Sell me on Rey Random

[godisawesome]

This thread was inspired by a Matt Stover interview where he apparently expressed more interest in Rey being a “Random” or a “Nobody.”

See, I’ve generally always thought that was a shallow perspective based off more of an obstinate refusal of something more predictable, even if it was more substantial and dramatic answer. To *me*, Rey Skywalker or Solo was the only creative yet practical answer for an escapist story that’s supposed to bring people joy. And it seems an awful lot like the original female lead was a Skywalker or Solo under Lucas and Arndt, then became a mystery box that Abrams introduced and that Johnson could choose from, before TROS went with the Palpatine/“Skywalker” answer.

Like, I know I'm going to be obstinate, and this is a highly subjective bit of speculation/storytelling. But I’m curious how some of you guys who liked TLJ think it could have been resonant and rewarding for the end of a 9-film story.

So, to make things simpler, here’s the issues that occurred to me when I read Colin Trevorrow’s Duel of the Fate’s script, since it’s actually known to have kept “Rey Random” for her story:

- How important do you consider the Skywalkers getting a “happy ending” is? To me, this is something that was always huge; better to leave ROTJ as the end of the family story than resurrect it just so Kylo can be a blight on his house, than die.

- How important is it that Rey outshine and overshadow Kylo, since that’s a definite risk of leaving him the only Skywalker? This is highly subjective, but I tend to think TLJ, the DOTF script, and TROS all still show that the audience *and* LFL is naturally more drawn to Kylo than is helpful to Rey; I mean, it’s already accepted as “fact” Kylo should overshadow Finn by those stories...

- Does it actually add something to the mythos, seriously? I think I understand the idea in principal, that proving Star Wars is larger than the Skywalkers... but that also feels like a serious “no duh” bit of redundancy, an unneeded point of emphasis that feels more like spite than conviction; why burn an the family to the ground, if they aren’t holding the story back?

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I think Rey finding out she's a Skywalker or Palpatine as a twist would feel uninspired. Which is how I felt in episode 9.

It could work but it shouldn't be a twist for Rey. She should already have that knowledge when the series starts.

If she tells Finn she's a Skywalker or is reluctant to reveal she's Palpatine's granddaughter that's a better way to handle it.

The first time I watched the Original Trilogy I was in high school. So I don't have the nostalgia for it that other fans do. Rehashing it wouldn't appeal to me longterm.

[thwhtGuardian]

I wanted her to be just some random person who happens to be force sensitive as her secretly being some prior established daughter/whatever relation just feels like bad fan fiction and that's the opposite of what I want from Star Wars.

[CosmiComic]

Yeah, I felt Rey being no one worked. She didn't need to be connected to anyone else.

[Immortal Weapon]

Rey being connected to a established characters makes the universe feel small. In a series that treats planets like they are a random town to focus so much on a small group of characters to do anything important is creatively bankrupt and narrow.

[godisawesome]

I get that, I get all of it, I really do!

...But I also don’t think any of those complaints counter the problem posed by Rey Random afterwards - Kylo Ren’s legacy connection making both audiences and creators become more enamored with him over Rey, and damning the Skywalkers to a crappy-ass ending.

And I’m sorry, but I feel like the “predictable,” “fan fiction,” “small universe complaints are so small as to be negligible when contrasted with “The family story ends with a cancerous.ly pathetic character getting them all killed, or being made the main character.

And to be blunt... I really do think a lot fo those complaints are biased and a bit hypocritical, because they’re not followed through on regarding Kylo - who’s just as much a small-universe, fan-fiction-y concept as Rey Skywalker would be, but still got to take over the entire damn time period - or on Finn - who no one ever pretended would have an important legacy, but also never really get praised for it even as half the fanbase tries to pretend her wasn’t denigrated and demeaned by TLJ for Kylo’s sake.

I genuinely think that if you find Rey Random a great idea, than you should kind of be pissed at Kylo Ren on both a conception and execution level.

And if you aren’t... then I kind of think you’re conviction isn’t actually all that strong.

[FredH]

My view has evolved a bit since I first saw TROS, but basically:

- How important do you consider the Skywalkers getting a “happy ending” is?
Depends how you mean. It's more important to me that they have a "solid" ending -- an ending that went somewhere and said something. And although I would have done it differently, I do think this mostly happened in the ST; they might not be the fates I'd have wanted for them, but they are all fates that mattered and pushed the story forward at important moments. (And honestly, as an older guy I appreciated the acknowledgment that often enough in life, you don't t stay together with your closest friends forever, even if you all wish otherwise.)



- How important is it that Rey outshine and overshadow Kylo, since thatÂ’s a definite risk of leaving him the only Skywalker?
That's essential. If Rey doesn't overshadow Kylo in the end, he wins, rocks fall (dropped from orbit), everybody dies -- and Rey doesn't become the aspirational figure that the story is all about her becoming.

