'Star Wars Episode VIII' Theory: Rey Is Leia's Daughter, But Also Poe's Sister

It is maddening being a Star Wars fan. I mean, we are being forced to wait another whole year before we find out not just the biggest mysteries in Star Wars history, but possibly one of the biggest in pop culture history. What is Rey's lineage? There have been so many theories presented that almost every possible outcome of this storyline has been covered and guessed, yet we still seem so far. I have been trying to find any extra angle that some people might have missed in their theories.

It all started yesterday when I watched a Youtube video by the major #StarWars fan Urban Acolyte:

He references a quote made by Rey actress, Daisy Ridley earlier this month when she claimed that Rey's parents are "obvious." Now, this is more than likely her teasing fans, because it is obviously not obvious. My first reaction was she's saying it's the obvious theories of Luke Skywalker or Han Solo is her father. However, what if it's only obvious from a certain point of view?

What has been the most obvious trait of #TheForceAwakens that all fans noticed? It's the fact that it's a carbon copy of Star Wars: A New Hope. This led me back to a quote made by Star Wars creator George Lucas when talking about the original trilogy and prequels that is the base for this whole theory.

"You see the echo of where it all is gonna go. It’s like poetry, sort of. They rhyme."

Considering The Force Awakens and A New Hope very obviously rhyme, it would seem that the new boss, Disney may be looking at their sequels in the same light. So, how do the characters rhyme? Well here is how I see it:

• Rey = Luke Skywalker
• Finn = Han Solo
• Poe Dameron = Leia Organa
• BB-8 = R2-D2
• Kylo Ren = Darth Vader
• Lor San Tekka = Obi-Wan Kenobi

I'm gonna explain these one by one.

How Rey rhymes with Luke.

Rey was stranded on a desert planet hidden away from the world and without any knowledge of her family, pretty much identical to Luke. He is essentially just trying to live his life until the force guides him into this grand adventure that would point him toward his life goal of becoming a Jedi and bringing peace to the galaxy.

Rey is being forced to lead this same life, seeking out Luke to become a Jedi with the likely goal of bringing peace to the galaxy. This was the easy rhyme to point out though, since Rey and Luke are the main characters.

How Finn rhymes with Han Solo.

While there are little similarities in prior work experiences — with Han Solo being a smuggler and Finn being a Stormtrooper — they both abandoned their obligations. Finn left The First Order out of fear for where his life was heading and desire to make a better life for himself. Han Solo was on the run from Jabba The Hutt out of fear for his life when he joined Luke and Obi-Wan.

They join the main characters on their desert planets only to become close friends and partners who don't see eye to eye on many things.

How Poe Dameron rhymes with Leia Organa.

While Poe isn't royalty, he is still regarded as a high member of the Resistance like Leia is with the Rebels in A New Hope. It's subtle, but it's there. Neither is intimidated by the dark force at the beginning of the film and are captured by the evil entity in both films, with Leia's being the Empire and Poe's the First Order. The biggest similarity is the fact that both gave their droid companions the keys to solving the major conflict in each film, and it ended up being the focal point for each story.

This could also lend credence to some fans wishes to see Finn and Poe end up in a romantic relationship together like Han and Leia did.

How BB-8 rhymes with R2-D2.

Don't really need much explanation. They're both smart-mouthed droids who carry the key to solving the major conflicts.

How Kylo Ren rhymes with Darth Vader.

Outside of the masks, voice modifiers and their DNA connections, these two are essentially the same character. Ren and Vader are apprentices of the much darker force controlling everything from the shadows and are very skilled with the force.

They both capture a Rebel and a Resistance fighter in the beginning of the film and stop at nothing to find the plans/map hidden within a droid.

How Lor San Tekka rhymes with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

There's a resemblance between Max Von Sydow and Alec Guiness is there not? Lor San Tekka, much like Obi-Wan Kenobi, is very familiar with the Skywalker family, as he helped Luke Skywalker find old Jedi relics and helped him start his new Jedi Order. Obi-Wan Kenobi was also an old friend of the Skywalker family.

In their exile they both reside on the same desert planet of our hero. We know Obi-Wan was there to protect Luke — could San Tekka be doing the same?

What is my actual theory?

I think that Rey's parents are obvious when you start comparing characters from The Force Awakens and A New Hope. I think the obvious choice is that Leia Organa is, in fact, her mother, but the father isn't Han Solo. Instead, her father is Kes Dameron, the Father of Poe Dameron.

