SPOILERS: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Director Rian Johnson On The Truth Of Rey's Parents

SPOILERS: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Director Rian Johnson On The Truth Of Rey's Parents

Star Wars: The Last Jedi answered one of the biggest questions from The Force Awakens: Who is Rey's parents? The question is, can we trust the big reveal or is there something more to her lineage?

By MattIsForReal - Dec 16, 2017 06:12 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: Bustle
***WARNING: SPOILERS FOR STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI ARE IN THIS ARTICLE***

If you've already seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi, you probably have a million thoughts running through your head right now. Just breathe, because we're probably not going to get any definitive answers anytime soon - if ever.

One of the major questions fans had following The Force Awakens was who the heck were Rey's parents. A mysterious orphan from "nowhere" (aka Jakku), Episode VII didn't address her lineage, leading many to speculate and form their own theories. Is she Han and Leia's daughter/Kylo Ren's brother? Luke's daughter? Obi-Wan Kenobi's daughter? For two years, fans drew up their own conspiracies regarding Rey's parents. It took a scene of less than five minutes in The Last Jedi to shatter those theories.

Midway through The Last Jedi, Rey learns the painful truth about her parents as Kylo Ren reveals that she's known the truth all along - "they're nobody," just junkers from Jakku who probably sold her off for drinking money. It was a heavy moment, one of great importance in the film - and one that has understandably divided fans.

Setting aside the disappointment from those who spent years conducting their own investigation into her parents, that moment in The Last Jedi was both shocking and anticlimactic in a way where fans aren't quite sure how to interpret Kylo Ren's words. Is he telling the truth, or is simply manipulating her in order to get her to join with him? While the notion that Rey could really come from two "nobody" parents fits quite well with the overarching themes of The Last Jedi, there's still plenty up for debate regarding the big reveal. So who better to ask than Rian Johnson?

Although Johnson admitted he has no desire to "come in and play the math teacher and correct anyone" about their interpretations of the film, the writer/director did share his thoughts on the moment and what was going through his mind when writing the scene.

"I don’t think he’s lying in that moment — I think he is like telling what he saw and I think that Rey seems like she believes it in that moment. So for me, I wrote it as an honest revelation and as an honest kind of reaction to it, as opposed to a move in a game of chess.

"Now as we know in these movies, you know the whole idea of a certain point of view comes into play and as you know I’m not involved in writing the next movie. JJ [Abrams] and Chris [Terrio] are writing it so, I want to make it clear I’m not sure how it’s going to get resolved. For me the important part was saying it was an emotionally honest revelation, I feel like it, I don’t know, I believed it."

 
While Johnson wrote the scene with honesty in mind, the fact remains that nothing is actually set in stone until Episode IX, which is being written by JJ Abrams and Chris Terrio, and directed by Abrams (who also helmed The Force Awakens). For now we have a temporary answer to the question, but as is often the case with Star Wars, big twists await.

Do you think Kylo Ren was telling the truth about Rey's parents?
 
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newmutantsRETURNS
newmutantsRETURNS - 12/16/2017, 6:19 AM
Um no Rian....just say u have no idea who her parents are thus you filmed it that way..
NOVAtheSUPA
NOVAtheSUPA - 12/16/2017, 7:51 AM
@newmutantsRETURNS - who is reys parents who cares
Who is snoke who cares
Wanna watch kylo fight jedis with sabers nah [frick] that
Wanna see luke have a sweet saber fight itleast on his way out nope

You what would be cool rey and kylo force linked
Or finns story that did nothing to change the plot
Or po turning on people in a ship and realising hes wrong yey
Maculis
Maculis - 12/16/2017, 9:19 AM
@NOVAtheSUPA - That was the absolute best way to sum of the movie.
Buckster10
Buckster10 - 12/16/2017, 10:15 AM
@newmutantsRETURNS - It was a big FU to the fans is what it was! All plant for two movies and zero payoff!
Scarilian
Scarilian - 12/16/2017, 10:47 AM
A tiny amount of the dumb moments and rhetorical questions;

