Why is Rey a Skywalker?

Rey’s connection to the Skywalker family in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a central element of her character arc and the final installment of the Skywalker Saga. Although Rey was introduced as a scavenger from the desert planet Jakku with no known family, The Rise of Skywalker reveals that she adopts the Skywalker name for symbolic and emotional reasons, as well as to honor the legacy of the family.

Here’s why Rey becomes a Skywalker:

1. Her True Parentage:

• In The Rise of Skywalker, it’s revealed that Rey’s parents were not nobility or part of the Jedi Order, but were Palpatine’s children, making Rey the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine. This connection gives Rey a dark heritage tied to the Sith and the galactic empire her grandfather built.

• Rey’s parents, however, abandoned her to protect her from Palpatine, who sought to use her for his own purposes, as he believed she was the key to his return to power. They sacrificed their lives to ensure Rey’s safety.

2. Rey’s Identity Crisis:

• For most of the sequel trilogy, Rey is in search of her identity and place in the galaxy. She struggles with feeling like an outsider, having no known lineage or family, which is a key part of her initial journey.

• Rey is often confronted with the question of who she is and where she comes from, leading her to seek out answers about her parents and her place in the Force.

3. Adopting the Skywalker Name:

• In the climax of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey embraces the legacy of the Skywalker family rather than her dark lineage from Palpatine. She chooses to carry the name of Skywalker as a way of rejecting the darkness of her grandfather and affirming her own sense of identity and destiny. She does this in honor of the people who influenced her throughout her journey, such as Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, who both taught her about hope, compassion, and the Force.

• Rey's decision to take the Skywalker name is symbolic. Even though she has no direct blood relation to the Skywalkers (at least not in a traditional sense), she decides to carry on their legacy and bring balance to the Force in a way that honors their ideals. By choosing Skywalker, Rey is claiming her destiny as a Force user who can shape her own future, regardless of her past.

4. The Legacy of the Skywalker Family:

• The Skywalker family has long been associated with powerful Force sensitivity, with members like Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) and his children, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, playing pivotal roles in galactic history. Luke, especially, was a key mentor to Rey, passing on his knowledge and ideals.

• Rey’s adoption of the Skywalker name at the end of the trilogy is meant to honor the family’s legacy and their significant impact on the galaxy. It also represents the idea that one’s identity is not solely defined by blood, but by choices and actions.

5. Rey’s Role as a New Hope:

• Rey ultimately becomes a symbol of hope and renewal. By embracing the Skywalker name, she positions herself as a figure who represents both the light side of the Force and the hope that can arise from the darkness. This act of choosing to be a Skywalker speaks to the theme of redemption that runs throughout the Star Wars saga.

6. The Power of Choice:

• A key theme in Rey’s arc is the power of choice. Despite her dark lineage, Rey chooses to define herself based on the principles of the Skywalker legacy—which is about light, courage, and sacrifice. Her decision to reject the Sith heritage of Palpatine and align herself with the Skywalkers signifies that we are not simply defined by where we come from, but by what we choose to become.

Conclusion:

Rey becomes a Skywalker not because she is literally a descendant of the Skywalker family, but because she embraces their legacy. By adopting the Skywalker name, she symbolizes the next chapter of the Force’s journey and the idea that everyone has the ability to choose their own destiny, regardless of their origins. Rey’s choice to take the Skywalker name represents her rejection of the darkness and her commitment to the values of hope, redemption, and the Light side of the Force.

Her decision brings the Skywalker Saga full circle, demonstrating that the Skywalker legacy is not bound by blood, but by the choices of those who wield the Force.