Rey will be too busy saving the galaxy to have a huge love story in Star Wars: Episode IX. Daisy Ridley has said “friend relationships can be romantic,” and that she isn’t expecting the next chapter for Rey to have a big romance in it. But the weird thing is, she doesn’t mention Rey’s feelings about Kylo Ren. Instead, she refers to Rey not falling in love with … Poe Dameron?
On Monday, a brief clip surfaced on Tumblr of Ridley doing press for The Last Jedi in December. In it, she quickly addresses the idea of there being a love story in the new Star Wars films, specifically going forward into Episode IX. “I haven’t spoken to J.J.” Ridley clarified, “but I think it’s wonderful to have relationships that are not romantic.”
The fandom that favors (or “ships”) a romantic/sexual pairing between Rey and Kylo Ren is generally called “Reylo.” Prior to the release of The Last Jedi, Reylo shippers were generally considered to be on the fringe of Star Wars fandom, because Kylo Ren is a sadistic evil villain, and Rey is a heroic, good person. But, after the Last Jedi gave audiences sexual tension, chemistry, and one very shocking shirtless scene, the idea of a thing between Kylo Ren and Rey doesn’t seem as crazy anymore. However, Ridley’s comments in this interview seem to suggest that romance with anybody (including Kylo Ren) isn’t in the cards for Rey’s future.
But, oddly, Ridley made these comments in the context of potential future scenes Rey would have with hotheaded pilot Poe Dameron, not Kylo Ren. “Hopefully, if Rey and Poe have scenes together there will be some intimacy, but for me, it doesn’t have to be romantic love.”
At the end of The Last Jedi, Poe and Rey did finally meet for the first time, and they exchanged a wry little smile. But if Ridley’s comments are to be believed, this will be the extent of their relationship going forward. Which is probably good for Reylo fans hoping Kylo might come back to the good side of the Force, go by the name of Ben Solo again, and start dating Rey. If that happened, would the Reylo fandom change its name to Reyben?
In other news about Rey’s possible future, Book of Henry actor Bobby Moynihan told Collider in December that whatever Colin Trevorrow had planned for Rey in his script for Episode IX made the actress cry. Since then, Trevorrow has been replaced by J.J. Abrams as the director and co-writer of Episode IX, meaning we may never know specifically what made Ridley cry. Maybe it was a scene in which Rey has to go on a terrible blind date with Jar Jar Binks.
The Last Jedi is out now in wide release.
