Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker : Anger Will Blind You To The Truth.
Let us remember an important tenet, taught to us by one of the wisest Jedi who ever lived. "You focus determines your reality."
In the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn, I attempted to analyse The Rise of Skywalker as best I could, reminding myself that anger would never result in anything constructive, and focusing on the more important aspects of the Star Wars universe might give me some respite.
Rey's parents were nobody, so says a misguided, corrupted Ben Solo. Rey is from nowhere. But nobody's from nowhere. And surely, everyone is somebody. Rey's parents are no different.
Rian Johnson made Rey this symbol of self-reliance. An orphan, with no particular link to any particular family, having no connection to some mythic Force user. And yet, the most powerful Force user in generations. Because the Force does not belong to anyone. It is everywhere. It is everyone.
Now, our first reflex at the reveal of Rey's parentage is to see this firmly established idea destroyed. JJ destroyed what was good and just, and powerful about Rey.
We are reacting with anger, because of fear. Fear that our convictions are now devoid of sense. And we all know where that leads to.
I believe we're looking at it the wrong way. Her connection to the Palpatine lineage means so much more than raw power. It is about that very same self-reliance Johnson established. Oh yes! Hear me out, please.
Rey has a parent who refused outright the powers of their father. A parent who rebelled, defied family and blood, and fled to freedom. The strength and conviction of Rey comes not from some magical Force-sensitivity predisposition, but from a parent who chose good over evil, at the risk of death. That strength comes from a love of unquestionable virtue. She was loved. Loved by a parent who remained good, even when the vilest of Sith blood flowed through their veins. A parent who looked square into the face of a patriarchal, all-powerful, evil Sith Lord, and said "Never."
"Never."
"I'll never turn to the Dark side."
And I say this, in closing : You failed your Highness. Rey Skywalker is her own goddamn self. Like her parent before her.
(Note : I wasn't too sure if the Palpatine parent was the father or mother, so I generalized with "they" and "parent".)
In the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn, I attempted to analyse The Rise of Skywalker as best I could, reminding myself that anger would never result in anything constructive, and focusing on the more important aspects of the Star Wars universe might give me some respite.
On Rey's lineage, and the continuation of Rian Johnson's idea of self-determination.
Rey's parents were nobody, so says a misguided, corrupted Ben Solo. Rey is from nowhere. But nobody's from nowhere. And surely, everyone is somebody. Rey's parents are no different.
Rian Johnson made Rey this symbol of self-reliance. An orphan, with no particular link to any particular family, having no connection to some mythic Force user. And yet, the most powerful Force user in generations. Because the Force does not belong to anyone. It is everywhere. It is everyone.
Now, our first reflex at the reveal of Rey's parentage is to see this firmly established idea destroyed. JJ destroyed what was good and just, and powerful about Rey.
We are reacting with anger, because of fear. Fear that our convictions are now devoid of sense. And we all know where that leads to.
I believe we're looking at it the wrong way. Her connection to the Palpatine lineage means so much more than raw power. It is about that very same self-reliance Johnson established. Oh yes! Hear me out, please.
Rey has a parent who refused outright the powers of their father. A parent who rebelled, defied family and blood, and fled to freedom. The strength and conviction of Rey comes not from some magical Force-sensitivity predisposition, but from a parent who chose good over evil, at the risk of death. That strength comes from a love of unquestionable virtue. She was loved. Loved by a parent who remained good, even when the vilest of Sith blood flowed through their veins. A parent who looked square into the face of a patriarchal, all-powerful, evil Sith Lord, and said "Never."
"Never."
"I'll never turn to the Dark side."
And I say this, in closing : You failed your Highness. Rey Skywalker is her own goddamn self. Like her parent before her.
(Note : I wasn't too sure if the Palpatine parent was the father or mother, so I generalized with "they" and "parent".)
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