New Star Wars 9 Rumour Hints Rey’s A Kenobi?
Maybe she's not a nobody after all.
After two years of theorising over whether she was a Skywalker, a Palpatine, a Kenobi or someone else entirely, Star Wars: The Last Jedi revealed that Rey's parents were nobodies.
However, with J.J. Abrams, who created the character of Rey, returning to direct and co-write the final instalment there is a chance for that to be changed. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson himself admitted that it was still open, while Simon Pegg, who had a cameo in The Force Awakens and is close with Abrams, said that J.J. had a different idea for Rey's parentage.
Now a new rumour only adds to the possibility of another twist in the tale of Rey's lineage. As reported by The Sun, Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi is set to cameo in Episode IX. Obviously this is unverified and requires a massive dose of salt, but if it is true then it could have some serious implications for Rey.
As it stands, there's no obvious reason for Obi-Wan to appear. Both Han Solo and Luke Skywalker are dead, and although Episode VIII ends with Princess/General Leia still alive, Carrie Fisher's passing means she won't be in Episode IX either. While Ben Solo is named after Obi-Wan, there aren't any characters left who'd recognise him.
It could be that he simply appears as a Force Ghost alongside Luke, in a similar fashion to Yoda in The Last Jedi. But a more out there notion is that it's to connect back to Rey, with Abrams getting the chance to give his own parentage reveal.
Back in The Force Awakens, Rey's Force vision included dialogue from Obi-Wan - some of which was provided by McGregor - including the character saying "Rey, these are your first steps." That movie makes other parallels between the characters too, most notably in the Jedi mind trick scene, but also in both costumes and accents as well.
The Last Jedi may have revealed that Rey's parents were good-for-nothings who sold her off for drinking money, but here Abrams can have his cake and eat it: he gets to use what might have been his plan all along, with Rey being the granddaughter or some other descendant of Obi-Wan, while Johnson's own reveal is still true, from a certain point of view.
Whether it should happen or not is a different matter. Many were unhappy with the reveal, but it is what hits Rey hardest and feels like a natural fit, rather than shoehorning in that she's related to this character or that one. At the same time, Rey being a relative of someone we know is very much an Abrams kind of move, and he'll no doubt be looking to include plenty of fan-service moments in Episode IX, so it's not out of the question.
Of course, this'll all be rendered moot if McGregor isn't in Episode IX, but for now - and with a year-and-a-half before the movie is released - it's an intriguing possibility.
Do you think Episode IX will make Rey a Kenobi? Should it? Share your thoughts down in the comments.