• If Luke never wanted to be found... why did he leave a map with R2D2?
• If Snoke is nobody/nothing why is Luke afraid of Snoke?
• If Luke wants to die, why did he run away to an island instead of letting Snoke or Kylo kill him?
• Why does Luke believe Snoke corrupted Ben Solo, when it was quite clearly him trying to murder Ben Solo that corrupted him?
• Why did we see the Knights Of Ren destroy the temple in TFA if they weren't around when it actually happened as shown in TLJ?
• Why does Rey think she can turn Ben Solo to the good side after he killed Han?
• Why would Luke give Han's lucky dice to Leia if the lucky dice he gave her were also part of the force projection?
• Why wouldn't Luke actually go to Crait if he wants to die instead of projecting a hologram?
• If Rey is nobody/nothing then why did Han trust her?
• If Rey is nobody/nothing then why did Leia hug her instead of Chewwie/R2D2/C3P0/anyone else?
• If Rey is nobody/nothing then why did she get a vision when touching the light saber?
• If Rey is nobody/nothing then how is she so good at the force?
• If Rey always knew she was nobody/nothing then why does she question who her parents are?
• Did Rian Johnson intentionally add the 'salt' scene simply for memes?
• How come the main vessel of the resistance is fast enough to outrun the Star Destroyer when the Star Destroyers were able to catch-up to the resistance in every prior movie?
• Why wouldn't they have just used the hyperspace jump to destroy the Star Destroyers/Snoke's ship in the first place?
• Why does a romantic moment occur when Rose does something stupid that would've gotten the Resistance killed if not for hologram Luke?
• How does everyone know about the events of the final battle on the Star Killer base when the only ones there are either off-planet, in a coma, dead or unable to speak in a language people understand?
• If Leia can use force powers to fly through space, why does she automatically fall into a coma?
• Why does Luke projecting his image to Crait cause him to die?
• If Leia has force powers, why didn't she use them to help battle the Resistance?
• Why are we meant to support Rose and Finn when they lead to the deaths/destruction of property of people who build weapons for both sides - without whom the resistance would have lost?
• Why didn't the new person in charge tell her plan to Poe?
• Why didn't Poe tell his plan to the new person in charge?
• Why did Leia console Rey yet again at the end of the movie if they have no personal connection?
• Why does Snoke dislike Kylo's helmet when he crafted it for Kylo to hide his identity?
• Why did Kylo even wear the helmet when his identity is know to everyone?
newmutantsRETURNS
newmutantsRETURNS - 12/16/2017, 10:48 AM
@NOVAtheSUPA - you are 10000% correct my friend
DVonShakari
DVonShakari - 12/16/2017, 12:56 PM
@Scarilian - This!!!! What you just wrote should be plastered everywhere all over the internet.....let me get started
Psyconiix
Psyconiix - 12/16/2017, 12:56 PM
@Scarilian - A LOT of these are easily explained. I enjoyed the movie, aside from a few things (Luke and the anti-climatic battle).

