Why Rey Took The Skywalker Name In Star Wars, Explained
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Few names in the history of a galaxy far, far away can stir up as much debate as that of Rey Skywalker. (Perhaps Jar Jar Binks, but that's a conversation for another day.) Played by Daisy Ridley, the girl simply named Rey, a nobody from Jakku, was the protagonist of the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy and, by the end, had become the final true Jedi in the galaxy. Originally named Keera rather than Rey in the script for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," she eventually became Rey Skywalker when all was said and done.
Rather famously, Rey revealed that she had taken up the name Rey Skywalker at the very end of the complicated $1 billion box office hit that was "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." But why, exactly, did she assume the surname of her former mentor, Luke Skywalker? We now have a firm answer, directly from Rey herself.
In a newly updated in-universe book titled "Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi: The Chronicles of Luke Skywalker" (via Comic Basics), it's revealed via writings by Rey (though the book was actually written by Marc Sumerak) why she took the Skywalker name as her own after "The Rise of Skywalker" revealed that Emperor Palpatine was her grandfather. Here's what she had to say in the book:
"I had to continue the fight and finish what he started. To stop Palpatine from rising again ... And to proudly wear my Master's name while doing so, in honor of his life and his sacrifice."
"Luke Skywalker may be gone from this plane, just like all the Jedi who came before him ... but he will live forever," Rey added. "Because, in the end, I am all the Jedi. And maybe we all are."
Rey isn't a Skywalker by blood, but she is a Skywalker in spirit
So, there we have it. While this offers a firm explanation, it may not satisfy fans who weren't happy with the whole Rey Skywalker reveal. Directed by J.J. Abrams, "The Rise of Skywalker," in many ways, felt like a response to the backlash to director Rian Johnson's 2017 sequel "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." As a result, the sequel trilogy proved to be a bit of a mixed bag for many fans, with endless online discourse ensuing in its wake.
Unfortunately, Daisy Ridley was at the center of much of that. It was Ridley who had to shoulder the "Mary Sue" criticisms of Rey, which emerged long before she ever took the name Skywalker. But for as much as some might argue that the Rey Skywalker thing felt tacked on, it may well have been the plan, to some degree, all along.
2020's "The Art Of Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker" sort of addressed whether Rey was going to be a "real" Skywalker in the trilogy. The book features a 2014 quote from Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo, suggesting Rey Skywalker was, in some way, in the works early on:
"I like the idea that she's going to be our Skywalker, but she's not a Skywalker. Then, for our purposes, 'the Skywalker' is really a metaphor. It doesn't have to be something that's directly connected by blood."
However one chooses to interpret that quote, the result is the same. Rey being a Skywalker isn't about her bloodline; it's about the legacy of the Jedi and what she hopes to represent.