JJ Abrams: "Rey's parents are not in Episode VII"

CienaRee wrote:

ISeeAnIsland wrote:

Mrs Ben Solo wrote:

Magnolia_3.0 wrote:SOMEONE READ Star Wars the Force Awakens: King's Story by Elizabeth Schaefer? TODAY, I READ TWO VERSES DIFFERENT ABOUT WHAT IS MENTIONED IN THIS BOOK ON THE PARENTS OF REY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT IS REALLY MENTIONED IN THE BOOK. SO SHE REMEMBERS THEIR EXISTENCE, DOES IT REMEMBER IF IT WAS LEFT BY THEM OR JUST LEFT BY SOMEBODY?

@Magnolia_3.0

I haven't read Rey's Story nor do I have a copy of it. From a review I read, the details are sketchy, as is Rey's memory, when it comes to her parents.

This is the relevant passage from the review I read... http://www.thecantinacast.net/2016/02/24/book-review-reys-story-the-force-awakens-by-elizabeth-schaefer/

In this edition, we find out that Rey wasn’t left behind on Jakku, not exactly. As Rey tells it, she was held back from getting on that transport we see fly off world. And that’s not all, Rey also remembers her parents being there with her at first, but now, isn’t too certain that they’re alive. Unfortunately for Rey, her memory betrays her and she struggles to remember them or anything about them.

@Mrs Ben Solo

I could have sworn that I had seen a blurb from JJ's commentary (I think it was JJ) describing the Unkar scene from Rey's Forceback as "here is where Rey is being taken from her parents" or something like that. That would fit with that passage in that it likely isn't going to turn out to be a straight up "left behind for her safety" scenario like there was with Jyn.

@ISeeAnIsland
I think what's most likely to happen is that instead of leavingRey for her protection they leave her with Unkar Plutt expecting either for him to kill her or for her to die on her own.It will also be a reverse of Jyn's story with Rey beliving her family are good people who will come back for her only to realize that's not true which might lead to her having some sort of breakdown since her beliving she'll be reuited with her family is pretty much what kept her going(and it will also be different than the Luke-Vader revelation since unlike Vader Rey's parents did raise her the first couple of years of her life so they knew they had a daughter unlike Vader).Kylo's already had his in TFA so I'm fully expecting Rey to have one as well.

@CienaRee

Having just seen Rogue One, I have a feeling Rey is going to end up a bit like Jyn was at the beginning - a cynical,world weary person who has lost her optimism after being let down. I think this is what will lead her to Kylo, who's already at that point in his life.

Lol this was and is the best thing jj ever said lmao

Oh memories

Gemini wrote:Lol this was and is the best thing jj ever said lmao

Oh memories

@Gemini

I can't agree more. If I'm ever upset about something, I can always look at this thread and it will never fail to lift my spirits and put a smile one my face...

Is Rey ever going to meet her parents again?  I think not.

Just listen to Maz - she's meant to be the Yoda type character with foresight and insight, and she said they're never coming back.  So to me they're never coming back = she's not going to be seeing them again.

Does that mean they'll never been seen on screen?  No - they could appear in a vision or a flashback.  I just don't think Rey will ever seen them in person again, her family lies ahead, not behind.  Listen to Maz.

A couple of articles I found on Wookipedia:

http://fandom.wikia.com/articles/star-wars-stop-focusing-parents?li_source=LI&li_medium=wikia-rail

http://fandom.wikia.com/articles/star-wars-reys-parents

There's a section at the bottom of the second article where the writer gives their opinion on who Rey's parents are and they by no great surprise say Luke Skywalker.  They then go on to say the following:

It said if Rey is not a Skywalker, it could actually jeopardize her role as the central character in the new trilogy. If the saga films are about the Skywalkers and Rey is not one of them, then that suggests that Kylo Ren is the central character. Rey’s story, then, is at risk of orbiting Kylo’s and being in service to his destiny. Not only would that be a shame because Rey is such a great heroine for this new generation of Star Wars films, but also because it would diminish the first woman to be the central character in the Star Wars storyline. Rey doesn’t have to be a Skywalker for that story to work, but if done poorly then the revelation she’s someone else’s child could hurt this great new character.

Ugh another person who thinks Rey's worth is really only based on who her parents are.  That if she's not Luke's kid then she's going to get sidelined.  Don't they realise that they'd doing a disservice to the character themselves by insisting that her whole merit is based on who her 'Father' is.  Also they often end up contradicting themselves too - in the article they say how they can't see Rey being related to Obi-wan because of the Jedi Code etc but then are happy to say oh but she's got to be the daughter of the last Jedi Luke.  So they can't see Obi-wan pursuing a relationship after the fall of the Jedi Order but they can see Luke having one while he's trying to bring about a new order.

