Warning: Spoilers for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story are in play. If you haven't seen the film yet, bookmark this page and make the jump to lightspeed.
During 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a now landmark flashback scene told Rey everything she needed to know about The Force. Everything from information of past events she'd never witnessed, to the eager voices of Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi from the great beyond, mixed into one, great catch up session for the young prospective Jedi to take in recent history. No real explanation was given as to why, or how, this mind trip was triggered, but after some Rogue One: A Star Wars Story related information, we think we know why this may have happened. Should this following theory be correct, it could fill in a lot of gaps in the Star Wars universe. Given what we've seen and read recently, it looks like kyber crystals are more powerful and important than we previously thought.
As we'd previously discussed, kybers are the powerful crystals that power not only the lightsabers of both the Jedi and the Sith, they're also what powers the Death Star weapon that the Empire decided to build as a threat to the Separatist scourge that threatened them in the prequel trilogy, as well as the novel Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel. We first learned about the kybers' effects on people when Galen Erso, Jyn's father and lead architect of the Death Star's power systems, found himself having a hard time sleeping while working on the energy weapon he thought would defend the former Galactic Republic. Galen was even having dreams about the crystals, which caused the brilliant scientist to hypothesis that not only the Jedi had a relationship with the living intelligence of the kybers, but that non-Force users could also feel the same way.
So how does this tie into Rogue One: A Star Wars Story? Well, there are two instances of the kyber crystals having an effect on people throughout the film's plot. The first is during a sequence early on when Jyn awakens from a dream, which is a flashback to her younger days on Coruscant. The Ersos and Orson Krennic are having an evening of discussion and drinks, and Jyn remembers this moment from her childhood. As she awakens, the first thing she does is fiddle with her kyber crystal. This same crystal also attracts the attention of the very Force conscious Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), when he asks for the crystal in exchange for Jyn's future being read. Being able to read the imprint of the Force around people, as well as the presence of kyber crystals, there's a precedent that kyber crystals have indeed had an effect on a person's mind. But, with this theory, and the knowledge that kyber crystals are what make up the Death Star's primary weapon, there's one moment in Star Wars history that suddenly makes much more sense.
During A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi once made the now famous observation, "I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened." While the Force has always been the powerful vehicle for such sight, a case could be made that the relationship between a Jedi and their lightsaber's kyber crystal are what strengthen, possibly even give them, their ability to sense what's going on in the universe. In order for Rey to see all of these events, the kyber crystal in Luke's saber has either given her the power to see such things, or the relationship between a Force user and their crystal isn't an exclusive one. In either scenario, the case can be made that kyber crystals are organic entities that have a sort of low-level influence on non-Force users, with a greater effect being experienced with those who are Force sensitive.
With Rey being the presumably Force sensitive protagonist from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Through the power of the Force, Obi-Wan and Yoda inform Rey that her journey's about to begin, and all it took was one touch of a lightsaber to spark a deeper connection between the young woman and the living Force. Just ask Kylo Ren, as she eventually did best him at his own dueling game after summoning Luke Skywalker's saber. Something she more than likely would have never been able to do if she hadn't interacted with the kyber crystal in the saber.
The future of the Star Wars universe, especially in the case of Rey and her developing powers, is a work in progress. So there's a possibility that this theory on kyber crystal interference could be disproven. That said, we wouldn't be surprised if our suspicions are validated, thus answering one question about the universe that Rian Johnson will be continuing, and more than likely asking millions of others.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is in theaters now. If you've already seen the film, we'd love to hear your thoughts. If you haven't, then go see the film and weigh in with everyone else in the comments section.
