One highly controversial moment fromStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkermakes even less sense than it originally seemed based on Leia Organa’sStar Warshistory. DespiteStar Wars: The Force Awakensbeing released nearly a decade ago, the sequel trilogy remains a hot-button issue amongStar Warsmovies and TV shows. There have been a number ofproblems with the sequel trilogyindicated over the years, althoughRey choosing the last name Skywalker at the end ofThe Rise of Skywalkerremains one of the biggest complaints to date.
Many have argued that this name change made little sense either because Rey didn’t have a fair claim to the name or because the decision came out of left field. However,The Rise of Skywalkermakes it clear that Rey had Luke and Leia’s approval to take this name as her own. The bigger question is why Leia Organa felt strongly about it in the first place.
Leia Organa Gives Rey Her Blessing To Claim The Last Name Skywalker
The Rise Of Skywalker Makes It Clear That Luke And Leia Approve
At the end ofThe Rise of Skywalker, Rey visited the Lars home on Tatooine to bury Anakin Skywalker and Leia’s lightsabers. While doing so, an older woman comes across Rey and asks her name, at which point Rey introduces herself as"Rey Skywalker.“This immediately proved controversial, as did many choices inThe Rise of Skywalker, yet the movie attempts to protect itself from scrutiny on this matter.
As Rey buries the lightsabers and adopts the name Skywalker, the Force ghosts of Luke and Leia appear, smiling down upon her.This appearance of Luke and Leia as Force ghosts is clearly meant to symbolize their approval of Rey becoming a Skywalker. While this may work to support Rey’s claim to the name, though, it raises other questions, particularly regarding Leia’s own feelings about and use of the name.
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Leia Didn’t Want To Be Seen As A Skywalker
Skywalker Was Not A Name Leia Ever Chose For Herself
While many have taken issue with Rey becoming a Skywalker,the much more pressing question is why Leia would have had an opinion on the name to begin with.Star Warshas made it quite clear that Leia never identified as a Skywalker or used the name herself. In fact, theObi-Wan Kenobishow goes out of its way to confirm that Leia is"an Organa in every way.“Even outsideStar Wars’shows and movies, Leia’s fraught relationship withthe Skywalker family treewas evident.
Star Warshas made it quite clear that Leia never identified as a Skywalker or used the name herself.
In the canon bookStar Wars: Bloodline, written by Claudia Gray, Leia intentionally conceals her identity as a descendant of Anakin Skywalker. Leia holds a key position in the New Republic (unsurprisingly, given her considerable contributions to the Rebellion during the Dark Times), and she seems very aware that exposing her lineage, even when she still holds such animosity towards her biological father and all he did, could ruin that role and the perception of her across the galaxy. Given Leia’s desperation to keep this truth hidden, it’s odd that she would give Rey her blessing to use the name.
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These sentiments also went far beyond Leia not wanting to risk her political position. In Legends, Leia had a son named Anakin, revealing that she had grown to forgive Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader and accepted him as her biological father. This was not remotely the case in canon. In the canonStar Warstimeline, there’s little indication Leia ever forgave Anakin, and she certainly never used the name Leia Skywalker.
Will Star Wars Reveal Leia Forgave Anakin More Than We Think?
Leia Never Accepted Or Forgave Anakin Skywalker…On Screen
Given Leia’s rejection of her bloodline and continued connection to the Organa name and family,it’s difficult to understand why Rey would seek Leia’s approval to adopt the last name Skywalker and why Leia would grant it. One possibility is thatStar Warswill retroactively reveal Leia did forgive Anakin after all. It would be fairly easy to introduce this idea in Rey’s upcomingStar Warsmovie, rumored to be titledStar Wars: New Jedi Order. It could even be as simple as Rey saying Leia told her she forgave Anakin and embraced her lineage.
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Without some sort of explanation, this will remain an odd aspect ofStar Wars. Yes, Leia was a Skywalker by blood, and she loved her brother Luke, but her feelings about Vader and who her true father was were very well known. At present, it’s still quite strange that Leia Organa gave her seal of approval for Rey to take on the last name Skywalker inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Cast
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, released in December 2019, follows the surviving Resistance as they confront the First Order. The film continues the journey of Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron as they harness the power of past generations to engage in a climactic battle against the forces of tyranny.
