The final moments of J. J. Abrams’ Episode VII of the Star Wars saga unsurprisngly gave us more questions than answers. For a film that was based around the search for Luke Skywalker, the few minutes at the film’s close of the hermit-like Jedi being found by Rey was scant consolation. Famously Mark Hamill uttered no words, although internet speculation before the release of The Force Awakens pointed to some ridiculous and hilarious speculation of a line he had which was cut. In a first for the saga Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi will pick up right after the end of Episode VII, but what will Luke (eventually) say to Rey?
It appears that the question has now been answered. Covering the annual Disney Shareholders meeting in Denver today Los Angeles Times journalist Daniel Miller is currently tweeting through the event, which included a brief selection of clips from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. And it seems shareholders got to see what happened after this moment…
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" clip is being screened. But it's a joke, sort of! We just got a few seconds of Rey handing Luke a lightsaber.
— Daniel Miller (@DanielNMiller) March 8, 2017
Given the secrecy surrounding the project this was something of an obvious joke. Thankfully when the laughter died down more footage was shown, including an important moment fans have been waiting for.
We just saw more "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" footage. In it, Luke asks Rey, "Who are you?" Then we see her deftly handle a lightsaber.
— Daniel Miller (@DanielNMiller) March 8, 2017
Now, to paraphrase a famous Star Wars quote – ‘This is where the speculation begins…’. There is a vociferous section of Star Wars fans who believe Rey is Luke’s daughter. There are a number of subreddits dedicated to picking apart any new piece of information, and in these places you will find intricately detailed speculations of exactly why Rey is (or isn’t) a Skywalker. You can bet that there is already a healthy foundation of conjecture already beginning.
Further details from Miller give us a few other details about what’s to come. None of unexpected, but certainly interesting for us rabid fans.
Also making appearances in "The Last Jedi" footage: Chewbacca, General Leia Organa and Finn.
— Daniel Miller (@DanielNMiller) March 8, 2017
More on "The Last Jedi" clip, since ppl are asking: General Leia Organa was onscreen for just a second in military garb and didn't speak.
— Daniel Miller (@DanielNMiller) March 8, 2017
One last thing on the "Last Jedi" footage: We saw all sorts of settings — mountains, oceans, forests, deserts. Look suitably epic, exotic.
— Daniel Miller (@DanielNMiller) March 8, 2017
More on "The Last Jedi" clip: We saw a shot of an X-wing wobbling mid-air, under attack inside a giant ship. Looked like a wounded bird.
— Daniel Miller (@DanielNMiller) March 8, 2017
The interesting thing about this reveal (or at least how you’re interpreting it) is that it highly contrasts with what is leaked from the script for “The Force Awakens” end scene by WGA, which was confirmed to be authentic by Pablo Hidalgo and says that Luke “doesn’t need to ask [Rey] who she is or what she is doing here.” So if Luke is asking Rey who she is, it’s probably not because he’s just as clueless about her origins as we are, but because he just wants to confirm what he already knows (or at least suspects) about her.
That’s a very interesting interpretation – it’s three words, and the same three words Maz asked her in TFA and it’s pretty much a statement of intent – these films may well be about who exactly she is. Maybe who she will become, rather than who she was before. As Maz said – The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead.