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greenmedic88 on 09 January 2016
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I don't really want to go in-depth with a character study of Rey in VGC given that I've already written more than one analysis of the film as well as responses to the typical complaints offered by contrarians and nit-pickers, but what we essentially appear to have is the Chosen One as last seen with Anakin Skywalker.

Anakin was to bring balance to the Force by destroying the Jedi Order, which much like the Old Republic, had become too large, bureaucratic and judging by the way a single individual was able to orchestrate their destruction, too ineffective.

Rey appears to be the Force response to the growing imbalance represented by the First Order and Snoke. She is the Chosen One who represents the light.

In contrast to Luke, her background was 15+ years of self taught survival school in a harsh environment where she had to adapt or die. She learns hand to hand combat skills out of necessity that are routinely tested (the film makes a point of showing this to viewers). Luke had no combat skills save as a pilot (shooting animals with his T-16 and presumably also with a rifle) by contrast. Star Wars makes a point of this when he is knocked out by a Tusken; he has no close combat skills. And again in Mos Eisley where Ponda Baba knocks him out with a shove. It's not until Obi-Wan starts drilling Luke that he appears to know anything about close combat.

Luke lives on a farm and can pilot speeders and a T-16 which presumably has uses beyond fighter training on a moisture farm (surveying territory and vaporators) so we know he can fly and he likes to hot rod and race, and shoot things like a lot of farm boys would.

Rey doesn't know how to shoot anything, arguably the one gripe I've yet to hear anyone complain about. When she is handed a blaster for the first time by Han, she forgets about the safety the first time she attempts to shoot (first time ever seen in Star Wars) misses her first shot and then scores a lethal hit, center of mass, one handed with her second shot ever. And every Stormtrooper in the Galaxy has egg on their face. Again.

And yet, people focus on the other things more easily explained.

The Millennium Falcon. Rey has piloting experience. She flies quad jumpers, speeders and unknown to viewers, she's had flight simulation training, salvaged from Imperial equipment that she used during the 15+ years of evenings spent alone. She's been on the Falcon. She's very familiar with the modifications made to it by Unkar. She knows where everything is and knows the start up sequence of the ship. The only thing she doesn't have is practical, real world flight time on the Falcon, which hasn't flown in years.

The film makes a point of showing this as she proceeds to smash into everything on a simple take off before the TIE fighters start shooting, and at that point, once again Rey is in a OTJ do or die situation, something she's very familiar with as a survivalist.

The Force ability stuff is not quite as interesting to pick apart, or rather I should specify the complaints regarding them aren't that fun to pick apart, but a one minute shoot down would be like this.

Force Mind Tricks come naturally to those strong with the Force ("She's untrained, but she doesn't know how strong she is with the Force") and only work on the weak minded. There is no Jedi Mind Tricks 101 class at the Jedi Temple which would be pretty nefarious for an Order dedicated to good. Apparently you have it (Luke, Obi-Wan, Rey) or you don't.

Telekinesis. Luke doesn't have it in ANH but does in ESB. Massive head trauma, concussion, pulls it off. But it's three years later and Luke has had time to read and learn although no direct tutelage until he meets Yoda. Except in ANH didn't he use the Force to guide two proton torpedoes into an exhaust shaft? Two shots take a 90 degree turn into an outgoing exhaust stream (it's not an intake that sucks in empty space), nothing but net. He used the Force to telekinetically guide two torpedoes directly on target. With no telekinetic training. It came naturally to him.

Besides, did Maz Kinata say that lightsaber itself was calling to Rey as if it wanted to go to her? It spoke to her upon first contact and at this point, it's almost as though this inanimate object has a will of its own like the Excalibur it has come to represent.