What are Rey's hopes and dreams? (TFA/TLJ thread)

[Deleted member 21339]

One of the great things about Luke's character in ANH is that we know exactly what motivates him. He wants to be a pilot. He believes in the struggle of the Rebellion against the Empire, and more crucially, he is a dreamer. He has a calling. He doesn't know what exactly calls him but he knows his destiny is not to remain on Tattooine. He knows something bigger awaits him out beyond the horizon. After he's saved by Obi-Wan and learns more about his Jedi father, we can see immediately on Luke's face how intrigued he is by this revelation. He initially rejects the call to adventure, but ultimately accepts to leave the farm after finding his foster parents murdered. When Luke returns to Obi-Wan he tells him with utter conviction how much he wants to learn about the Force and become a Jedi, like his father. His motivation is clear and understandable. He has very well-defined motivation.

But what about Rey? What does she want? What are her hopes and dreams? We know from an emotional/psychological point of view that she seeks belonging, and is hopeful that one day she will be reunited with her family. We know she doesn't want to die of old age like the woman scavenger sitting opposite her as they both clean their wares. We know she has a Rebellion pilot's helmet and seems to enjoy putting it on after a hard day's work, but what are her desires? Does she believe in the cause of the Resistance against the First Order? As Maz Kanata tells her about the conflict at the castle she doesn't even know what the fight is. Does she even want to be a Jedi? Why does she want to be a Jedi? I think for episode 9 to really deliver for me, it has to go all in on making Rey the central character of the movie. Episode 9 needs to be HER movie. I like her character, I like the choice in TLJ to make her a "nobody" but I don't think her character has been properly fleshed out. I hope 9 tells us more about her. What you think?

 

[B.K.]

It depends on who's writing the movie.

 

[Lord Fagan]

I think she was pretty clear that she just wants to know her place in all this.

I mean, that's what she answered when asked what she wanted, right?

 

[higemaru]

Yeah so far I've read it as Rey wants to know where she fits into this and is trying to find her true purpose through her training and her travels. I imagine she would rather be a Jedi based on everything we've seen about her.

 

[Yoshichan]

It depends on who's writing the movie.

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[Deleted member 21339]

I think she was pretty clear that she just wants to know her place in all this.

I mean, that's what she answered when asked what she wanted, right?

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She says that in the sequel. I'm saying that her character motivation should be well established by then. When Luke leaves to find Yoda he does it because he wants to train to become a Jedi Knight. His motivation to seek him out is clear.

 

[Siggy-P]

By the end of TLJ she rejects Kylo's offer and is pretty hard on the side of the Resistance, cheering as she blows up tie-fighters.

Ultimatly she wants to become a Jedi, though what sort of Jedi is what I imagine the plot of the next film is gonna largely be about (or should be about at least).

 

[The Unsent]

She wants to be a "true Jedi" and help build "a new rebellion" but now not depending on Luke or her parents, as said.

 

[Liquidsnake]

It depends on who's writing the movie.

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Haha so true.

 

[andymcc]

She wanted to get off of her shithole planet like Luke wanted to get off of his shithole planet. Luke had a much more tangible motivation because he had an actual mentor that was a master of the force that literally knew his father. Rey didn't have the same mentorship from the get-go and was startled by the force itself because she really didn't have anyone explain it to her. She's just trying to discover who she is and why she is so adept at using the force. Luke thought he knew his family lineage per his uncle and Obi-Wan-- he just wanted to master the force after his encounter with Vader.

 

[Narroo]

I think she was pretty clear that she just wants to know her place in all this.

I mean, that's what she answered when asked what she wanted, right?

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That's not really a good motivation though. If you want to be cynical her answer could be summed as as follows:

"Why are you fighting for the Rebellion?"
"I don't know, you tell me." -- Rey

 

[gutter_trash]

crappy director's tossing all of the previous director's work into the trash rendered Rey into an even emptier vessel in TLJ.