- Does it actually add something to the mythos, seriously?
Certainly: the Skywalker legend ends (actually, it probably doesn't, once Rey takes the name), but what it fought for is triumphant. (The bloodline ends, but who cares? It came out of the Force, now it goes back to it, its mission accomplished.)

I actually thought this thread would be about Nobody Rey vs Palpatine Rey. Initially I much preferred that Rey have a completely non-mythic background, because that was saying that heroes don't have to come from special backgrounds. But it's occurred to me that as it stands, the ST taken as a whole says with Rey's arc that not only do you not need a special background, but even a background of horror and evil can be walked away from and left behind. Both. That works pretty well for me.

[CosmiComic]

My view has evolved a bit since I first saw TROS, but basically:

- How important do you consider the Skywalkers getting a “happy ending” is?
Depends how you mean. It's more important to me that they have a "solid" ending -- an ending that went somewhere and said something. And although I would have done it differently, I do think this mostly happened in the ST; they might not be the fates I'd have wanted for them, but they are all fates that mattered and pushed the story forward at important moments. (And honestly, as an older guy I appreciated the acknowledgment that often enough in life, you don't t stay together with your closest friends forever, even if you all wish otherwise.)



- How important is it that Rey outshine and overshadow Kylo, since thatÂ’s a definite risk of leaving him the only Skywalker?
That's essential. If Rey doesn't overshadow Kylo in the end, he wins, rocks fall (dropped from orbit), everybody dies -- and Rey doesn't become the aspirational figure that the story is all about her becoming.

- Does it actually add something to the mythos, seriously?
Certainly: the Skywalker legend ends (actually, it probably doesn't, once Rey takes the name), but what it fought for is triumphant. (The bloodline ends, but who cares? It came out of the Force, now it goes back to it, its mission accomplished.)

I actually thought this thread would be about Nobody Rey vs Palpatine Rey. Initially I much preferred that Rey have a completely non-mythic background, because that was saying that heroes don't have to come from special backgrounds. But it's occurred to me that as it stands, the ST taken as a whole says with Rey's arc that not only do you not need a special background, but even a background of horror and evil can be walked away from and left behind. Both. That works pretty well for me.

I think that last message is a good message, but the journey to that in the ST was confusing and inadequate.

[MASTER-OF-SUPRISE]

There's actually a deleted scene where Luke pulls a prank on her as the "Third lesson" and Rey kind of gets huffy and Luke seems partially taken aback and ashamed. Worth noting that given the placement the scene would've have, after that point, he opens himself to the force again to reach out to Leia, and also there's his confrontation with Rey where he uses some of that too (Also perhaps leaving an opening for Yoda to "find" him again?)

I know the scene you're talking about. I can kind of understand why it was cut. However Rey calling him out is one part of it I did like.

My view has evolved a bit since I first saw TROS, but basically:

- How important do you consider the Skywalkers getting a “happy ending” is?
Depends how you mean. It's more important to me that they have a "solid" ending -- an ending that went somewhere and said something. And although I would have done it differently, I do think this mostly happened in the ST; they might not be the fates I'd have wanted for them, but they are all fates that mattered and pushed the story forward at important moments. (And honestly, as an older guy I appreciated the acknowledgment that often enough in life, you don't t stay together with your closest friends forever, even if you all wish otherwise.)



- How important is it that Rey outshine and overshadow Kylo, since thatÂ’s a definite risk of leaving him the only Skywalker?
That's essential. If Rey doesn't overshadow Kylo in the end, he wins, rocks fall (dropped from orbit), everybody dies -- and Rey doesn't become the aspirational figure that the story is all about her becoming.

- Does it actually add something to the mythos, seriously?
Certainly: the Skywalker legend ends (actually, it probably doesn't, once Rey takes the name), but what it fought for is triumphant. (The bloodline ends, but who cares? It came out of the Force, now it goes back to it, its mission accomplished.)

I actually thought this thread would be about Nobody Rey vs Palpatine Rey. Initially I much preferred that Rey have a completely non-mythic background, because that was saying that heroes don't have to come from special backgrounds. But it's occurred to me that as it stands, the ST taken as a whole says with Rey's arc that not only do you not need a special background, but even a background of horror and evil can be walked away from and left behind. Both. That works pretty well for me.

I never felt there was a need too say you didn't need too come from somewhere special. That message in the sequel trilogy felt redundant IMO. IMO the fates of the Skywalkers really didn't add anything. I kind of knew Luke wasn't going too make it out. Though it did happen a movie early. However I don't feel the sad fates added anything worthwhile too the story and just seemed too repeat Kylo's mantra of "Let the past die. Kill it if you have too."

Honestly the force, the Jedi and the civil war in the OT were really just backdrops too the Skywalker story. So if the ending of that story is unsatsifactory too you. You're not going too enjoy the ST. I feel like the sequel trilogy was trying to fix something that wasn't broke. In hindsight I think it would have been much better if the Sequel a Trilogy had nothing too do with the Skywalker story. Just start a new story with a blank slate.