SPOILERS AHEAD. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” hit theaters a few weeks ago, and it seems to be the most divisive Star Wars movie so far. The movie took many plot threads that were started in “The Force Awakens” in some interesting directions, and one of the biggest reveals of the movie had to do with Rey’s parents.
In the film there’s a scene where Kylo Ren tells Rey that her parents were nobodies from Jakku, who sold her off. It seems that many fans were expecting a much bigger reveal, but director Rian Johnson recently told The Hollywood Reporter that he wanted Rey to hear a reveal that would be difficult for her to deal with.
“It was hinted at in VII when Maz [Lupita Nyong’o] says the answers lay ahead, not behind, but it was something that was obviously still on Rey’s mind and the audience’s mind. It felt like a powerful thing that she was still holding onto this notion of the past defining her. And I guess I was entirely looking at it from a perspective of…what would be the thing that would be the most difficult for her to hear? The easiest thing for her to hear would be, “Yes, you are so and so’s daughter.” Or “Yes, here’s where you fit into this. Here’s the answer.” The tougher thing to hear is, “You’re going to have to stand on your own two feet, you’re going to have to figure out what you’re worth in this world yourself. Your place in this story is not going to be handed to you. You are going to have to find it.” That to me was the most interesting and toughest thing for Rey.”
There are still some fans out there who believe that it could later be revealed that Kylo Ren was lying to set up for a bigger reveal in the next installment, but as far as Rian Johnson is concerned, he told the story he wanted to tell.
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is in theaters now.
