Rey Skywalker is the most recent member of the Skywalker family, introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as the newest protagonist for the next saga of movies.
With unique force abilities, notable combat abilities and the power of the Skywalker bloodline, it’s no surprise that Rey Skywalker rapidly became one of the most well-known and popular Star Wars characters to exist.
From being able to pass objects through the fabric of space and time, to tapping into the minds of other force users, Rey Skywalker displayed never-before seen skills that both enticed and confused viewers.
However, the most controversial ability that Rey Skywalker has is the ability to use force lightning. Once classed as a forbidden force power by the Jedi Order, only a few Jedi had the ability to use it, such as Plo Koon and Jacen Solo – but even then, this was only possible after extensive training and practice.
Wondering how Rey was able to use force lightning? Want to know more about her character? You’ve come to the right place.
Here’s everything that you need to know about Rey and her force lightning.
Who Is Rey?
Rey Skywalker was a female Jedi Master born in 15 ABY during the rise of the New Republic. Her father, Dathan, was a bioengineered Strand-Cast that was cloned from the genetic template of Darth Sidious, and her mother, Miramir, was a junk trader.
As the daughter of a Strand-Cast of Darth Sidious, Rey Skywalker inherited the unique force ability that Darth Sidious had, leading to a claim of the Skywalker name. Both parents tried to hide Rey Skywalker’s abilities by working as junk traders, although this did nothing to stop the progression of her attachment to the force.
Growing up, Rey Skywalker began to grow her force abilities to unseen lengths, leading to abilities such as force healing and force lightning that she displayed on screen numerous times.
Although little was publicised about her force origins, it’s widely believed that they were gained from her attachment to Darth Sidious, which is why she was able to become so powerful so quickly.
How can Rey use Force Lightning?
Here are the top 3 reasons why Rey Skywalker was able to use force lightning.
#1 Relationship With Darth Sidious
The most plausible explanation for Rey’s abilities is that they are as a result of her heritage, and her link to Darth Sidious through her own father. As previously noted, this was Palpatine’s most famous power, so she may have inherited a natural talent for it.
This would mean that because Darth Sidious was particularly strong in this element of the force, Rey was able to become equally as proficient.
Furthermore, Rey Skywalker was in the perfect position to inherit Darth Sidious’ abilities; genetically speaking, the force user traits (such as a high midichlorian count, enhanced awareness and technical prowess) has completely skipped over her father, a clone of the Sith Lord. As a result, it was almost certain that Rey Skywalker would become a powerful force user.
#2 Relationship With The Jedi
Rey Skywalker may have been able to use force lightning because of her loosened relationship with the Jedi. Whilst she interacted and named herself a Jedi, she was not as trained or embedded in the order as other Jedi Knights, meaning that her relationship and boundaries were much looser.
This allowed greater room for the young force user to fluctuate between the light and the dark side of the force.
In one scene, as Rey begins to start a force lightning sequence, she meditates, giving herself over to the force calmly. However, the anger she was feeling at the time helped to propel the power that was demonstrated, resulting in a strong blast of force lightning.
Maybe, the reason that she could use typically-named dark side powers like this is because she had a looser understanding of the boundaries between the two sides.
#3 Foreshadowing and Plot Development
Lastly, one of the more technical reasons that Rey Skywalker may have been able to use force lightning was because it was a great way of foreshadowing future movies and developing the Star Wars plot in the long-term.
It’s no secret that Rey’s beginnings are very ambiguous. In terms of the movies, little is known about her upbringing, her parents or their abilities. As a result, by showing the audience that Rey can use force lightning, the developers are demonstrating a clear link between her and one of Star Wars’ oldest villains, Darth Sidious.
This would help the franchise to increase sales of their new ‘rebrand’ of Star Wars, following on from Disney’s desire to begin moving away from the traditional tale of Star Wars whilst still maintaining the nostalgia effect.
Alternatively, the power may have made a feature as plot development for the film; it helps to show Rey getting stronger as the journey progresses, and gives the viewers hope that maybe she will be able to overcome the evil that crowds around her.
Conclusion
Rey Skywalker is a unique and interesting character. With many different abilities and links to our beloved Star Wars story, there is no doubt that she’s around to stay.
Although ambiguous, it can be determined that her powers canonically came from her relations to Darth Sidious.
However, in a more practical sense, it may have been implemented as foreshadowing and plot development for future viewers to progress the story.
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