mother of his supposed child ... the safest place for his family is in exile with him, the most powerful light side user in the galaxy. Anakin was a danger to his children. It is a dangerous life to be Luke Skywalker's child, but Luke is not a danger to his children the way Anakin was. If Luke can hide himself for three decades, he can hide his wife and child too. Even if they have to stay hidden because they are not ready to face Kylo Ren/Snoke, the best place is with him, to be trained. There are no other jedi to be able to watch over them (certainly none stronger), and if Rey had to be sold into slavery then the foster parents weren't wisely chosen, similarly implausible.

 

The other possibility is that the reason why the Skywalker saber calls to her isn't because she is a Skywalker, but because she was conceived the same way Anakin was, that is, by the midichlorians. This would go along with the "Snoke is Plageuis" theory, although I'm inclined to believe Snoke is someone new, created from JJ Abrams' imagination rather than Lucas'. The Force seems to seek out these unlikely heroes. Anakin was born to an enslaved mother, so why shouldn't Rey?

 

Either way, that flashback scene really just does not fit well with the idea that she is Luke's daughter, in my opinion.

 

I doubt Anakin would have willingly left his children with who they were left with.

 

If Rey is Luke's daughter (I hope so myself), it would also explain all her talents. Just like Anakin Though I like the idea of her being a Skywalker AND A Shan!

[Isnogut]

If Rey is Luke's daughter (I hope so myself), it would also explain all her talents. Just like Anakin Though I like the idea of her being a Skywalker AND A Shan!

As a huge fan of the movies and a fan of the KOTOR game series I am abaolute oposite to this idea. Funny thing. But I for one would rather like the idea if Rey has nothing to do genetically with the Skywalkers and Shan. Do we really have to have her be a direct descendant? I'd rather be happy if she is the mindchild of Luke, same as he was to Ben Kenobi. We all were fine with that back then, why are pople so fixated of Rey being of this particular descendance? She is already fine the way she is, and it might be a way better story for her not being a Skywalker, alone for the reason everybothy thinks she has to be one. This might be a twist similar to Vader being Lukes father.

[phalczen]

I doubt Anakin would have willingly left his children with who they were left with.

 

Sith Lord or on the run? I mean, naturally Anakin as Darth Vader would not want his children with his newly-annointed best friend turned mortal enemy. But, speaking hypothetically? He was best friends with Obi Wan and, as we saw in RotS and in Season 6 of TCW was close to Yoda as well. I don't think he would have objected to those two as guardians if Mustafar hadn't happened and Anakin had merely gone on the run/underground after assisting in the death of Windu, assuming Padme still died somehow. I mean, we have to make a lot of assumptions/crazy guesses about how things might have gone differently in RotS to put a light side Anakin in a position where he had to leave his children in foster care. But, assuming he was still good and still friends with Yoda and Obi Wan there is no reason to think he would have objected outright.

 

Now, when Padme suggests that they confide to Obi Wan about the pregnancy, he does say, "We don't need his help," or something along those lines. I don't think his statement translates into, "if Padme dies and I have to go underground into hiding, Obi Wan and Yoda and Owen Lars and Bail Organa are bad guardians." After all, he trusts Owen Lars his half brother enough to leave pregnant Padme with them while he goes on his search for the sandpeople that kidnapped Shmi, going as far as to call them "good people."

 

In any event, the foster parents chosen for Luke and Leia were clearly better choices than leaving Rey with a slaver, if we are supposing that Luke or Rey's mother were directly involved in the exchange.

Edited December 31, 2015 by phalczen

[BrianDavion]

one thing to keep in mind is that Plutt ISN'T a slaver. he's a jerk yes, but not a slaver, he just happens to have a monopoly on food in the area.

[SithKoriandr]

Sith Lord or on the run? I mean, naturally Anakin as Darth Vader would not want his children with his newly-annointed best friend turned mortal enemy. But, speaking hypothetically? He was best friends with Obi Wan and, as we saw in RotS and in Season 6 of TCW was close to Yoda as well. I don't think he would have objected to those two as guardians if Mustafar hadn't happened and Anakin had merely gone on the run/underground after assisting in the death of Windu, assuming Padme still died somehow. I mean, we have to make a lot of assumptions/crazy guesses about how things might have gone differently in RotS to put a light side Anakin in a position where he had to leave his children in foster care. But, assuming he was still good and still friends with Yoda and Obi Wan there is no reason to think he would have objected outright.

 

Now, when Padme suggests that they confide to Obi Wan about the pregnancy, he does say, "We don't need his help," or something along those lines. I don't think his statement translates into, "if Padme dies and I have to go underground into hiding, Obi Wan and Yoda and Owen Lars and Bail Organa are bad guardians." After all, he trusts Owen Lars his half brother enough to leave pregnant Padme with them while he goes on his search for the sandpeople that kidnapped Shmi, going as far as to call them "good people."

 

In any event, the foster parents chosen for Luke and Leia were clearly better choices than leaving Rey with a slaver, if we are supposing that Luke or Rey's mother were directly involved in the exchange.

 

For all we know, Rey was kidnapped and left with the guy (who as mentioned may not have been a slaver). Should also mention Owen wasn't a half brother, but rather a step brother.

[Zharik]

one thing to keep in mind is that Plutt ISN'T a slaver. he's a jerk yes, but not a slaver, he just happens to have a monopoly on food in the area.

 

So you're getting hung up on the title, even though after working all day in the hot desert yielded a "quarter portion" of food... Did you miss the part where she was noticing the old woman doing the SAME thing as she and she was wondering if that was her lifelong fate, when the alien thing (slave foreman) yelled at her to get back to work?

 

They were slaves, plain and simple. The fact that you won't call them as such is interesting and says something about you...

[SithKoriandr]

So you're getting hung up on the title, even though after working all day in the hot desert yielded a "quarter portion" of food... Did you miss the part where she was noticing the old woman doing the SAME thing as she and she was wondering if that was her lifelong fate, when the alien thing (slave foreman) yelled at her to get back to work?

 

They were slaves, plain and simple. The fact that you won't call them as such is interesting and says something about you...

 

Rey likely had the opportunity to leave the planet way before that time. Just like she did leave Jakku and she still wanted to go back.

 

A slave would never have the choice to leave. Rey always did, she just didn't want to, because she was waiting for a family to get her, that Maz told her, she knew was never happening.

[phalczen]

Rey likely had the opportunity to leave the planet way before that time. Just like she did leave Jakku and she still wanted to go back.

 

A slave would never have the choice to leave. Rey always did, she just didn't want to, because she was waiting for a family to get her, that Maz told her, she knew was never happening.

 

As far as we can tell from the movie, the only and first opportunity for Rey to leave is when she escapes in the Falcon. Maybe I'm making too many assumptions? I guess its possible she is staying because she is waiting for "them" (whomever they are) to come back for her. I realize that she insists on more than one occasion in the movie that she needs to go back [presumably in case whomever she's waiting for returns]. Those insistances, however, don't mean she was free to leave, or that if she did return she wouldn't have to work for (with?) Plutt again. (I never caught his name in the movie.)

 

Plutt is more than just a jerk. He drags her away as if she belongs to him. He may not be a slaver, but it is clear Rey is indentured to him from preschool age onward. Is your hypothesis that Plutt agreed to be her caregiver for Luke or Rey's mother, and he just happens to be a jerk, but as soon as she acquires a droid he's ready to kill her for the droid? Not buying that.* He may not be a slaver in that he is a distributor of slaves, but I don't think its a stretch to call him a slave owner. Watto and Cliegg Lars were a slave owners too, however briefly.

 

I don't buy the idea that Rey's mother willingly leaves her with that guy, and certainly not Luke, even if they did desire to hide her from the First Order, and believed she was better off away from them than with them. And honestly, given that the First Order is willing to destroy entire star systems just to prove a point, the First Order would not have let the offspring of a jedi (or jedi trainee, or friend of Skywalker) live. So, again, we're back to assuming that Luke was unaware he had fathered a child (not implausible) and Rey's mother left her with a more or less slave owner (much less plausible), just to be able to say that Rey is Luke's daughter.

 

And speaking of the Lars', I was always under the impression that Owen Lars was the biological offspring of Shmi and Cliegg, which would make him Anakin's half-brother not his step brother. Owen even says to Anakin in the film, "I guess that makes us brothers." Do we know for certain that Owen was born before Cliegg Lars bought, freed, and married Shmi?

 

*Although, its not completely without precedent in religion/mythology. In the Book of Exodus, Moses' mother places him in a basket and floats him down the river rather than risk him being killed by the Egyptians. I seem to remember Greek mythology having a similar story but I can't recall whom. So, that's the best a Jedi Padawan could do, considering that baby daddy is the grand master of the new Jedi Order in practice if not in name, leave her little girl (after raising her to about age five, by the look of it) on Jakku hoping she'll be found by someone? Not with the baby's aunt, a general in the New Republic?