1) Seems the map is to the Jedi temple, not Luke, which has been deleted everywhere. Luke probably didn't know R2-D2 had it.
2)Snoke is a somebody, it's never said he isn't. If you want a background story, there are comics etc about it. A big bad manipulating the more interesting villain is cliche anyway. Of course, Luke's story in this film is lacking and a little more development on Luke & Snoke would be cool, but alas. We could see it in flashbacks when Rey pulls Kylo to the light in the 9th (if they go that route).
3) This seems pretty obvious. A warrior who wants to die doesn't want to die at the hand of his enemy, but rather his own. Die in peace on his own terms.
4) Wait what? Luke saw the darkness inside him already. This may have been what pushed him over the edge, but it was made clear this was already coming. Aside from Rey's "you thought his decision was made". It probably was.
5) We didn't see the destruction happening in TLJ we saw the aftermath so I assume the students who went with Ren became the Knights.
6) Because she's hopeful. People don't give up on others. She's a good person. And she said she saw his future and it was clear. She doesn't want to give up on him as she obviously feels for him. Pretty obvious again. Besides, Rey bitched at him and tried to kill him before their minds interlinked. The link probably connected them, with their feelings flowing into each other. That's why he saved her too.
7) Semantics. It was basically saying he was going to die like Han, but they're not really gone. It was a cute gesture.
8) How was he going to get there? It was quicker and he had to get there now. All he wanted to do was buy time for the resistance anyway.
9) She proved she could be trusted. Why would he trust Finn if he was a storm trooper? They were thrown together pretty quick when Han's amigos came for their money.
10) We don't really know what she is yet. SHE is not a nobody, her parents were (apparently who knows). Light had to rise to meet the darkness. It seems Ren and Rey's souls are entwined somehow. Seems like the splitting of the light saber was symbolic for the force, and the force created both Ren and Rey. Don't think there is a requirement for being the offspring of a main character to have the force. How about Anakin? One of the most powerful force users. He came from nothing too.
11) Semantics.
12) Refer to 10.
13) Refer to 10.
14) She didn't think her parents were deities, she knew they were nothing. She just wanted them back. She didn't want to believe what a lot of children do. That her parents abandoned her. But deep down, she knew they weren't coming back. She knew they were scrappers like her.
15) Okay, this one is funny.
16) They were close enough to blast it, that's all they were wanting to do.
17) Someone would have to pilot it, and they probably didn't want to ask anyone to do that. Also, it could have been a theory to work, but they weren't sure until it was the last thing to do. But I too was thinking this.
18) Yeah, that was cringey.
19) Not sure about this, I don't really remember.
20) Took a lot of energy from an older woman who definitely isn't a master force user.
21) It didn't cause him to die. He chose to go into the force. His waiting to die may have been prolonged by that small spark of guilt and hope in his heart. He fulfilled his (yes stupid) purpose. He saved hundreds of lives. And tbh, he will be back to haunt Ren. He even said it.
22) She probably can't use it very well and knows it's dangerous. But I mean, what would she do anyway? Move a few book around? She's no Luke.
23) Because people have warmongers. They profit off death. She explained it very well.
24) She didn't want any information to leak? She didn't care to explain to everyone and she didn't want any people arguing with her. She's the woman in charge, so follow her orders. She didn't care to be a hero. Leia explained this.
25) Too risky of a plan to be allowed.
26) Because obviously they've bonded and became friends. She is their last hope for the universe. She's important to her.
27) I thought it was merely because the voice thing was screwed, I had a hard time understanding him and thought Snoke did too. The voice changer was damaged in the battle. And Snoke is pissed anyway. He said he's no Darth Vader, which is what the helmet is supposed to resemble.
28) To be like Vader. To be more than a face. Snoke probably told him to. He wanted to hide his emotions. Lots of reasons. I don't think Ren cares if he has a secret identity.
MrFurious93
MrFurious93 - 12/16/2017, 4:07 PM
@Scarilian - “Someone give this a man a shield!” Seriously though you are so right on all those points.
pyramosteu
pyramosteu - 12/16/2017, 4:25 PM
@Psyconiix - stop trying to answer questions you don't know the answers to, bruh, you're just speculating
TwEeD
TwEeD - 12/16/2017, 5:28 PM
@pyramosteu -Stop asking questions that are explained in the movie bruh, you're just calling unnecessary in doubt because it didn't went like you wanted to.
VictorKrueger
VictorKrueger - 12/17/2017, 3:03 PM
@newmutantsRETURNS - SPOILER: Rey's parents being nobody important and her not being Skywalker related is a smart movie. It expands the Star Wars universe and helps weave the trilogy movies into a different direction.
kakinurmawth
kakinurmawth - 12/17/2017, 3:10 PM
Wow. Seems people really can't follow a character movie after all. Every complaint i've heard so far is explained in the movie. Pay the [frick] attention to characters and motivations. Everything made sense.

But you all are so right. It would have been sooo much better if it was an empire knock off like force awakens was to a new hope.

Now JJ HAS to do something different with the next one and all of Rey's power and badassness is now believable.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 12/16/2017, 6:23 AM
I will NOT see this movie a second time.
JoeMomma29
JoeMomma29 - 12/16/2017, 6:30 AM
@DoubleD - I wish I could say that myself, but I promised my other son I would take him to go see it as well.
Chameleon
Chameleon - 12/16/2017, 6:24 AM
I’m fine with them being nobody, it was never hinted otherwise.

Only thing TLJ seemed to drop the ball on regarding Reys history is in TFA it seemed like Kylo knew her before
BoW
BoW - 12/16/2017, 6:56 AM
@Chameleon - I don't remember this. Can you refresh my memory regarding this aspect in TFA?
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