One of the questions that emerged soon after Disney’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens hit theaters was related to the lead character. Rey is the obvious hero of the new Star Wars, a brave woman ready to take on any challenge. If you’ve seen J.J. Abrams’s new movie, then you’re surely wondering who Rey is and who her parents are. If you haven’t seen it, you only know she’s a scavenger on planet Jukku, ready to embark on a fantastic adventure.
Before we proceed with a new fan theory that might explain who Rey is, you should know there are going to be major spoilers in this article, so don’t move forward if you haven’t yet seen The Force Awakens.
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A few days ago, a Star Wars fan explained that Rey might be either Luke or Leia’s daughter, given the way she handles the Force immediately after learning that she can actually wield it, with a preference for the latter. According to that theory, Rey and Kylo Ren might be brother and sister, children of Leia and Han Solo, in line with plot lines from the novels.
But a different theory, detailed in HelloGiggles, suggests that Rey is the daughter of Luke and a woman who may be Obi-Wan’s daughter, a character we’ve never met. Or that Rey is somehow related to Obi-Wan.
There is some sound logic to back up this theory.
First of all, in Rey’s revealing hallucination, it’s Ewan McGregor’s voice that reaches out to her from beyond. McGregor played the young version of Obi-Wan in the second Star Wars trilogy. His voice apparently replaced the voice of James Arnold Taylor, the actor who played Obi-Wan in various Star Wars projects including the Clone Wars micro-series.
“Yes, it was me originally [saying ‘Rey’] but they replaced my version with Ewan. I guess if I’m gonna be replaced it should be him!” Taylor said on Twitter.
Why would Obi-Wan talk to Rey? The two never met, so what’s the connection between them? HelloGiggles explains that Rey’s personality, upbringing and fighting style all parallel Obi-Wan’s.
“[She] battles defensively and ‘moves her lightsaber just like Obi-Wan did with it extended out straight in front of her and moving it in a circular pattern,’” the site says, quoting a fan of the saga. “Rey’s behaviors aboard the Starkiller Base – scaling walls, sneaking around – also parallel those of Obi-Wan aboard the base’s predecessor, the Death Star.”
Furthermore, Abrams allowed Daisy Ridley to keep her English accent while playing Rey. But John Boyega (Finn in the movie) had to speak with an American accent. This is a second indication that she might be related to Obi-Wan, who also had a British accent in the movie.
Is Rey the granddaughter of Obi-Wan? Is she also Luke’s daughter? We’ll find out the answers to these questions in Episode VIII come May 2017, but this particular DNA combination might explain Rey’s excellent use of the Force – she picks up Jedi tricks almost immediately, reminding us of Luke’s and Anakin’s powers.
UPDATE: A previous version of this article wrongly said James Arnold Taylor played Obi-Wan in the original series when in fact Sir Alec Guinness played Obi-Wan in the first trilogy.
