Gravedigging from the Ascendant thread. Posted this here specifically because of sherlock’s suggestion. CONTEXT
@sherklock Apologies for the delay. Just didn’t think of a proper response at the time.
I don’t really think this is the time or place to talk about Rey’s arc. Unless Hal is willing to upend the entire structure of the film for V2, that should be kept in the Redux thread, methinks.
I’ll just say that I disagree with your analysis, Testing. There’s a lot of circular logic in your points, but I can only offer my own interpretation. I don’t think Rey’s arc was ever about being “loved”; it was about finding where she belongs. They’re similar, but not exactly the same. She doesn’t need other people to love her; hence why she was initially tough with Finn, rather than friendly. But she immediately likes Han, who represents a new mission. After Han she tries to go with Luke, when Luke fails her she goes to Kylo. She wants to belong with other people; she doesn’t want to be admired by them. That’s why her Force Vision shows her with no one but herself.
Maz even explictedly tells her “The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead.”
She believes this lie that the only way to feel happy, to feel loved is if she gains approval from others as well as if she pleases others which would then result in said others giving her the validation she desires to make herself feel happy; why do you think she freed BB-8 from Teedo? Why do you think she bypassed the compressor on the Falcon? Why do you think she told Luke that she would not fail him in the way Kylo Ren did?
I mean, it didn’t seem like she was worried about gaining anyone’s approval on Jakku. (Remember when she didn’t sell BB-8?) And I just thought she did those things because she’s, ya know, nice? Maybe I’m reaching.
Again, let’s move this discussion to another forum though.
Nah. Below is why.
I don’t think Rey’s arc was ever about being “loved”; it was about finding where she belongs.
She clearly shows signs of low self-worth throughout the trilogy, especially TFA & TLJ:
She rejects the Skywalker saber and her place as a Hero from Maz (now, you could argue that she was scared, but she was calmed down by Maz immediately afterwards) - implies she doesn’t think she deserves to be the Hero.
She wants Luke and Ben to be the Hero in TLJ - implies she doesn’t think she deserves to be the Hero, and it’s only after the throne room scene when she is forced to be said Hero.
She bypasses the compressor, literally spells it out word-by-word to him desperately, he shrugs it off without caring and this causes Rey to look away in disappointment - implies she seeks validation, and in turn that she doesn’t give herself any self-value. She also cries in TLJ when she realizes she’s failed to redeem Kylo, that she’s let the Resistance down.
She overcompensates by trying to show her worth, trying to prove herself to others, like when she insists: “Kylo failed you, I won’t.” This is also something Kylo addresses in TRoS: “You wanted to prove to my mother that you were a Jedi, but you’ve proven something else.”
She hastily attaches herself to other people, including Han, to the point where she cries whilst seeing him being brutally murdered by Ren despite barely ever spending time with him.
She blames herself for apparently killing Chewie in TRoS.
She has misplaced and inappropriate outbursts of anger, especially in TLJ (when she hits Luke from behind) and TRoS (when she stabs Kylo), despite having no reason to, other than an unconscious core belief of self-worthlessness being the only explanation.
She doesn’t need other people to love her; hence why she was initially tough with Finn, rather than friendly.
What? BB-8 convinced her that Finn stole Poe’s jacket. And he’s literally grabbing her hand without permission despite her being capable of escaping from the TIEs on her own.
But she immediately likes Han, who represents a new mission.
No. She sees him as a father figure, as Kylo confirms in TFA and TLJ, respectively. And, as I stated, she seeks validation/admiration from him, as shown in the compressor scene.
After Han she tries to go with Luke, when Luke fails her she goes to Kylo.
No. She sees Luke as a father figure as well and seeks her place to use it to justify her parents’ abandonment of her so she wouldn’t feel worthless, and she goes to Kylo because she was alone in the cave and didn’t want to feel alone - which is another symptom of her feelings of self-worthlessness, as she could just give herself some kind of feeling so she wouldn’t feel alone when it’s just her. You get the point.
I mean, it didn’t seem like she was worried about gaining anyone’s approval on Jakku. (Remember when she didn’t sell BB-8?)
My pointers of Rey seeking validation rely on inferences and subtext. They don’t have to be explicitly shown or addressed in the movie, otherwise it’d be spoonfeeding/pandering/yadda yadda, you get the point.
You do have a point about Rey not selling BB-8 to Unkar, but I still stand by my other points of her seeking validation from people.
Maz even explictedly tells her “The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead.”
She needs belonging so she wouldn’t feel alone, as stated above.
And I just thought she did those things because she’s, ya know, nice? Maybe I’m reaching.
Yeah, you’re reaching. And I debunked those pointers above.