In all honesty the more I read articles like this and hear people claim that she must be this persons child or that persons child, the more I really want her to be the child of no-one.  As the top article shows making a character all about their parent/s just makes everything shrink and the focus shift from that character to their parents.

Rey is her own character and doesn't need to be weighed down by all the history of legendary parents or grandparents.  I hope they make Rey like Hermonie in Harry Potter the daughter of no-one important.  Make her important for who she is and not who she was born to.  It's time to have a character not weighed down by the expectations of what went before them like Leia (Bail/Breha/Anakin/Padme), Luke (Anakin/Padme) and Kylo (Leia/Han/Anakin/Padme/Bail/Breha).  Kylo has enough weight on his shoulders for the both of them.  I just can't see them doing that though - they will probably want to narrow the gene pool  

Rant over.

I have to play Devil's Advocate. What if... everything is simply in the context of TFA in which Rey's parents/origins are unknown. In that case "her parents aren't in Episode 7" even if Luke is her father, because she "hasn't discovered them yet."

Pablo Hidalgo in his tweets by seeming to hint away from Rey Skywalker or Rey Solo would be maintaining the balanced divide in fan perception. He can't hint away from Rey Random for instance, because that would limit options, allowing people to better narrow things down.

Thoughts?

Acritiqua wrote:I have to play Devil's Advocate. What if... everything is simply in the context of TFA in which Rey's parents/origins are unknown. In that case "her parents aren't in Episode 7" even if Luke is her father, because she "hasn't discovered them yet."

Pablo Hidalgo in his tweets by seeming to hint away from Rey Skywalker or Rey Solo would be maintaining the balanced divide in fan perception. He can't hint away from Rey Random for instance, because that would limit options, allowing people to better narrow things down.

Thoughts?

@Acritiqua

This is essentially what JJ said in his very half hearted retraction. I didn't buy it - at all. First, prior to said retraction, you had Pablo Hidalgo tweet a half panicked, half amused blip that said, "Kylo Ren is a Skywalker. We know that, right?".

Then you had Daisy going into the Reylo tag on IG asking what does it all mean?

It was clear to me those in the know hadn't anticipated Reygate, and thought JJ had let the cat out of the bag. No retraction can eliminate that.

IoJovi wrote:

Acritiqua wrote:I have to play Devil's Advocate. What if... everything is simply in the context of TFA in which Rey's parents/origins are unknown. In that case "her parents aren't in Episode 7" even if Luke is her father, because she "hasn't discovered them yet."

Pablo Hidalgo in his tweets by seeming to hint away from Rey Skywalker or Rey Solo would be maintaining the balanced divide in fan perception. He can't hint away from Rey Random for instance, because that would limit options, allowing people to better narrow things down.

Thoughts?

@Acritiqua

This is essentially what JJ said in his very half hearted retraction. I didn't buy it - at all. First, prior to said retraction, you had Pablo Hidalgo tweet a half panicked, half amused blip that said, "Kylo Ren is a Skywalker. We know that, right?".

Then you had Daisy going into the Reylo tag on IG asking what does it all mean?

It was clear to me those in the know hadn't anticipated Reygate, and thought JJ had let the cat out of the bag. No retraction can eliminate that.

@IoJovi

Also, Pablo has said on twitter that Rey would recognize her parents if she saw them.

She didn't discover her parents in TFA. They weren't in the movie.

WhatGirl wrote:

IoJovi wrote:

Acritiqua wrote:I have to play Devil's Advocate. What if... everything is simply in the context of TFA in which Rey's parents/origins are unknown. In that case "her parents aren't in Episode 7" even if Luke is her father, because she "hasn't discovered them yet."

Pablo Hidalgo in his tweets by seeming to hint away from Rey Skywalker or Rey Solo would be maintaining the balanced divide in fan perception. He can't hint away from Rey Random for instance, because that would limit options, allowing people to better narrow things down.

Thoughts?

@Acritiqua

This is essentially what JJ said in his very half hearted retraction. I didn't buy it - at all. First, prior to said retraction, you had Pablo Hidalgo tweet a half panicked, half amused blip that said, "Kylo Ren is a Skywalker. We know that, right?".

Then you had Daisy going into the Reylo tag on IG asking what does it all mean?

It was clear to me those in the know hadn't anticipated Reygate, and thought JJ had let the cat out of the bag. No retraction can eliminate that.

@IoJovi

Also, Pablo has said on twitter that Rey would recognize her parents if she saw them.

She didn't discover her parents in TFA. They weren't in the movie.

@WhatGirl

I have lost track of how much Reywalker wreckage Pablo has put out there since TFA, but the one that sticks out in my mind is where someone was inquiring if Bloodlines would give hints that Rey was Luke's daughter. His response was that he would be interested to hear what people's thoughts were on this after they had read the book.