At the end of the movie, you go ????????????

but whatever, she is Super Sayin lifting tons of rocks . what does she care?

 

[BossAttack]

100% Agreed.

This is part of why I never liked her character in TFA and couldn't relate to her and why I so heavily gravitated towards Finn. TLJ finally made her interesting to me, but we've still got a ways to go. As great as TLJ was at improving her character, she still got overshadowed by Luke, meanwhile Finn was murdered. I'm still not exactly sure what drives her, she's also a little "too good." Why isn't she tempted, even a little, by the Dark Side? Why did she immediately reject Kylo's offer? I would think his promises would resonate more strongly with her since she grew up without a family and an instruction in good morals, unlike Luke.

 

[Keldroc]

crappy director's tossing all of the previous director's work into the trash rendered Rey into an even emptier vessel in TLJ.

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Jesus what is this shit. Rey's motivation changes in TLJ because her vain belief that her parents are coming back for her (a fairly ridiculous thing for her to have not gotten over in TFA, frankly) is finally put to rest and she is free to want something for herself, which turns out to be becoming a Jedi so she can best help her friends in the Resistance. Just like Luke's motivation in Empire shifts from "become a Jedi like my father" to "protect my friends, even if it means interrupting or even sacrificing my training in the process."

 

[Aexact]

I feel like saying Luke's motivation is well defined is kinda ... untrue? Like I forgot he even wanted to be a pilot amidst everything else that happens. That's not even a big motivation as it evolves as the series goes forward. And even when Luke gets to be a pilot he doesn't seem too jazzed about it. He slots in with the rest of the Rebels pretty naturally.

He kinda reacts to things as they happen right up to the pivotal point in Empire where he makes his own choice rather than choices he was nudged toward. Like, I feel like many of the examples listed are momentary well acted reactions that aren't missing from Rey's character either.

I mean, that's fine and all but I dunno if you could say that he was motivated to go on the adventure because his foster parents died. More like driven into a corner by circumstance.

 

[ggundam8]

Her motivation are nebulous. This should have been well established in the first movie but now we are hoping for the last movie to put all the puzzle pieces together. What a mess. This new trilogy won't be looked back on fondly once the hype glasses come off.

 

[Halbrand]

I like how we now have individual threads for Luke, Kylo Ren, and Rey

 

[Stouffers]

She hopes for a family and to belong to a group. She dreams of shirtless buttah-faces.

 

[VorpalNonsense]

STAR WARS - EPISODE 9: THE STARSIEST OF WARS
Maybe the real family is the friends we made along the way.
You know Rey, we really are the star wars.
The End.

This will be the plot of the next movie.

 

[Stouffers]

STAR WARS EPISODE 9 THE STARSIEST OF STAR WARS
maybe the real family is the friends we made along the way
the end.

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Maybe the real friends are the family we befriend while conducting familial acts of friendship.. along the way.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Her motivation are nebulous. This should have been well established in the first movie but now we are hoping for the last movie to put all the puzzle pieces together. What a mess. This new trilogy won't be looked back on fondly once the hype glasses come off.

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I think the reason this happened is because the writers had a hard time making her Not Luke so they made her motivation messy and poorly defined.

 

[BlackAdder]

Rey dreams of merchandising rights and residuals.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Do you people genuinely not pay attention while watching movies? Rey's main dream was to finally have a family.

This dream was so important to her that despite getting the chance to go on adventure and leave this life:

She insists on going back anyway:

she's even aware of reality of the situation but still had hope:

and because of that she couldn't see herself as the main hero, she went to Luke so that he could be the main hero, she went to Ben and called him their only hope, she never thought or saw herself as the main hero when she found out that she was special due to being a force sensitive:

Despite being capable of fulfilling that role as unlike Luke, she doesn't doubt the force:

Does she believe in the cause of the Resistance against the First Order?

