STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER Director J.J. Abrams Addresses Rey's Parentage - SPOILERS

In a new interview, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker director J.J. Abrams weighs in on that big Rey reveal and why he decided that would be a good choice for the character's story arc. Check it out...

By JoshWilding - Dec 23, 2019 03:12 PM EST

Filed Under: Star Wars

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker reveals that Rey is actually the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine and that the villain sent men to kill her when she was a child to ensure she could never become more powerful than him. It's an out of the blue reveal, especially as Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi claimed that she was the daughter of "filthy junk traders."

Now, director J.J. Abrams has shed shed some light on why he decided to reveal that the orphan is actually Rey Palpatine. "One of the themes of the movie is that anyone can be anything regardless of where you're from," the filmmaker explains. "I don't know if it resonates for everyone," he continues. "I think there are quite a few people who appreciate that idea of not coming from a place that you're particularly excited about or proud of."

As for why he essentially undid Johnson's reveal of Rey being "no one," Abrams added: "Though I completely understand 'you're nobody' is a devastating thing, to me the more painful, the more shocking thing was 'you're from the worst possible place.' And is your destiny, is that thing that you feel, that you know is part of you, somehow, that you're haunted by, is that your destiny? The idea that choices -- there are things more powerful than blood, as Luke says. That feeling was an important thing to convey for us."

What did you guys make of this reveal? Did it work or feel forced to you after what we previously learned about Rey? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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191 Comments

1 2 3 4 5

Inktown03 - 12/23/2019, 3:15 PM

Star Wars: You’re parents were nobodies/You’re Palpatines granddaughter

Vanillain - 12/23/2019, 4:06 PM

@Inktown03 - TROS was so full of cringey fanservice I was surprised they didn't write in:

"Rey, I am your grandfather."

I don't put it past them and I still would have lost it.

CurlyBill - 12/23/2019, 3:32 PM

I would have been fine with Rey being a nobody in the LJ if the Force Awakens hadn't already set up that she was special and from an established family. I originally wanted her to be a clone of Palpatine or an avatar of the Force, so I liked the reveal that she was Palpatines granddaughter. I think it fits nice that you had someone (Ben) from a lightside family be the antagonist for most of the trilogy and the Protagonist (Rey) be from a family with Darkside connections. It's like poetry it rhymes....

IronGenesis - 12/23/2019, 3:36 PM

Star Wars has so much juice left.

Just need a NEW story.

Repian - 12/23/2019, 5:33 PM

@IronGenesis - The Jedis and the Lightsaber need rest. The force has to continue being important in Star Wars, although it has to take other forms. In another galaxy, everything has to be different.

MUTO123 - 12/23/2019, 3:43 PM

NotoriousWolf23 - 12/23/2019, 3:45 PM

@MUTO123 - lol

1 2 3 4 5

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER Director J.J. Abrams Addresses Rey's Parentage - SPOILERS

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