 

I do realize all these questions are rhetorical, I know none of us knows the answer, I just like talking about it.

[Fleurdelis]

They were slaves, plain and simple. The fact that you won't call them as such is interesting and says something about you...

 

I have the audio book novelization of the movie. They go into more detail than the movie gives time for. In the scene where she is offered more food for the droid, the movie she thinks for a second and then says it is not for sale. In the book she counters the 60 portion offer with I want 100. He agrees and she changes her mind. He gets mad at her and she yells back at him that she is a FREE AND INDEPENDENT SCAVENGER. The other scavengers cheer for her.

 

She is not a slave. She stays on the planet waiting for her family to return. She mentions this several times in the film, to Finn, to Han.

[SithKoriandr]

As far as we can tell from the movie, the only and first opportunity for Rey to leave is when she escapes in the Falcon. Maybe I'm making too many assumptions? I guess its possible she is staying because she is waiting for "them" (whomever they are) to come back for her. I realize that she insists on more than one occasion in the movie that she needs to go back [presumably in case whomever she's waiting for returns]. Those insistances, however, don't mean she was free to leave, or that if she did return she wouldn't have to work for (with?) Plutt again. (I never caught his name in the movie.)

 

Plutt is more than just a jerk. He drags her away as if she belongs to him. He may not be a slaver, but it is clear Rey is indentured to him from preschool age onward. Is your hypothesis that Plutt agreed to be her caregiver for Luke or Rey's mother, and he just happens to be a jerk, but as soon as she acquires a droid he's ready to kill her for the droid? Not buying that.* He may not be a slaver in that he is a distributor of slaves, but I don't think its a stretch to call him a slave owner. Watto and Cliegg Lars were a slave owners too, however briefly.

 

I don't buy the idea that Rey's mother willingly leaves her with that guy, and certainly not Luke, even if they did desire to hide her from the First Order, and believed she was better off away from them than with them. And honestly, given that the First Order is willing to destroy entire star systems just to prove a point, the First Order would not have let the offspring of a jedi (or jedi trainee, or friend of Skywalker) live. So, again, we're back to assuming that Luke was unaware he had fathered a child (not implausible) and Rey's mother left her with a more or less slave owner (much less plausible), just to be able to say that Rey is Luke's daughter.

 

And speaking of the Lars', I was always under the impression that Owen Lars was the biological offspring of Shmi and Cliegg, which would make him Anakin's half-brother not his step brother. Owen even says to Anakin in the film, "I guess that makes us brothers." Do we know for certain that Owen was born before Cliegg Lars bought, freed, and married Shmi?

 

*Although, its not completely without precedent in religion/mythology. In the Book of Exodus, Moses' mother places him in a basket and floats him down the river rather than risk him being killed by the Egyptians. I seem to remember Greek mythology having a similar story but I can't recall whom. So, that's the best a Jedi Padawan could do, considering that baby daddy is the grand master of the new Jedi Order in practice if not in name, leave her little girl (after raising her to about age five, by the look of it) on Jakku hoping she'll be found by someone? Not with the baby's aunt, a general in the New Republic?

 

I do realize all these questions are rhetorical, I know none of us knows the answer, I just like talking about it.

 

My thought is, neither Luke (likely didn't know of Rey) or the mother, purposely left Rey there. What could have happened, was Luke was with someone, Ben betrayed the new Jedi, which caused Luke to get depressed, which lead to the break of Luke and Rey's mother (maybe she didn't even know she was pregnant yet).

 

Something happened to the mother and Rey got left behind not knowing what, but thinking her mother would be back for her or that her father would come looking for her.

 

Now, the reason I don't think she was a slave is because a slave wouldn't have gotten the choice in turning over the droid. They're a slave and it could have just been demanded of them.

[bullvi]

i enjoyed reading this thread and some of the theorys are great. cant wait to episode 8 to find out more though i am waiting for the novel to be delivered so can have a good read.

 

i tend to lean to the common idea that she is indeed luke daughter, without more knowledge on teh backstory its hard to guess at how she was at jakku but i tend to think she was as a youngster at lukes academy trainging as a literal youngster.

 

i think snoke turned ben to the darkside when luke left the academy , after all as the only proven jedi surely in special missions or big republic meetings etc he would have to go away for short spells, im assuming at the academy there would of been many non jedi teachers teaching normal starwars galaxy subjects like tech,droids and everyday lessons as well.

