In TFA and TLJ, Rey focused heavily on her parents, they were the ones who conceived her, birthed her and abandoned her on the hell that is Jakku. She hoped there has to be some reason as to why her parents abandoned her, like being important in a way it would, for example, motivate her parents to abandon her, showing how they loved her. Of course, Rey comes to terms with the truth in TLJ and stops caring about her parents, but just because she stopped caring about them doesn’t indicate as to whether she cares about her grandparents or not.
You kind of have to understand how ridiculous that is, though. I mean, I said that in parody a few comments ago. Like, she learned a big important lesson about her family, but not her extended family!
That really does just feel like they’re resetting her arc to where it was in TLJ.
Rey is absolutely scared of her Palpatine heritage in TRoS, because, due to her lack of self-worth, she fears being rejected by everyone, she fears about what everyone else would think if they find out of her heritage, she fears that no one is going to give her validation if they find out her heritage. This is implied in some later scenes, including her following conversation with Finn (“Rey, I know you…” “People keep telling me they know me. I’m afraid no one does…”).
This is a good point, though.
Rey is now the Last Jedi the same as Luke. Rey, Finn and Poe have to restore justice to the galaxy and restore the Republic. Rey needs to take on students and not repeat Luke and the prequel Jedi mistakes.
Maybe her order will be less dogmatic and accept a wider view of the force. She isn’t alone her family is Poe and Finn.
This is one of the biggest reasons why I’m not really interested in any Star Wars content set after TRoS. Content going forward is going to have to try their darnedest to distinguish Rey’s go at restoring the Jedi from Luke’s go at restoring the Jedi.
They can come up with tons of reasons why Rey’s attempt is going to be different from Luke’s attempt, but unless it flows naturally from the sequel trilogy and Rey’s arc (and respectively the Star Wars Trilogy and Luke’s arc), I don’t think I’ll be able to buy it. And I don’t think they’re going to be able to, when Rey in TRoS is so similar to Luke in RotJ.
As much as I love TLJ, this is why I also think Luke dying was a mistake. If Luke lived, it could’ve been a together thing, and Rey’s attempt would also be Luke’s attempt. That could’ve been pretty neat. But the New EU is kind of stuck with this arrangement. I suspect Luke dying wasn’t Rian’s idea, though.