Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’sdecision to reveal thatRey Skywalkeris a descendant of Emperor Palpatine is arguably one of the most controversial choices in all ofStar Wars, but, five years afterThe Rise of Skywalkerwas released, I don’t hate it.The Rise of Skywalkerwas admittedly a bit of a narrative disaster. After the sequel trilogy changed hands three times, the overarching story was simply too disorganized to completely work.
The creative minds behindThe Rise of Skywalkerseemingly believed the solution was resurrecting Palpatine, but that backfired, in light of the intense backlash to this choice. The decision for Rey to first be revealed to be a Palpatine by blood and then choose the Skywalker last name for herself only made matters worse. There are now arguments on both sides, with the camp that believes Rey doesn’t deserve the Skywalker name among the loudest.I have no issue with Rey being a Skywalker, but I’ve come to appreciate “Rey Palpatine” in recent years as well.
“Rey Palpatine” Reinforces Star Wars' Original Message
Rey “Nobody” Would Have Been Better, But Rey Palpatine Still Works
Admittedly,my preference would have been the sequels remaining committed to the reveal inStar Wars: The Last Jedithat Rey was a ‘nobody,‘whose parents weren’t exceptional people with ties to the Jedi, the Sith, orthe Skywalker family tree. It was more than time forStar Warsto move away from the tired narrative that somehow every major character has a link to the Skywalkers. This ‘nobody’ reveal felt genuinely refreshing, which is what the sequels really needed.
Most importantly, the idea that she was"Rey from nowhere,“as Luke said, was the perfect reminder ofStar Wars’original message:that heroes (and villains) can come from anywhere. InA New Hope, Luke at first seemed like a relative no one himself—just a farm boy from Tatooine who had dreams of a bigger, more significant life. Of course,Star Warsmovies and TV showshave since revealed that Luke was the descendant of some of the most significant figures in the galaxy. Rey, in that sense, felt likeStar Warsmaking good on a decades-old promise.
The idea that she was"Rey from nowhere,“as Luke said, was the perfect reminder ofStar Wars’original message.
There’s no denying that the Palpatine twist undermined this to a large degree. Rather than Rey following in Luke’s footsteps, her ‘nobody’ background had finally provided the story arc that the original trilogy seems to have abandoned along the way. Instead, Rey became a figure whose path nearly exactly mirrored Luke’s.
If I can’t have the Rey Nobody storyline—a fact which I’m still not entirely over—Rey Palpatine is an acceptable consolation prize.Rey being ‘a Palpatine’ still reinforces that originalStar Warsmessage, perhaps even more so. That is, while Rey being a nobody proved that heroes can come from anywhere, Rey being a direct descendant of one ofStar Wars’most powerful Sithand most notorious villains and still choosing the light side of the Force is some of the best proof that in this galaxy, anybody, no matter their origins, can become a hero.
Rey Skywalker’s Next Star Wars Story Needs To Learn This Vital Lesson From Rogue One
With Rey Skywalker’s return to Star Wars all but guaranteed, the franchise should use Jyn Erso’s Rogue One story as a blueprint for Rey’s future.
Rey Being “A Palpatine” Doesn’t Negate Her Being A Skywalker
Rey’s Origins And Identity Can (And Arguably Should) Be Complicated
Importantly,I am not trying to feed into the narrative that Rey isn’t really a Skywalker and/or doesn’t deserve to be a Skywalker. I have absolutely no issue whatsoever with Rey being a Skywalker, and, canonically, Rey Skywalker is her name.Star Warshas a long history of characters either choosing their own names, as is technically the case for Han Solo, or deciding on the name they want (or don’t want) in light of their complex family history, such as with Leia Organa.
My perspective on Rey being a Palpatine is entirely separate from the discourse surrounding Rey’s right to the Skywalker name, especially becauseRey acknowledging her Palpatine origins in no way prevents her from being a Skywalker. Just as Leia is a Skywalker by blood but"an Organa in every way,“as Bail Organa said inObi-Wan Kenobi, Rey can be both a Palpatine by blood and a Skywalker in every way that matters. Even so, this suggests that Rey’s Palpatine bloodline is still important, which I believe to be the case.
My perspective on Rey being a Palpatine is entirely separate from the discourse surrounding Rey’s right to the Skywalker name.
Rey’s Adoption Of The Name Skywalker Honored Anakin, And Her Palpatine Origins Were Part Of That
Rey choosing the last name Skywalker was actuallyperfect payback for Anakin Skywalkerand a wonderful way to honor the Skywalker family, and that’s true specifically because of her relation to Palpatine. When Rey realized she was a Palpatine, she had perhaps the greatest dark side temptation of anyone inStar Wars. It’s unlikely Palpatine would really have let Rey become the next leader of the Sith, as he only wanted to take her power for himself, butRey, in theory, could have chosen to turn to the dark side and become Empress of the Sith and, presumably, the galaxy.
There has arguably been no greater dark side temptation than this one inStar Wars, as a fall to the dark side would typically mean becoming a Sith apprentice under a more powerful Sith master. Instead, Palpatine was offering Rey a seat on the very throne of the galaxy. Not only did Rey turn down this opportunity for immense power and authority, but she also did so by rejecting her Palpatine name and bloodline and instead choosing to be a Skywalker.
Palpatine was offering Rey a seat on the very throne of the galaxy.
What makes this moment particularly meaningful—and payback for Anakin Skywalker—is that Rey effectively gave the Skywalkers the last word in this generations-long battle. Since the prequel trilogy (in timeline order), Palpatine had tried to manipulate, control, and destroy the Skywalkers, and he’d come incredibly close.By choosing to do away with her Palpatine name, Rey ensured Palpatine’s line and legacy were dead. Even better, in place of that, Rey guaranteed the Skywalker name would live on.
Like Kylo Ren, Rey Cannot Deny The Truth That Is Her Family
Lor San Tekka Was Right—And That’s Not An Insult, It’s A Good Thing
There’s another element to this too, which is thatRey cannot and should not simply ignore her origins, however difficult and complicated they may be. As Lor San Tekka rightly said about Kylo Ren inStar Wars: The Force Awakens, Rey cannot deny the truth that is her family. That doesn’t mean that Rey has to let her Palpatine bloodline define her, or that she cannot be a Skywalker. On the contrary, it means that, even as Rey comes into her own as a Skywalker, she should not entirely suppress or ignore where she comes from.
Beyond Palpatine, this also means her parents. Dathan and Miramir loved Rey, and they were good people. They sacrificed everything to make sure their daughter was safe and to escape Palpatine and his insidious plans. Their memory and legacy should also be honored, and in order to do that, Rey’s Palpatine connection must be at least part of her identity. WhileRey Skywalker’sidentity inStar Warsmay remain controversial, I have come to believe that there’s some value in Rey being “a Palpatine.”
