Fan Theory: Could Rey Actually Be A Skywalker?
Image Source: JoBlo
Some fans took umbridge with Rey returning to Tatooine and taking the last name Skywalker, but she might actually have a genuine claim to the bloodline. Rey is the daughter of one of the Emperor’s clones, but this is a more complex issue than it first appears. The ending of Star Wars: Episode IX - Rise of the Skywalker may indicate something that was hidden in Rey’s biology all along.
What Is Strand-casting?
Palpatine’s clones were not created in the same way as the Jango Fett duplicates for the Clone Wars. They weren’t cell for cell copies. He used a technique known as strand-casting. This involved adding genes to a base template, with the hope of producing a force-sensitive being strong enough to hold the Emperor Re-born.
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Sheev’s DNA was merged with others to try and get a workable clone. Dr Pershing in The Mandalorian, explains that the best genetic code was taken from multiple individuals, rather than just one source.
Sheev’s knowledge is likely to have come from the Kaminoans and the subsequent work done on Mount Tantiss in The Bad Batch, where the Imperials attempted to harvest Omega’s blood, and cloned a Zilo Beast. However, the Sith Eternal Cult took over the work after setting up a cloning facility on the Sith world of Exegol.
The strand-cast technique was extremely unreliable and most of the clones died. There are only two survivors of the process that we know of. Snoke and Dathan.
Snoke was strong in the force, but was not the prettiest guy in the galaxy. Palpatine refused to claim him as his heir. Dathan had no force abilities whatsoever, therefore useless as a host. The Sith Eternal Cult let him live, just in case his kids were viable. And they were right, he fathered Rey.
So Where In This Do The Skywalkers Come In?
We know strand-casting is a mixture of DNA. So where did Palpatine get the rest of the genetic material from? Blood was taken from Omega, and other force sensitive children that were considered viable eg Grogu. But there was another force user with a lot more midi-chlorians that Sheev had regular access to.
Palpatine rescued Anakin personally from Mustafar and stayed by his side as he was transformed into Darth Vader. More than enough time to harvest a few cells. Anakin had a ridiculously high midi-chlorian count (which he definitely knew), and Palpatine potentially knew that Anakin had been born from a force intervention. He’d have had to have been an idiot not to have taken a sample or two.
Image Source: Nerdist
Although Exegol, his base of operations was not established until later, Palpatine was already thinking about extending his own life this early in the saga, as he mentions the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise in Attack of the Clones. Sheev cheekily stealing some extra crispy DNA from the chosen one and banking it for another day when he can get to a lab is absolutely within his character.
Palpatine wanted clones with strong force abilities, why wouldn’t he use his best resource? And the Skywalker line has already proven it can create life using the Force once. There’s a good chance it would be compatible with the process.
We do know that the DNA didn’t come from Luke Skywalker. Although the Emperor did have possession of his severed hand, Dathan was born twelve years before the Battle of Yavin, nine years before it was cut off.
Image Source: Cultureslate
Are There Any Similarities?
Besides them both being plucky down and out force users from desert worlds?
Anakin being able to control both the light and dark elements in the Mortis Arc makes so much sense in regards to Rey’s character and the way she wields the Force. In particular as part of her force dyad. The Jedi of the past speaking to her at the conclusion of the Rise of the Skywalker hints at a connection to the world between worlds.
The personality of the two is also similar, more so than Rey and Palpatine. Anakin always had strong relationships with others, even with droids and the clones in his unit. Rey also forms strong bonds quickly, completely unlike Palpatine who would happily let everyone around him burn.
Rey also owned Anakin’s lightsaber and laid it (along with Leia’s) to rest in the Lars homestead. But all the Skywalkers felt weirdly connected to her. Maybe a little too connected, Kylo Ren might have kissed his aunt. But smooching family is a Skywalker trait too.
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Source(s): The Nerdist, Wookieepedia
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