Well, it was clear as day that Leia had only one child and Luke had likely never married. No mention of a lost child or niece.

@IoJovi

Also, Leia can sense Luke and Ben in the womb. Wouldn't she be able to sense Luke's kid still being alive?

and the timeline doesn't line up. Reywalker would need a lot of hand waving that I don't think LF would allow in this new canon.

Helix wrote:@IoJovi

Also, Leia can sense Luke and Ben in the womb. Wouldn't she be able to sense Luke's kid still being alive?

and the timeline doesn't line up. Reywalker would need a lot of hand waving that I don't think LF would allow in this new canon.

@Helix

I've found that most Reywalkers still think that Rey was at Luke's academy at the time sith went down. So yeah, they're a bit behind...

IoJovi wrote:

Helix wrote:@IoJovi

Also, Leia can sense Luke and Ben in the womb. Wouldn't she be able to sense Luke's kid still being alive?

and the timeline doesn't line up. Reywalker would need a lot of hand waving that I don't think LF would allow in this new canon.

@Helix

I've found that most Reywalkers still think that Rey was at Luke's academy at the time sith went down. So yeah, they're a bit behind...

@IoJovi

Even thought 'it wasn't an academy' and the fact that he was off with Ben exploring the galaxy? Do these people only follow the movies?

Helix wrote:

IoJovi wrote:

Helix wrote:@IoJovi

Also, Leia can sense Luke and Ben in the womb. Wouldn't she be able to sense Luke's kid still being alive?

and the timeline doesn't line up. Reywalker would need a lot of hand waving that I don't think LF would allow in this new canon.

@Helix

I've found that most Reywalkers still think that Rey was at Luke's academy at the time sith went down. So yeah, they're a bit behind...

@IoJovi

Even thought 'it wasn't an academy' and the fact that he was off with Ben exploring the galaxy? Do these people only follow the movies?

@Helix

There's nothing wrong with being just part of the GA and only following the movies. However, I've seen this come from "hardcore" fans who do read the supplemental material and follow Pablo and the story team. The whole thing is really odd.

@IoJovi

Oh, I'm not implying it is. It just takes a lot of weird thinking to make it work if you do follow the supplemental material. I don't know how they make it work.

I wish I could seal my doubts on these matters... lol. But I can't. I find it interesting that I am only lost in uncertainly, amid interpretations, and can't come to a conclusion. Alas...

Helix wrote:@IoJovi

Oh, I'm not implying it is. It just takes a lot of weird thinking to make it work if you do follow the supplemental material. I don't know how they make it work.

@Helix

I tried to tell a Rey Solo theorist about 'Bloodline' once and how it eliminated the possibility of Rey being a student at the academy and the person just said 'well...that can't be canon'...like, everything that opposes their theories is not canon.

Mana wrote:

Helix wrote:@IoJovi

Oh, I'm not implying it is. It just takes a lot of weird thinking to make it work if you do follow the supplemental material. I don't know how they make it work.

@Helix

I tried to tell a Rey Solo theorist about 'Bloodline' once and how it eliminated the possibility of Rey being a student at the academy and the person just said 'well...that can't be canon'...like, everything that opposes their theories is not canon.

@Mana

A good friend of mine (who is a big enough fan to have Darth Vader tattooed on her arm) still thinks they're twins. I actually did manage to have a nice conversation with her, and at the end she acknowledged how Reylo could be a good story after I showed her how it could be done, but it really took some convincing. The part that finally hooked her was when I mentioned it being Anidala in reverse. She is after all an Anakin fan, so I guess it's not surprising that's what finally reeled her in.

Whomever Rey's parents are, they're going to grist for the Lucasfilm/Disney/Marvel publishing mill. And @IoJovi - I just noticed the coworker of a friend pop up on a Facebook where her profile picture is she and her husband dressed up as our favorite pair of space nerds. So it was pretty hard for me to interrupt the political topic at hand and ask her if there was any particular reason why she'd be dressed that way with her SO ; )?

snufkin wrote:Whomever Rey's parents are, they're going to grist for the Lucasfilm/Disney/Marvel publishing mill. And @IoJovi - I just noticed the coworker of a friend pop up on a Facebook where her profile picture is she and her husband dressed up as our favorite pair of space nerds. So it was pretty hard for me to interrupt the political topic at hand and ask her if there was any particular reason why she'd be dressed that way with her SO ; )?

@snufkin

I'm on the Facebook page for Star Wars Celebration (I'm going after all), and there was a thread about showing off what people will be cosplaying at the show. I was very heartened to see several husband and wife/SO's cosplaying Rey and Kylo. It's pretty telling that the people on this board aren't the only ones that are "seeing things".

