The Rise of Skywalker Daisy Ridley as Rey (IX)

[MagnarTheGreat]

Would the PT and OT have been better with Anakin Nobody/No Relatives and Luke Nobody/No Relatives? Of course not. There'd be way the hell less story. So I understand why they did, but they did it way too late and bringing a dead character back to life from 1983 was far from the best way either.

 

[Brother Jack]

Would the PT and OT have been better with Anakin Nobody/No Relatives and Luke Nobody/No Relatives? Of course not. There'd be way the hell less story. So I understand why they did, but they did it way too late and bringing a dead character back to life from 1983 was far from the best way either.

Rey is not Anakin or Luke. Rey Random set her apart from those other protagonists and, ironically, gave her more of her own unique identity. Tying her to Palpatine (or Kenobi or Skywalker for that matter) took away from that, rather than add to the character.

 

[godisawesome]

Rey is not Anakin or Luke. Rey Random set her apart from those other protagonists and, ironically, gave her more of her own unique identity. Tying her to Palpatine (or Kenobi or Skywalker for that matter) took away from that, rather than add to the character.

Then it has to be held that not only is Kylo not Anakin or Luke, but he can’t be mistaken for them even for another (pointless) head-fake, you have to face the fact you’ve screwed over the family story with him, and you can’t kick Rey to the side of her own damn story for the sake of Luke and Kylo instead.

Not to mention that you can’t try and sell a two-dimensional and played-straight archetype as a unique character - what Rey might have supposedly gained in “originality” she lost in personality when TLJ marked her a plain, vanilla “Chosen One” archetype so spineless she can’t even hold a grudge.

TLJ was not writing Rey as having an identity - it was presenting Rey as a theory, one which it studiously ignored when it came to the male lead(s).

Like, I can’t respect a pro-Rey Random opinion unless it comes with a Finn Got Hosed In TLJ complaint, and I view it as singularly incompatible with any Man, Kylo Sure Is A Sympathetic Lead.

TLJ being hypocritical is bad enough on its own.

 

[Herolee10]

Aside from her forced (no pun intended) connection/lineage with Palpatine, my biggest issue with Rey's character is how the producers never allowed her to stand on her own accolades.

Was it really necessary for Rey to be given the following?

- Anakin's and Luke's lightsaber.

- Luke's X-Wing.

- Rey being the one to defeat Palpatine, thus making Anakin's sacrifice feel insignificant.

- The Skywalker family name.

By the end of the sage, nothing that Rey has really feels earned.

 

[emc5466]

Rey is a boring character.

 

[henzINNIT]

Rey is not Anakin or Luke. Rey Random set her apart from those other protagonists and, ironically, gave her more of her own unique identity. Tying her to Palpatine (or Kenobi or Skywalker for that matter) took away from that, rather than add to the character.

Agreed. Luke/Anakin/Rey don't exist in a vacuum. We've done the son of dark royalty, we've done the boy of prophecy, there was no fertile ground in giving Rey a familiar surname. It worked for Luke because his sworn enemy was also his dad. Rey being a Kenobi doesn't work the same way.

Also, Rey wanted that significance. A big reveal would explain her miserable life prior to this. That is why the truth that she is the daughter of uncaring drunks is so devastating. And the correct choice.

[She's also fighting an entitled fallen prince so the opposition should be like, the opposite.]

 

[Fincher]

Isn't her being a Palpatine the opposite? He falls from a noble legacy, she rises from a corrupt one.

 

[Bobber]

Isn't her being a Palpatine the opposite? He falls from a noble legacy, she rises from a corrupt one.

It's the same as Luke, when you look at it without the prequels in mind.

 

[TheVileOne]

One thing I do want to say about Rey, and I think you can make fair criticisms about her character, however, what about the Child?

I think it is a little unfair that the Child avoided a lot of the criticisms that were put forth on Rey.

Specifically, The Child is strong in the Force and knows how to use its powers without any formal training. It already knows how to instinctually use Force heal without ever being taught. Yes, technically the Child is already 50 years old, but still in infancy. But is it really fair to put those type of complaints on Rey and not The Child as a character?

 

[fan4stic]

One thing I do want to say about Rey, and I think you can make fair criticisms about her character, however, what about the Child?

I think it is a little unfair that the Child avoided a lot of the criticisms that were put forth on Rey.

Specifically, The Child is strong in the Force and knows how to use its powers without any formal training. It already knows how to instinctually use Force heal without ever being taught. Yes, technically the Child is already 50 years old, but still in infancy. But is it really fair to put those type of complaints on Rey and not The Child as a character?

Baby Yoda isn't the main character of that. He's a macguffin that the main character protects. Baby Yoda is also mysterious and alien.

 

[TheVileOne]

Baby Yoda isn't the main character of that. He's a macguffin that the main character protects. Baby Yoda is also mysterious and alien.

The Child is still a character though. And he's a very important character. Yes he's mysterious, but I mean so was Rey was she not? Her whole backstory and where she came from was a mystery when she was introduced.

 

[Gothamsknight]

It's absolutely unfair, but Star Wars fans will probably hate on that fact. I'm not trying to start an argument, but we all know the reason some are harsher on Rey than they are on something like Baby Yoda. There's no reason a baby, whether hes 50 years old or not, should be able to use the force so easily, and people forgive it and not Rey.

 

[TheVileOne]

It's absolutely unfair, but Star Wars fans will probably hate on that fact. I'm not trying to start an argument, but we all know the reason some are harsher on Rey than they are on something like Baby Yoda. There's no reason a baby, whether hes 50 years old or not, should be able to use the force so easily, and people forgive it and not Rey.