 

i think snoke turned ben while luke was away and the knights of ren attacked then and only 2 escaped the massacre rey was taken away by the old chap at the start sorry cant remember his name and met with luke after the escape as he was a old rebel freind trusted to luke, after the horror of the attack reys force went into 'sleep' waiting to be be awakened.

thats why old man was on the planet near rey waiting for her sign of her awakening so he could give her the map so she could travel to luke to complete her training, kylo knew who she was but thought she was dead. she had a hardworking normal upbringing like luke so she would be able to resist the darkside.

overall reys force powers are strong indeed and no doubt shes the next saberstaff as she handles her staff well in the village so cant wait for next movie already to see how it all plays out

[phalczen]

i think snoke turned ben while luke was away and the knights of ren attacked then and only 2 escaped the massacre rey was taken away by the old chap at the start sorry cant remember his name and met with luke after the escape as he was a old rebel freind trusted to luke, after the horror of the attack reys force went into 'sleep' waiting to be be awakened.

thats why old man was on the planet near rey waiting for her sign of her awakening so he could give her the map so she could travel to luke to complete her training, kylo knew who she was but thought she was dead. she had a hardworking normal upbringing like luke so she would be able to resist the darkside.

 

Had to check the wiki, its Lor San Tekka (Max von Sydow). I don't know why he refers to Leia as always being royalty in his eyes, as if he was a native Alderaanian, since its not mentioned in his Wiki entry.

 

Anyway, I like your theory of how the man with the map to Luke Skywalker also happens to be on the same planet as a person strong in the force and with a close psychic connection to Anakin's lightsaber. Though, if Luke or Rey's mother specifically chose Lor San Tekka to be Rey's guardian analogous to how Obi Wan was Luke's guardian (but left him in the care of Lars Owen, his only family), there had to have been a better place than with Plutt. And, your theory does not require Rey to be Luke's daughter and would be compatible with her being conceived directly by the midichlorians or Anakin re-incarnated.

 

EDIT: although if she was even just starting as a youngling in Luke's new academy, she wouldn't think that "Luke Skywalker" and the Jedi and the Force were myths, like she claims later in the Falcon when talking to Solo. So for her to truly be so ignorant of the force and yet so strong, speaks to never having been exposed to the jedi at all.

Edited January 3, 2016 by phalczen

[mynxvablid]

There was something I thought I saw in the fight between Rey and Ren that no one else seems to mention. Or I am just missing them mentioning it. When Rey has her moment before she beats him down, the moment of clarity or what have you. I swear her eyes changed and they matched his. It felt like she just reached in his mind and took his training or learned it.

 

I got it as part of bit where he reached in her mind before and she turned it back on him. Part of me is still hoping they are twins. I doubt it for timing and other reasons but damn it would add a lot to what is going on between them.

 

one thing I thought of comes from the book, Splinter of the Mind's Eye. In the book, Luke faces Vader while in proximity of the Kyber crystal. Obi Wan's spirit was able to inhabit Luke for a short time, allowing Obi Wan to use Luke's younger body to fight and defeat Vader.

 

Now, in the movie, when Rey touches the saber, she has a flashback to Cloud City. What if during the duel with Kylo Ren, she wasn't using Battle Meditation but was channeling Anakin Skywalker's spirit? If you notice, she uses many of the same moves after that moment as Anakin did against Obi Wan on Mustafar.

[Isnogut]

Now, in the movie, when Rey touches the saber, she has a flashback to Cloud City. What if during the duel with Kylo Ren, she wasn't using Battle Meditation but was channeling Anakin Skywalker's spirit? If you notice, she uses many of the same moves after that moment as Anakin did against Obi Wan on Mustafar.

Quite hard to beive. Keep in mind all Lightswordtechniques are based on the possibility of the fighter to tap into the force. So, automatically some movements and reactions are similar to a trained or no trained wielder, since they come throught the force.

 

Just giving you a RL example. A trained swordsman ist dueling a untrained enemy. The duelist strikes a blow from up to down. What ist the reflex of the untrained one? Hieve his sword vertically over his head to defend himself. <- Exactly the same reactions are coming from the force. All those unnatural moves were only added into the swordstyles.

 

Since Anakin became during the Clone Wars a master in several lightsword fightingstyles he naturally shows those reactions by the foce anyway. Rey is not trained as a swordfighter, but taping into the force her reflexes are similar at some point. Thatfore it doesn't have to be the "channeling anybodys forcespirit" to move like that for a force adept. And by the way, at this point Rey has more in common to a sister of Darthomyr than to a Jedi, since the Sisters tap into the force more "naturally" but Jedi/Sith tap into the force trained to do special things. It's kind a same like the diference between a warlock and a mage.