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Does Rey's Accent Hold Clues To Her Heritage?

by Amy Mackelden

Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens has left fans with so many questions. In fact, most people are watching the movie more than once to ascertain what happened, scouting for clues they might have missed the first time, and trying to solve the many mysteries the movie sets up. One of the biggest mysteries of all, of course, is figuring out who Rey's parents are. While many theories name Luke as Rey's father, due to the fact that his lightsaber called to her specifically, some people aren't convinced that this is the case. Other theories suggest that Han Solo and General Leia are Rey's parents, which would make her Kylo Ren's sister. While Rey appeared to have an instant kinship with Han, Leia, and Kylo Ren, are these theories just too simple to be true? Also, why is Rey the only one to speak with a British, or Coruscanti in the Star Wars universe, accent? Is her accent actually the most important clue of all?

When we meet her in Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, Rey is living alone on Jakku, and has been for years. She's waiting for her family to return, and still believes that they will. So who is Rey waiting for, and do they all speak with British accents too? Is her accent the biggest clue to her heritage that we have yet to examine?

Writing about Rey's accent for Vox, Matthew Yglesias says, "She speaks with a Coruscanti accent, because Core-style speech is her native dialect, even though it's not a dialect people would speak on Jakku." The fact that, in the Star Wars universe, natives of Jakku wouldn't speak with this accent means that Rey wasn't born on that planet. It also likely means that Han Solo and General Leia aren't Rey's parents, although there is the possibility that, as she wasn't raised by her family, she has picked up her accent from elsewhere.

However, I actually think her accent is the biggest clue of all to her parentage, and it has me pretty much convinced that neither Luke nor Leia are her parents. Brace yourselves, because I'm going deep with this one, and I have my brother to thank for initially pointing out this idea to me. During Rey's vision, when Luke's lightsaber calls out to her for the first time, a voice speaks her name clearly. And whose voice was it? Luke, or Han, or Leia's? None of those. It's only Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The fact that Obi-Wan Kenobi is always portrayed with a British, or Coruscanti accent, by both Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness, indicates a possible connection between to Rey and Obi-Wan. Of course, because of Luke and Obi-Wan's strong connection, it's possible that the reason Rey hears Obi-Wan's voice is that her father was so close to him. But what if she is a Kenobi? Wouldn't that explain Rey's instant grasp of the Force, and her abilities at just about everything? It would surely also explain the instant connections she seems to forge with Han, Leia, and Chewbacca.

Rey's accent is certainly an important clue, and one which will hopefully be revealed in Episode VIII (2017 for the win, people!). For now I'm sticking with the theory that Rey is a Kenobi, and not Luke or Leia's daughter. Daisy Ridley was cast, and asked to play the character with her British accent, for a reason. And maybe this is it.

Image: Walt Disney Motion Pictures/Lucasfilm (3)