Star Wars Fan Theory: What is Rey’s origin?

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

So the new THE LAST JEDI trailer just came out, and it was pretty goddamn epic. However, with two months left to go until release, there’s still plenty of time to speculate! And one of the most talked about theories is just who Rey’s parents are, as well as where did she really come from? Sure, THE FORCE AWAKENS gave some tantalizing details as to her origins, but nothing concrete. Hell, there’s a possibility THE LAST JEDI will keep that reveal for EPISODE IX as well. But, come on, it’s still fun to guess! I mean, besides porn and cat memes, speculating on STAR WARS sequels was what the internet was made for!

So, to get them out of the way, there are a ton of theories that say Rey is the daughter of various characters in the original trilogy. These theories range from the obvious like Luke or Leia, to Obi-Wan Kenobi and even Emperor Palpatine. However, I’ve also seen theories that say she’s the daughter of everyone from Mace Windu, Boba Fett, to fucking Jabba the Hutt. I mean most of these don’t make sense just based on the timeline alone, but some don’t because of the wrong species. Unless she has a worm tail she’s hiding or something…

Now, I don’t think she’s actually the daughter of anyone from the OT, and honestly I hope she isn’t. For one, it just seems too obvious. I’m not saying everything has to be a twist or some shit, but there’s a limit to how much we can repeat the same beats from the originals. And, secondly, how do you justify leaving her alone to fend for herself on a desert planet? I mean, I’m sure you could find a way, but even Luke had his Uncle Owen to look after him. Furthermore, what do you gain by that reveal? With Luke, besides the movie having to spend time justifying why he’s a dead-beat absentee father, it doesn’t really add anything significant to their dynamic. We already see him being hesitant and there being drama between them in their mentor/student relationship – to add daddy issues seems like it would just be superfluous, as well as shoehorned in. Same thing if Leia and Han are her parents – and it would make them especially shitty because in that case they still decided to raise Kylo Ren as their own. And the less said about Obi-Wan, the better (it’s pretty much impossible based on the timeline alone…unless Obi-Wan can impregnate via ghost sex), but even if we’re going the grandfather and not father route with him, that just seems even more unnecessarily convoluted. Honestly I’d prefer ghost sex over that.

Another theory that’s floating around, that I find more intriguing, is one where Rey is actually a clone of Anakin Skywalker, and Snoke is pulling a BOYS FROM BRAZIL plot to get her to become Darth Vader and finally crush the Resistance. This one could be a cool origin, as it would retroactively make EPISODE VII good – or at least better. See, while I love the characters of Rey, Finn, and Poe, I pretty much hated THE FORCE AWAKENS for its slavish adherence to A NEW HOPE, right down to another lone dreamer on Tatooine (or, sorry, “Jakku”), a plot facilitated by a cute robot with secret information, and even had the gall to end with a goddamn Death Star (excuse me, “Starkiller Base”) run. But – if this is indeed Rey’s origin – then the fact that her situation is so similar to Anakin’s would actually make sense, rather than just lazy, unoriginal screenwriting. Not only that, but the fact that Kylo Ren is trying so hard to be Darth Vader, but can’t do it, while his rival Rey – for all intents and purposes – is Darth Vader, would be a potentially interesting dynamic between the two.

But, to be fair, there are way too many holes to that plot. For one, Rey’s life isn’t really one-to-one with Anakin’s (for one, Anakin had a mother, and in BOYS FROM BRAZIL, the villain made a point of making sure the Hitler clones had similar home lives to the original). Secondly, while this theory accounts for her living on a desert planet as ostensibly a slave, and the fact she doesn’t remember her past (because she’s a clone), it doesn’t really account for all the other coincidences and inconsistencies that Snoke wouldn’t be able to control. Furthermore, Vader was a Sith, and Snoke is not. So…while interesting and kind of cool, I’m pretty sure this isn’t Rey’s origin.

So, who do I think Rey’s parents are? Well, I think they are…*drum roll please* COMPLETE RANDOS! Yes, you read that right. Just random people that we haven’t seen before, and who don’t really have a bearing on the plot save birthing this trilogy’s main character.

Now, I guess I should clarify that I don’t think they’re complete randos. My theory is that her parents were two Jedi training under Luke, who perished alongside the rest of Luke's students when Kylo Ren and the other Knights of Ren destroyed the New Jedi Order. Then, before they died, they found a way to get Rey safe to a secluded planet before the Knights of Ren killed her too. The timeline is kind of wonky, but if we assume Kylo has five-to-ten years on Rey (which is possible), then he could’ve staged this coup in his late-teens/early-twenties, while Rey was still a little girl (she seemed to be about twelve or thirteen in THE FORCE AWAKENS flashback). Which, speaking of the flashback, that did look like she was escaping a crumbling temple, huh?

See, what I like about this version, is it is explicitly telling us: anyone can be a Jedi, or – if Luke is indeed the “last Jedi” – a Force-using hero. You don’t need fancy blood, or some sort of divine right. You can come from anywhere. Sure, in this theory her parents were Force-users too, but they don’t have to be. The point is, Rey should be able to stand on her own without having to be propped up as someone’s daughter or granddaughter, or the clone of an original character. We already have a legacy with Kylo Ren – let Rey be something more!