Le_prequel_memer

I am by no means a sequel fan but I was curious what Rey defenders believe her arc is. This is the most coherent response I’ve found and it does make Rey seem more compelling a character.

I think that this is a good idea for an arc and while the hints of her characterization are there I have problems with the execution.

I personally would consider Rey and her plight of self worth way more compelling if her skillset wasn’t so robust and she wasnt so overly powerful. The reason that imposter syndrome is such a bitch in real life is because one has it in spite of working very hard to achieve something. She knows she’s put in the work, she knows all her skills and achievements, yet that feeling of inadequecy is there nonetheless. If Rey had started off as Force sensitive but not having a skill useful for every situation, like when she inexplicably pilots the Falcon in ep 7 (Not every mechanic is an ace pilot), it would make her feel more grounded as a character while also giving characters like Finn a much deserved time to shine. Even Luke never sat in the driver’s seat of the Falcon.

Then there’s the issue of plot convenience and Rey’s character flaw only coming into play in low stakes situations. She loses control of her emotions but no one ever suffers as a result. There are no tangible consequences for her failures. I got so excited when Rey blew up the ship with Chewie on it (“Oh shit, she actually made a mistake with lasting consequences?!”) and then immediately all the tension is removed when it turns out Chewie’s alive. And that’s just one example. At the end of the day a lot of these flaws are told rather than shown, and the consequences of these flaws are virtually non-existent.

Compare that to Luke and Anakin, who’s recklessness and anger causes them to lose a limb (multiple in Anakin’s case).

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t need Rey to lose a hand to make her arc seem compelling. But like, what if her lack of emotional control leads her to cut off Snoke’s arm instead of Snoke dying in TLJ? That would not only draw a cool symbolic parallel to Luke, but the Sith lord could play her anger to his advantage, y’know, the whole

“Good, good, I can feel your angah…strike me down with all your hatred” thing. Except unlike Luke who just shrugs the temptation off, this misstep actually causes Rey to question whether she can truly be a Jedi. I mean, she lost control once, who’s to say she can’t do it again.

More moments like that would have solidified the character and made her come off as not a Mary-Sue.