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You tell me:

As Maz Kanata tells her about the conflict at the castle she doesn't even know what the fight is.

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Yes she does know what the fight is between the resistance & first order. By this time she's already fought the FO alongside Finn and was actively involved in completing Finn's mission. She didn't know that the fight involved the force:

Jesus what is this shit. Rey's motivation changes in TLJ because her vain belief that her parents are coming back for her (a fairly ridiculous thing for her to have not gotten over in TFA, frankly) is finally put to rest and she is free to want something for herself, which turns out to be becoming a Jedi so she can best help her friends in the Resistance. Just like Luke's motivation in Empire shifts from "become a Jedi like my father" to "protect my friends, even if it means interrupting or even sacrificing my training in the process."

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But she's not a kenobi so it doesn't count. /s

Does she even want to be a Jedi? Why does she want to be a Jedi?

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Because it's the right thing to do. She always strives to do the right thing when she gets the chance. And now she has personal stakes in the conflict as she's the only one left who can face Kylo.

Her motivation are nebulous. This should have been well established in the first movie but now we are hoping for the last movie to put all the puzzle pieces together. What a mess. This new trilogy won't be looked back on fondly once the hype glasses come off.

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How are they not well established in the first movie? How are they not well established in the second? See above, she has well established motivations, hopes, and importantly, flaws.

 

[Double 0]

Yeah, this is pretty clear in the movies. She wants to belong. She wants to be in a family.

She wants everything Ben rejected:

To be a Jedi
To have a loving family
To have a place in the universe
To help others

I mean, she hated Ben for throwing all these away, and got mad at Luke for almost doing the same.

 

[jett]

She wants to go back to her dirtbag parents. Or wanted. I have no idea what she wants at the end of TLJ.

 

[BossAttack]

I was waiting for Eden to show up with Gifs.

 

[SugarNoodles]

I can't help but feel like it was a mistake to have episodes VII and VIII cover the span of like 5 days.

 

[Schlorgan]

I was waiting for Eden to show up with Gifs.

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He very concisely addressed every question the OP presented with examples from the movie. If the OP didn't want that, they shouldn't have asked.

 

[BossAttack]

He very concisely addressed every question the OP presented with examples from the movie. If the OP didn't want that, they shouldn't have asked.

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Rey wanting a family is not a motivation for fighting for the Resistance, wanting to become a Jedi, and not turning to the Dark Side and ruling the galaxy beside Kylo.

 

[PopQuiz]

Do you people genuinely not pay attention while watching movies? Rey's main dream was to finally have a family.

This dream was so important to her that despite getting the chance to go on adventure and leave this life:

She insists on going back anyway:

she's even aware of reality of the situation but still had hope:

and because of that she couldn't see herself as the main hero, she went to Luke so that he could be the main hero, she went to Ben and called him their only hope, she never thought or saw herself as the main hero when she found out that she was special due to being a force sensitive:

Despite being capable of fulfilling that role as unlike Luke, she doesn't doubt the force:

.

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Spot on. And it's why the ending is so great when she finally gets back to "her family".

 

[Schlorgan]

Rey wanting a family is not a motivation for fighting for the Resistance, wanting to become a Jedi, and not turning to the Dark Side and ruling the galaxy beside Kylo.

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I don't see how any of those things contradict her desire for a family. All of those things come from that desire.

 

[BossAttack]

I don't see how any of those things contradict her desire for a family. All of those things actually come from that desire.

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Then it should also support her joining Kylo, yet she doesn't. Why?

 

[Schlorgan]

Then it should also support her joining Kylo, yet she doesn't. Why?

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He's not the kind of family she wants. She realizes that and doesn't join him.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Then it should also support her joining Kylo, yet she doesn't. Why?

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Because there's literally no conflict between her and her family. Unlike Kylo, Rey had people to go back to.