IoJovi wrote:

snufkin wrote:Whomever Rey's parents are, they're going to grist for the Lucasfilm/Disney/Marvel publishing mill. And @IoJovi - I just noticed the coworker of a friend pop up on a Facebook where her profile picture is she and her husband dressed up as our favorite pair of space nerds. So it was pretty hard for me to interrupt the political topic at hand and ask her if there was any particular reason why she'd be dressed that way with her SO ; )?

@snufkin

I'm on the Facebook page for Star Wars Celebration (I'm going after all), and there was a thread about showing off what people will be cosplaying at the show. I was very heartened to see several husband and wife/SO's cosplaying Rey and Kylo. It's pretty telling that the people on this board aren't the only ones that are "seeing things".

@IoJovi

One of those couples outta team up with an AARP Han and Leia cosplayers for a family photo!

I could totally see Kylo trying to put the Han moves on Rey, only in a more reticent fashion. I hope all potential for this isn't lost by them being related. I feel like there would be such a great story here. *sighs*

I'm pretty sure they aren't; but as so many posters here have said people want Kylo destroyed- they want a 'pure' Skywalker, while conveniently forgetting the Skywalkers are a flawed bloodline. Look at the fountainhead!

IoJovi wrote:

snufkin wrote:Whomever Rey's parents are, they're going to grist for the Lucasfilm/Disney/Marvel publishing mill. And @IoJovi - I just noticed the coworker of a friend pop up on a Facebook where her profile picture is she and her husband dressed up as our favorite pair of space nerds. So it was pretty hard for me to interrupt the political topic at hand and ask her if there was any particular reason why she'd be dressed that way with her SO ; )?

@snufkin

I'm on the Facebook page for Star Wars Celebration (I'm going after all), and there was a thread about showing off what people will be cosplaying at the show. I was very heartened to see several husband and wife/SO's cosplaying Rey and Kylo. It's pretty telling that the people on this board aren't the only ones that are "seeing things".

@IoJovi

I know a LOT of couples who cosplay Kylo and Rey. In Brazil's Comic Con last year there were dozens.

I saw a couple of cos players on someone's blog recently who made me laugh - she went as Kylo, he went as Rey.

I don't know. This is my counter-interpretation (which I'm all too happy if people argue it). It's possible that J.J. Abrams was so enthused about reliving the wonder that was 'A New Hope' that he not only repeated the movie in a lot of ways, but repeated the "I am your father" reveal which is waiting for Episode 8. Since in the OT, no one knew during 'A New Hope' that Darth Vader was Luke's father (it hadn't even been decided yet), he wanted to do the same thing with 'The Force Awakens.' It had been one of his points that he felt deeply about in terms of its importance and meaning to his feeling of Star Wars nostalgia. So when that kid asked who Rey's parents were he declared that they're not in Episode 7. (Alternatively he really could have left it open and Rian Johnson decided or something, but I don't want to go into every possibility.)

Pablo Hidalgo's quote about how we know Kylo is the Skywalker in TFA right??? was almost mocking because the creators think as little of Kylo in some ways as many of the Reywalkers do (he's there to get his *** kicked) and because they find it a joke that they would leave the fans with *him* as the only Skywalker. The symbolism of Rey claiming her father's lightsaber and being more worthy of it than Kylo further supports this (she is the "rightful Skywalker heir"). Daisy Ridley's comment about "what does it all mean???" was possibly referring to the double-speak. Although J.J. Abrams literally said Rey's parents aren't in Episode 7, he literally only meant it in the context of TFA, which is such a copy of ANH that even the *making of the movie* is being copied in that suddenly the "Rey, I am your father" reveal is coming up in TLJ and will be presented as though it wasn't really planned (or that they planned it but wanted to recreate that "authentic unplanned" sort of thing). Also apparently Bob Iger keeps hammering home how this is the 'Skywalker Saga.' It makes me feel like the creators of the new trilogy actually see this the way a lot of Reywalkers do.

I don't want any of this to be the case, but it seems plausible to me. Part of me wonders if they would tell a more interesting or original story, especially when they are trying to make feminist statements (anything romantic between Rey and Kylo would be seen as undermining women because he's a "jerk"), and probably perceive Rey Skywalker as being like Luke, only now a girl or something. And it's more important that she kick *** and subvert male power tropes or something (that's more important than anything else).

Lastly, so much of the fanbase seems to be screaming for Rey Skywalker... they don't care who she is as long as she is Luke's daughter. Many of the Reywalkers seem to feel TFA all but promised them this, so it will be this huge disappointment if not true, and they will have been "lied to." I mean why else did Rey get Luke's lightsaber while Maz told her it was Luke's and his father's before him, they would ask.

I welcome all refutations.

I personally took Bob Iger's comment "a great next chapter of the iconic Skywalker family saga" about TLJ as possibly meaning redemption for Kylo, the last Skywalker.