Rey…Palpatine?

What? No…

I know it sounds ridiculous. She’s one of the heroes of The Force Awakens, right? Maybe, maybe not. Today we’ll explore the theory that Rey could be a Palpatine.

Is She Really Good?

Quite possibly, Rey is a good person. If she comes from the Palpatine lineage, that could actually present as a problem. If you’re a Palpatine with a sweet little girl, what do you do to pull her into the family business? How about leaving her to fend for herself on desert planet Suck? Yes, I’m suggesting that her isolation on Jakku is meant to harden her to the ways of life. It would crush her spirit to the point that if her long lost family returned, maybe she wouldn’t even care. On the other hand, for a sense of belonging, she may forge an alliance to guarantee not being left alone anymore, too. I call that win – win.

She’s Not Alone

Although it seems that she’s all alone, Rey’s vision at Maz Kanata’s place reveals that she is left in the custody of Unkar Plutt. Whoever left her didn’t sell her to him, or else he would be using her as a slave, kind of like Watto did with Anakin and Shmi Skywalker. Also, Unkar Plutt could tell Rey whatever he wants to, like that she was sold to him, and have free labor, but he doesn’t. This could be because he fears the consequences that would bring. This could further confirm that Rey could be a Palpatine.

Jedi vs Sith

Right away, the world was alight with the idea that Rey was Luke’s daughter. The big problem with that line of thinking, is that it’s too on the nose. Also, Jedi code forbids having a family. Remember all the problems around Anakin and Padmé falling in love? All these issues are moot for a Sith. It stands to reason that since Rey is such a powerful force user, someone in her family is too. Also, with as easily as she handled Kylo Ren, she has to come from an exceptionally strong family. The Emperor’s lineage is the one that makes the most sense.

The Fight with Kylo Ren

The most significant evidence to support the theory that Rey is a Palpatine is revealed in the lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren. When Rey goes on the offensive, she leads with a lunging attack. This is the same attack we see Emperor Palpatine lead with when he fights Mace Windu. Further along in the fight, Rey charges forward with an overhead strike, just like Palpatine did, too. Really, they fight in a remarkably similar way. As it continues, Rey’s anger comes out and she begins to dominate in the fight. Once she gets the upper hand, she begins to toy with Kylo Ren, taking jabs at his shoulder rather than a more significant strike anyone else would use in defense. As Kylo Ren falls into the snow, Rey can be seen pacing around him like a predator. She seems to be preparing to kill him when the ground beneath them opens up and stops her from following through.

Her Voice

Rey has an English accent. This is a trait generally used to define the bad guys in movies, not just in Star Wars. Yes, there are a few good guy characters that speak with an English accent in Star Wars, like Obi-Wan Kenobi. The big thing is that both Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, who plays Finn, have an English accent. The direction to Ridley could have been to mask her accent, but instead, that direction was only given to Boyega. Maybe this was because Rey will be revealed to be a villain and will need that classically evil voice.

What About Kamino?

Let’s not forget that it was the baddies that commissioned the creation of the clone army by the cloners of Kamino. Possibly, Palpatine could’ve used their services to create a vessel genetically capable of receiving his energy. After all, we only see Darth Vader drop the Emperor into a hole. We don’t actually see the body. Vader isn’t known for how he checks the remains. Remember how he just steps on Obi Wan Kenobi’s robe after their fight in Episode IV? Maybe Palpatine survived Vader dropping him into a pit. Jedi could take a massive fall. Maybe that’s a skill in Palpatine’s repertoire, too. He mentions that the Sith have a power that lets them escape death. What if the trick is to transfer your essence into another person? Only a surrogate designed to handle his power would be sufficient. It’s not quite the same as being family, but it works for Boba and Jango Fett. Maybe it’s good enough for Palpatine, too.

 Last Words

There you have it. All the reasons why Rey could be a Palpatine. Do you agree or disagree? Either way, leave your take in the comments! Do you want more theories about her family? To see why she could be a Kenobi, click here. Need a copy of the movies to decide for yourself? Hit one of these affiliate links below.