Rey’s accent might be genetic. Beloved mentor and desert hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi is supposedly getting his own standalone Star Wars movie after months of rumors and speculation. Fans’ excitement about an Obi-Wan standalone was only intensified by the realization that the film has the potential to solve one of the largest mysteries currently plaguing the Star Wars fandom: Who are Rey’s parents?
Star Wars fans think the Obi-Wan film could be confirmation of Rey’s Kenobi-ness.
Prequel trilogy Obi-Wan actor Ewan McGregor has been denying up and down that he knows anything about an Obi-Wan standalone — and considering that he hasn’t been confirmed as being involved in the project, that makes sense. But it doesn’t mean Lucasfilm won’t utilize him in one way or another for the film, which, by the way, still hasn’t been officially confirmed as of the writing of this article.
But that doesn’t mean there’s not some legitimacy behind these theories about Rey’s parentage. Let’s unpack them.
Obi-Wan isn't sure how he feels about this whole "Rey is my kid" thing yet.
Rey was born in 15 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin), which means she was born 15 years after Obi-Wan died at the hands (or lightsaber) of Darth Vader in Star Wars: A New Hope. So, unless Force ghosts can suddenly impregnate people, there’s no way Rey is Obi-Wan’s daughter.
But she could be his granddaughter.
See, Obi-Wan canonically has a girlfriend in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Duchess Satine Kryze, leader of the Mandalorians and an advocate for peace and pacifism among her people. She’s a pretty cool lady, and her relationship with Obi-Wan was one of mutual respect and admiration. They also flirted a lot. And some Star Wars fans suspect they secretly had a child in the form of another canonical Star Wars character: Sabine from Star Wars Rebels.
Sabine, a Mandalorian warrior with connections to the Force and no idea who her real parents are, is often presumed to be the secret love child of Duchess Satine (notice the similarity in their names) and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Star Wars Rebels takes place not long before the events of A New Hope, which means a teenage Sabine would certainly be the right age 15 years down the line to give birth to a little girl. Rey’s connections to the Force, her unknown origins, and the mysterious circumstances of her abandonment on Jakku all kind of totally support this theory, in a turn-around kind of way.
There’s also the comments from Rey actor Daisy Ridley that “it won’t matter very much” to Rey who her parents are in the end. If her grandfather is Obi-Wan Kenobi, then that information would matter a hell of a lot more to, say, Luke Skywalker than Rey herself. Rey doesn’t know who Obi-Wan is; knowing that he was once a respected Jedi and general for the Republic might be enough if they really are related.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi premieres in theaters on December 15.
The as-yet-unnamed Obi-Wan Kenobi standalone film does not yet have a release date.
