Most potential blockbuster films are shrouded in a layer of secrecy, and when we’re talking about a new Star Wars movie, and one with J.J. Abrams at the helm, that tendency is amplified exponentially. As such, we don’t know much about Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but with recent comments that the Episode films will follow the Skywalker family, we’re left to wonder whether the next chapter will introduce any of Luke’s blood relatives. And now a new rumor may shed some light on that.
Warning: We’re going to dive into potential SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Force Awakens beyond this point. Also, this is based on a very, very unconfirmed rumor, so make of it what you will.
A commenter on Reddit, which should be a red flag right there as far as reliability goes (and one with only a handful of posts), recently shared some potential insights into both Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, and Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, and how they fit into the story and the family tree. He or she notes that they are in no way affiliated with the film and hasn’t seen The Force Awakens, but mentions that there is also a novelization in process. Though we’re not exactly sure what this means, the implication is that this individual may have seen that (we could get into some serious conspiracy theories here if we wanted, but we’ll leave that for another time). Again, take this with a grain of salt, but it’s just plausible enough that it could be true, and it’s an interesting note to consider.
Since the very early goings, the speculation has been that much of the action will involve a new generation of Skywalkers, presumably either Luke’s kids or Han and Leia’s — in the Expanded Universe, Han and Leia’s children play a large part. And in regards to Rey and Kylo Ren, that is true in one of their cases, and it plays a large part in the motivations of the other.
According to this post, Rey is not a blood relation of Luke. Instead, she is his apprentice, an orphan chosen specifically by him for training in the ways of the Jedi. We’ve seen leaked Star Wars cards that indicate she has some aptitude with the Force, which led to many to believe that she was of Skywalker descent, but that is apparently not the situation. Though he is a father figure to the young woman, who lost her parents at an early age, he is not her actual kin.
One recent rumor making the rounds suggested that Rey wound up on the desert planet Jakku, where she lives, because her parents left her there, and that she is reluctant to leave because she is waiting for them to return. Perhaps that is how she wound up on this world, where she encountered Luke, or, perhaps Luke is the one who dropped here there and told her to stay put. We’ve heard that Luke has gone into hiding, possibly to protect a dangerous ancient relic from falling into the wrong hands, and that the plot revolves around the search for him. If that is true, kicking off with Rey would make for a logical starting place.
As for the other new character, the evil Kylo Ren, this post states that Luke and Rey’s relationship has a lot to do with what drives him. That’s not very specific, but another post from the same user says that he is a blood relation of Luke, and that he is Han and Leia’s son. This also fits with a number of rumors and reports that have been circulating since the very beginning.
Supposedly, Luke sensed the Dark Side and chose not to train him, instead turning his attention to Rey. This didn’t sit well with Kylo, that his uncle chose an adopted apprentice over his own flesh and blood—his distant relative, Anakin Skywalker, was also known for having a bit of a temper and being easily butt hurt, now wasn’t he? Looks like that’s still part of the familial DNA.
This also says that Kylo was, at some point, abducted by the Knights of Ren and indoctrinated into their ways. From what we know, they are a sect that springs up after Return of the Jedi and seek to eliminate the Jedi. Much like how the Sith took the Darth moniker, Ren is an adopted name, and given his family circumstances and bitterness, it makes sense that Kylo would be susceptible to such a mission statement.
If Kylo Ren does turn out to be Han and Leia’s progeny, especially a long lost one, that could support yet another rumor that has made the rounds. It’s been said that, at the end of the movie, during the big climactic scene, Kylo kills Han, and Han lets him do it rather than defend himself. Pretty much the only reason you can imagine Han letting that happen is that he would rather risk death than potentially harming his own child.
Right now, this is all speculation of the highest order, and is likely to remain as such until Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens on December 18. Still, as hypothetical and unsubstantiated as this is, taken with all of the other rumors and reports that have come out over the course or the production process, this seems to fit in with what we’ve heard. It’s at least as plausible as anything else we’ve encountered thus far. What do you think? Do you buy this, or is this total nonsense? If it is true, do you like this direction? Sound off in the comments below.
