Rey is the protagonist for the entire Star Wars sequel trilogy. The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi both hinted at her parentage before it was eventually revealed in The Rise of Skywalker. But while Rey’s true lineage was revealed, it’s not quite that simple. So, is Rey a Skywalker?
Rey’s Parentage
It was revealed in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that Rey is the biological granddaughter of the evil Emperor Palpatine himself. Making Rey a Palpatine. However, when Rey learned of this, she did not accept it. She defeated her Grandfather and at the end of the movie takes on her new name as a Skywalker. So while Rey is a biological Palpatine, she is an adopted Skywalker. Something that her sibling mentors Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa wanted. So yes, Rey is officially a Skywalker.
While Rey’s official lineage is revealed in The Rise of Skywalker, it seems like that may not have always been the plan. In The Force Awakens, the mystery was set up for who Rey’s long lost parents could be. It was set to be a major reveal in the franchise. That was until Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi. The message from that movie was that anyone could be a Jedi. Anyone could be the hero. That it didn’t matter who Rey’s parents were. Only for mystery to take another ‘U’ turn when it was revealed that Palpatine was her grandfather in the final movie in the trilogy.
Why does Rey call herself a Skywalker?
Luke and Leia both trained Rey in the ways of The Force. This is why Rey returns to Tattoine to bury their lightsabers in the sand. As a mark of respect and to close out the Skywalker saga where it all began.
Rey calls herself a Skywalker as a way to honor the legacy of her mentors, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. After the death of Luke and Leia, there were no surviving Skywalkers. And although she is biologically a Palpatine, Rey refuses to turn to the dark side, and instead chooses to continue the legacy of the Skywalker name.