She was never once conflicted about where she stands. She went to Ben to bring him over to the light, she only saw Ben when they communed with each other. And when he refused to redeem himself, she responded appropriately from the START of the conversation:

Rey wanting a family is not a motivation for fighting for the Resistance, wanting to become a Jedi, and not turning to the Dark Side and ruling the galaxy beside Kylo.

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Rey wanting to do the right thing is why she fights for the resistance. The OP asked what her dream was, her dream was to feel like she belonged somewhere and to be loved, she didn't realize it but initially but helping the resistance and gaining a sense of belonging coincided with each other.

 

[Whompa]

Some dumb comments in here.

Do you people genuinely not pay attention while watching movies? Rey's main dream was to finally have a family.

This dream was so important to her that despite getting the chance to go on adventure and leave this life:

She insists on going back anyway:

she's even aware of reality of the situation but still had hope:

and because of that she couldn't see herself as the main hero, she went to Luke so that he could be the main hero, she went to Ben and called him their only hope, she never thought or saw herself as the main hero when she found out that she was special due to being a force sensitive:

Despite being capable of fulfilling that role as unlike Luke, she doesn't doubt the force:

You tell me:

Yes she does know what the fight is between the resistance & first order. By this time she's already fought the FO alongside Finn and was actively involved in completing Finn's mission. She didn't know that the fight involved the force:

But she's not a kenobi so it doesn't count. /s


Because it's the right thing to do. She always strives to do the right thing when she gets the chance. And now she has personal stakes in the conflict as she's the only one left who can face Kylo.


How are they not well established in the first movie? How are they not well established in the second? See above, she has well established motivations, hopes, and importantly, flaws.

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Thank you!!! I wish some people actually listened to the movies they watch.

 

[Mona]

Her motivation are nebulous. This should have been well established in the first movie but now we are hoping for the last movie to put all the puzzle pieces together. What a mess. This new trilogy won't be looked back on fondly once the hype glasses come off.

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no kidding, its a god damn mess

 

[Crossing Eden]

no kidding, its a god damn mess

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I literally wouldn't have been able to make the post above if her motivations weren't clear and concise.

 

[Neece]

Crossing Eden summed it up.

 

[Schlorgan]

I literally wouldn't have been able to make the post above if her motivations weren't clear and concise.

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I think they just choose to ignore it.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Yes she does know what the fight is between the resistance & first order. By this time she's already fought the FO alongside Finn and was actively involved in completing Finn's mission. She didn't know that the fight involved the force:

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This is a fair rebuttal.

This dream was so important to her that despite getting the chance to go on adventure and leave this life:

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Not to nitpick but this gif is from one of the trailers and does not appear in the final cut, but was replaced with the scene of Rey getting lost in thought staring at the old lady scavenger which I cited above.

Despite being capable of fulfilling that role as unlike Luke, she doesn't doubt the force:

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I'm not sure how much of a good thing it is for her character to have no doubts about the force or not be compelled by the Dark Side. I acknowledge that this sets her apart form Luke but I'm not sure it makes her more interesting.

You tell me:

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These gifs really don't tell us much. You can interpret the scenes different ways. She may just want to be a pilot. She may just like the helmet. There's not enough information here to really know if she wants to join the Resistance.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Rey wanting to do the right thing is why she fights for the resistance. The OP asked what her dream was, her dream was to feel like she belonged somewhere and to be loved, she didn't realize it but initially but helping the resistance and gaining a sense of belonging coincided with each other.

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No, this is an emotional need not a dream or motivation to join the cause of the Resistance. Most human beings have an emotional need to be loved by friends or family. The point I am making is, we really don't know much about Rey beyond the things that hold her back. We know Luke wanted to be a pilot. We know Luke believed in the cause of the Rebellion. We know Luke wanted to learn the ways of the force and become a Jedi like his father. I can't tell you what Rey wants other than to be reconnected with family.

 

[Officer Big Mac]

Maybe reys parents need to get roasted to give her motivation.