This is exactly my point. Now, was I happy she was Palpatine's grand-daughter? No. But I do feel a lot of people were just being overly belligerent when finding reasons to hate on Rey.

 

[Gothamsknight]

This is exactly my point. Now, was I happy she was Palpatine's grand-daughter? No. But I do feel a lot of people were just being overly belligerent when finding reasons to hate on Rey.

You and me both

 

[Herolee10]

I remember reading an suggestion on how it would have been better to have the roles reverse where Daisy's Rey would have been presented as the main antagonist of the story, while Adam's Ben would have been the conflicted protagonist.

Honestly, I think I would have preferred to have gone down that route instead. Rey could have been raised to be the heiress to the Empire by Palpatine's most devoted followers.

 

[fan4stic]

The Child is still a character though. And he's a very important character. Yes he's mysterious, but I mean so was Rey was she not? Her whole backstory and where she came from was a mystery when she was introduced.

It's absolutely unfair, but Star Wars fans will probably hate on that fact. I'm not trying to start an argument, but we all know the reason some are harsher on Rey than they are on something like Baby Yoda. There's no reason a baby, whether hes 50 years old or not, should be able to use the force so easily, and people forgive it and not Rey.

Why would fans care if a baby macguffin is that? It's not what the show's about. The show's about Mando. Mysterious I think can add intrigue. I think it being an alien can also have an effect on it not really being visually seen as human and thus different and not bound by the rules someone can apply to someone whose human. The baby is helpless and needs protecting and feeding. It's also cute to some. If Rey was a 50 year old baby that was being hunted by the First Order that Luke had to protect in the sequel trilogy, do you think many people would complain about her being a Mary Sue or OP? I don't know if I see that, really, in that way as a whole.

 

[Sian]

I remember reading an suggestion on how it would have been better to have the roles reverse where Daisy's Rey would have been presented as the main antagonist of the story, while Adam's Ben would have been the conflicted protagonist.

Honestly, I think I would have preferred to have gone down that route instead. Rey could have been raised to be the heiress to the Empire by Palpatine's most devoted followers.

That actually would have been good.
I always liked the idea of them both being 'grey' characters, who made mistakes, were flawed, and had a lot of learning to do. I genuinely thought that would be the road they would take, with ultimately a new version of the Jedi order arising that would be less demanding perfection and essentially teaching its followers to accept both sides of the Force and find a balance between light and dark - because let's face it, nobody is entirely good or bad.
I think it was one of the reasons I was so very disappointed in TROS.

 

[PO3]

First post since 2015. I love Rey / Daisy. She's had a lot of pressure, she suffers from stress, had leaky gut, operations removing ganglions in her wrist all on top of endometriosis. She's had a lot of mud slung her way and she's handled it altogether fantastically.

 

[Sian]

I've come to despise Rey, but that has nothing to do with Daisy Ridley. She comes across as genuinely likeable in every interview I've seen her do. She's a bright young woman and a talented actress. I really hope she gets more roles allowing her to stretch her acting skills. I do NOT confuse a character with the actress/actor playing said character.

 

[PO3]

I've come to despise Ben Solo / Kylo Ren. Glad He's pegged it. Can't wait to see Rey Skywalker in future media an Daisy Ridley herself. I saw the trailer for Baby Yaga, I didn't even recognise her voice in it.

Rumours of a couple of new Rey pop dolls coming out in the spring and I also need the Dark Rey Blackseries, I have seen it, not sure when it's out. The one I want the most is Rey in an x-wing. Hopefully soon. Those pop doll t-shirt are so cute to.

 

[Sian]

Well, at least someone liked TROS!

 

[PO3]

It was fun and a blast but even I know it was messy. I just see it for what it was, a popcorn movie. Am not looking for Tolstoy and True love never dies analogies. If that is wrong then am guilty as charged. Lightsabers, x-wing, ties, fighty - fighty, good over evil, light over dark. Am happy.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

It was fun and a blast but even I know it was messy. I just see it for what it was, a popcorn movie. Am not looking for Tolstoy and True love never dies analogies. If that is wrong then am guilty as charged. Lightsabers, x-wing, ties, fighty - fighty, good over evil, light over dark. Am happy.

I do enjoy TROS more now than when I first saw it. It gets better with repeat viewings for me. And I would still take it over TLJ any day.

 

[Sian]

Daisy is starring in Chaos Walking, interesting role.

 

[BatLobster]

I still don't think Rey being nobody is inherently a better idea-- just a different idea. Not that it couldn't have worked if it was setup with that intent in mind from the beginning, but I don't find it as dramatically satisfying in the context of a saga that is all about family drama.

And look-- we have a version of the story where she was nobody. Trevorrow's script. And unfortunately while there were some cool ideas in that script, that part of it was terrible. It still struggles to give her character some sort of significance, because we've still spent two films teasing at and exploring her own interest in her family/parents. So you can't just leave it unaddressed in the final film when that's what her whole arc has been based around. It's a no-win situation. The best Trevorrow was able to come up with was "I am the light and the dark!!" or whatever the generic line was. The big "reveal" of her name being Rey Solana. It was...not good.

Rey's arc was never setup for her to be nobody, that's why IMO it can't work as a conclusion for her. The choosing your family aspect-- yes, that's part of it. You can track that all the way. But she was always meant to have a connection to the saga's history. It's pretty clear from the getgo in TFA. It was never going to just move on and drop the lineage angle in the third film, because even TLJ doesn't even begin to explore how she feels about the idea of possibly being no one and how she's going to resolve that core issue. It's entirely skimmed over.