Where Rey rhymes with Luke, I believe Poe rhymes with Leia in The Force Awakens because they are destined to be linked by the events of Episode VIII or maybe Episode IX. After all, we don't fully learn of Luke and Leia's sibling connection until the third installment of the original trilogy.

How could Kes Dameron be her father?

The Dameron family are actually very close with Luke, Leia, and Han. They served alongside them in the Rebellion and became close friends after the war and when the Rebels began taking out fractions of the remaining Empire. All this can be read in the Star Wars comic Shattered Empire. So trust me, Kes and Leia know each other.

Kes's wife and Mother of Poe, Shara Bey, died six years after the Battle of Endor, so as sad as it is to say, Kes was single at the time of Rey's conception a mere five years later (Rey is 19 by the time of Episode VII).

From every canonical story I can grab information, it seems that Han and Leia's marriage was always rocky and that their separation came as soon as their son went off to train with Luke. Leia says as much:

"That's why I wanted him to train with Luke. I just never should have sent him away. That's when I lost him. That's when I lost you both."

One of two things could have happened. Sometime after the death of Shara Bey, Kes and Leia began to see each other after Han left. Or, as much as I think this would go against Leia's character, it could have been some time during their marriage, as it seems it was an unstable one to begin with. A lot could have happened in that five-year gap between Shara Bey's death and Rey's birth.

How am I so sure that Leia is her mother?

Honestly, we've all seen every Leia is Rey's Mother theory point back to the scene when she and Leia embrace in a hug when neither has met the other before. It is a scene that shows so much considering the fact that these two characters shouldn't know the other exists. It does point to Leia at least knowing who Rey is, but I actually think Han is what proves Leia is Rey's mother.

Han, during The Force Awakens, knows who Rey is. When he and Maz Kanata are sitting down in her castle, Rey leaves and Maz asks, "Who's the girl?" We are cut off before we hear his answer, but when we see Maz again she seems to know exactly who Rey is and why the Skywalker lightsaber calls to her — Han told her she was Leia's daughter and Anakin's granddaughter.

I don't think he knew it from the moment he saw her, but I think he realized it when they arrived on Takodana and Rey says she "didn't know this much green existed." Han looks over at her and we are given this odd expression that looks like a mix of sympathy and realization. I think his thought was confirmed when they landed and Rey said she was waiting on her family to come back for her.

He knew Leia (or someone) left a child on Jakku and he now knows that Rey's that child. They may not be married, but when your ex-wife has a child and hides them on another planet, you're gonna hear about it.

Also, Solo has a fond connection with Rey because he still loves Leia. He more than likely isn't happy about Leia being with Kes, but he still loves Leia and I think he feels that connection through Rey as well.

The usual theory plots are here as well. The Skywalker lightsaber called to her, more than likely because she is part of the Skywalker lineage. She shows a strong connection to the Force, which would point to her being part of a powerful force family like the Skywalkers.

I truly believe that she's Leia's daughter, but if Han was the father I think we would have seen a different dynamic between he and Rey. He probably would have been much more concerned when Rey was taken by Kylo Ren. Instead, he was more concerned with seeing Leia again.

What's the whole story?

The Force Awakens rhymes with A New Hope. I believe that Leia left Rey on Jakku to protect her from Kylo Ren when he turned to the dark side and the dear family friend Lor San Tekka set up his Church of the Force there to watch over her, just as Obi-Wan exiled on Tattooine to watch Luke. After all, why (of all places) would Lor San Tekka go to Jakku, the same exact place where Rey is? I understand that it all works through the Force and coincidences don't exist in Star Wars, but even Obi-Wan wasn't on Tattooine by circumstance.

While abandoning your child on a lonely planet is terrible parenting, Leia openly admitted that she sent her son Ben away when she felt she wasn't what was best for him. Clearly she has no problem leaving her child behind if she feels it's needed.

When The Force Awakens begins, we see Poe Dameron being given a map to Luke Skywalker, which he gives to BB-8. If this scene rhymes with the same in A New Hope, then Poe could be the unknown sibling of our hero, Rey, just as Luke and Leia were.

I think Kylo Ren will reveal himself to be Rey's brother (half-brother) in Episode VIII, just as Vader revealed himself to be Luke's Father.

Conclusion

Even I know that this is a reach, but I hope some open-minded fans can appreciate the effort. At the end of it all, this whole theory is built on whether or not this new trilogy will echo the originals, with multiple characters sharing the same fates.

While I myself would have an hard time wrapping my head around this one if it came to fruition, it'd be a cool way of connecting all the new characters together.