The Star Wars sequels left fans with a lot of questions, though the sheer number of plot holes wasn't helped by the conflicting visions of filmmakers J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson. The former strongly hinted in The Force Awakens that Rey's parents were important, but The Last Jedi revealed that they were nobodies who had simply abandoned their daughter on Jakku.
With Lucasfilm in damage control mode after the mixed response to Rian Johnson's movie, The Rise of Skywalker confirmed that Rey was Emperor Palpatine's granddaughter and that her father was one of the villain's many failed clones.
Adam Christopher's novel Shadow of the Sith just arrived in stores, and reveals how Dathan, Rey's dad, escaped from Exegol. Despite being a clone with no connection to the Force, he was left alive in case the Emperor ever had need of him. Ultimately, a Symeong took pity on the boy and helped him escape, and he'd later meet Miramir, Rey's mother.
The book suggests that her family may have once had a connection to the Force, but that's only briefly touched on. Dathan and Miramir, meanwhile, make a home for themselves on Jakku believing nobody, though the Emperor, in particular, would ever find them there. Unfortunately, Palpatine senses that they have a child, which results in them being pursued by his sinister agents.
Among them is Sith assassin Ochi of Bestoon. After a battle with the villain, Dathan and Miramir steal his ship and leave Rey on Jakku, correctly believing he would think she was still with them rather than scouring the planet for her. A misdirect courtesy of some beads from Pasaana led Ochi there, where he used that Sith dagger to kill them both in a fit of uncontrollable bloodlust.
Alas, by the time he realised they had fooled him into following them into sinking sand, it was too late, and Palpatine's hopes of finding his granddaughter were thwarted...for the time being, at least.
This finally explains why Rey's parents "abandoned" her and provides some much-needed clarification on how doing so actually saved her life. We're pretty sure this will be it for Dathan and Miramir, as their story has finally been told, but fans will likely appreciate insights the movies failed to provide.
Let us know your thoughts on these newly revealed details below!