OneStar Warsstory aboutPrincess Leia Organareveals that Rey Skywalker may face a major obstacle in establishing a new Jedi Order, and, sadly, it’s all to do with Palpatine. Rey’s upcomingStar Warsmovie, rumored to be titledStar Wars: New Jedi Order, will be set 15 years afterStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerintheStar Warstimeline, and based on the rumored title, it seems quite likely Rey will be heading up her own Jedi Order in a brand-new era. Whileupdates onNew Jedi Orderremain fairly sparse, thus far, that seems accurate.
However,rebuilding the Jedi Order will not be easy.The prequel trilogy Jedi Order was flawedin various ways, especially joining a war when they were meant to be peacekeepers, and that damaged public opinion of them even before the tragic events of Order 66. Given the smear campaign Palpatine ran throughout the Dark Times and the fall of Luke’s Jedi Temple and near extinction of the Jedi inthe New Republic era, public perception has likely only worsened. In addition, Rey will have to overcome one major issue, and Leia has already proven how tough that will be.
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Leia’s Reputation Was Ruined By Darth Vader
In the canonStar WarsstoryStar Wars: Bloodline, written by Claudia Gray, Leia’s identity as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader’s biological daughter is very publicly revealed in front of the New Republic Senate. Sadly,this reveal immediately destroys what had previously been her very good reputation. In fact, not only does Leia immediately lose all credibility, but also, people began arguing that she could be trying to continue what Vader started.
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This response was jarring and disappointing, especially because of all Leia did to help the Rebellion and the New Republic. She had very clearly made her allegiances known, and she had given her life from the time she was a teenager to overthrow the Empire and restore peace to the galaxy. What makes this even more brutal is that Leia had already been quite literally tortured and tormented by Darth Vader. To know that a man who had terrorized her and killed nearly everyone she knew and loved with the Death Star ruined her reputation was salt in the wound.
Leia had already been quite literally tortured and tormented by Darth Vader.
In fact,Bloodlinerevealed much more how terrible this torture had been, including that she had been screaming in agony and begging for mercy (which, thankfully, wasn’t shown inA New Hope). It was devastating to see Leia’s reputation take such a hit and for her to lose so much of what she had sacrificed and worked for because of her biological father, whom she had never truly seen as her father and who had caused her immense physical harm and mental anguish. Yet, this reveal may even explainwhy the Resistance was abandoned inStar Wars: The Last Jedi.
Who Will Know Rey Was A Palpatine?
Like Leia,Rey’s family origins could spell major trouble for her reputation, which could ultimately impact her Jedi Order. As mentioned, public opinion of the Jedi has undoubtedly seriously diminished since the Old Republic, and even those who believed in Luke Skywalker might feel it’s time for the galaxy to move on. Rey is already facing enough of an obstacle in that sense, but this negative perception could become so much worse if it were revealed that Rey was a descendant of one ofStar Wars’most powerful Sithand the tyrant who terrorized the galaxy for nearly two decades.
Rey had no real family connection to Palpatine, just as Leia had none with Vader.
As with Leia, this would be massively unfair. Not only did Rey have no idea she was related to Palpatine untilThe Rise of Skywalker, but also, she herself defeated him. She also rejected the lineage and the name, opting for the last name Skywalker. In fact, even Rey’s parents rejected a connection to Palpatine. Rey’s father, Dathan, was a ‘failed’ Palpatine clone, in the sense that he didn’t possess the Force, and he went into hiding with his family for that reason. Clearly, Rey had no real family connection to Palpatine, just as Leia had none with Vader.
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The question then becomes,who is still alive who would even know Rey was related to Palpatine?Many of the major players who knew of this lineage have since died, including Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren, Rey’s parents, Ochi, and even Palpatine himself. It seems unlikely that many outside of that group would know, perhaps meaning Rey’s identity won’t ever be uncovered. However,Bloodlineproved that this doesn’t mean Rey is safe, as Leia’s Vader connection was revealed because a senator happened upon a holo of Bail Organa telling Leia the truth.
Rey’s Palpatine Connection Could Impact Her Jedi Order
If this connection were to be revealed, it could mean Rey struggling to recruit Force-sensitive children to her Jedi Order. Rey actress Daisy Ridley has already dropped hints that Rey’s Jedi Order will uphold the previous Jedi Order’s rule against attachments, which presumably will mean recruiting Jedi Initiates when they are young, before they can become attached to their families. If that’s the case, though, how willing would parents be to let their infant or young child go with a descendant of Palpatine?
How willing would parents be to let their infant or young child go with a descendant of Palpatine?
In fact, parents are likely to be more wary than ever of this practice, as Order 66 saw younglings brutally cut down. That’s a very big gamble for parents to take, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable for them to refuse to send their children to Rey’s Jedi Order. After all, Luke’s Jedi Temple also burned down, furthering the notion that a Jedi Temple/Order isn’t a safe place for a child. However,not all hope is lost, as Leia has already offered Rey a path forward in this matter.
Leia’s Teaching Could Be Vital For Rey To Build The Jedi
Although Leia seemingly never revealed to Rey what exactly happened in the Senate when her connection to Darth Vader was uncovered, she nevertheless already set Rey up to tackle this challenge should it come her way. Specifically,Leia told Rey never to be afraid of who she is. Presumably, this was in reference to Rey being a descendant of Palpatine. While that isn’t exactly a road map to handling backlash should her identity be discovered, it did train Rey to remain confident in herself and push forward no matter her origins.
It’s also possible Rey has protected herself in this matter, as she chose the last name Skywalker—a name that will likely lend her credibility. Of course, all of this remains to be seen inNew Jedi Order. Perhaps Rey’s relation to Palpatine will never be discovered, or maybe it will be a non-issue. Although that would be surprising, it wouldn’t be out of the question. Regardless,Leia Organa’sbleak fate inBloodlinereveals trouble could be coming Rey’s way in her upcomingStar Warsmovie because of her unfortunate connection to Palpatine.
Star Wars: New Jedi Order
Cast
The tenth mainline installment in the Star Wars franchise is the first movie to follow the sequel trilogy, where Mark Hamill’s Luke, Carrie Fisher’s Leia, and Harrison Ford’s Han Solo gave their final farewell. After the release of The Rise of Skywalker, development on a direct sequel had become dormant as Disney shifted focus on other parts of the galaxy, namely, Disney+ shows such as The Mandalorian, Andor, and Ahsoka. However, a movie starring Daisy Ridley as Rey Skywalker was officially announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