 

[Sgt. Demblant]

She's hoping for the greatest sets of abs in the galaxy.
Unfortunately all she has to go on is Kylo's somewhat commendable but flawed effort.
Come on Henry Cavill, switch universes and show her the way.

Or better yet, let's have John Boyega reveal himself as our lord and shirtless savior.

It depends on who's writing the movie.

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Oh man.
Everything that pisses me off about current Star Wars summed up right there.
Just settle on one person's vision per saga / trilogy please.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Not to nitpick but this gif is from one of the trailers and does not appear in the final cut, but was replaced with the scene of Rey getting lost in thought staring at the old lady scavenger which I cited above.

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I'm not sure how much of a good thing it is for her character to have no doubts about the force or not be compelled by the Dark Side. I acknowledge that this sets her apart form Luke but I'm not sure it makes her more interesting.

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Many many many characters in this franchise don't doubt what the force can do. Rey grew up idolizing all of that.

These gifs really don't tell us much.

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They tell us everything we need to know about how Rey views the resistance. She idolizes and sympathizes with them. Look at that look on her face. As well as her reaction when she meets THE Han Solo.

No, this is an emotional need not a dream or motivation to join the cause of the Resistance.

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It's BOTH.

 

[Thatguy]

It depends on who's writing the movie.

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Actually I think some of these writers just like setting things up without any ideas for a middle or ending of the story. For example, one writer says "she wants to find her parents" but never actually thinks or writes about WHY she wants to find them, who they really are, or what her reaction will be once finding out. They literally just write "she wants to find her parents" and if asked later on they will write why or what or who.

in other words, literally nobody knows what Rey wants until paid to write it for that moment in the story. It better this way because now you can make her chewbaccas genetically altered child then mock anyone trying to follow the story for creating wrong "headcannon".

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Many many many characters in this franchise don't doubt what the force can do. Rey grew up idolizing all of that.

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Rey grew up idolizing the force and the Jedi? What textual evidence is there for that in the movie? Because I'm not seeing it.

They tell us everything we need to know about how Rey views the resistance. She idolizes and sympathizes with them. Look at that look on her face. As well as her reaction when she meets THE Han Solo.

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We'll have to agree to disagree on this point.

 

[Liquidsnake]

Rey's hopes are to find her parents and understand why they did what they did. Even if that means finding comfort tin the arms of her grandfather!

 

[Super Corpse Soldier]

Rey grew up idolizing the force and the Jedi? What textual evidence is there for that in the movie? Because I'm not seeing it.



We'll have to agree to disagree on this point.

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Rey literally sleeps in Original Trilogy merchandise and cosplays as a rebel fighter when no one is looking.

 

[Crossing Eden]

Rey grew up idolizing the force and the Jedi? What textual evidence is there for that in the movie? Because I'm not seeing it.

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This scene would be completely different if she wasn't someone who explicitly heard legends about the jedi specifically Luke.


This is literally Rey's face when she hears the words LUKE SKYWALKER:

We'll have to agree to disagree on this point.

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It's called show don't tell, the film is showing us what Rey thinks instead of having it spelled out via exposition like the prequels would.

Audience sees charactert cheekily wearing a resistance helmet:

Audience sees character with a hand made toy of an alliance member:

Audience sees Character's tone and body language completely change when she's told she's talking to a resistance member:


Audience Character expressing excitement about a super secret resistance mission:

For the people in the back, Rey's reaction when hearing the words LUKE SKYWALKER:

Gee, I wonder if by this point we can clearly make an informed assumption about how she feels about the resistance.

Rey literally sleeps in Original Trilogy merchandise and cosplays as a rebel fighter when no one is looking.

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[Deleted member 6730]

She's literally a Star Wars fan girl and wants to be the next Luke Skywalker. It's nowhere near as inconsistent as you all are thinking, but yet again I'm not still mad about the Last Jedi eight months later.