Star Wars: The Force Awakens may have subtly revealed Rey Skywalker’s most incredible Force power—and perhaps the most incredible power in Star Wars—9 years ago. In The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren had an odd reaction upon hearing a girl was traveling with the rogue stormtrooper and the droid carrying the map to Luke Skywalker. Kylo pulled the messenger in with a Force choke and demanded, “What girl?” This was bizarre, as it expressed concern over something that seemed inconsequential (the real issue was the map), almost as if he knew such a girl could be coming.

However, this strange response may reflect something much deeper and much more exciting for Star Wars movies and TV shows, including upcoming Star Wars movies. Indeed, this moment, and one other key scene in The Force Awakens may have introduced a brand-new ability among Star Wars’ Force powers that went entirely undetected. If true, this could have massive implications for the future of Star Wars, especially Rey’s upcoming Star Wars movie.

Rey’s “Forceback” In The Force Awakens Is Unlike Other Star Wars Visions

In The Force Awakens, Rey, Finn, Han Solo, and Chewbacca sought Maz Kanata for assistance, where it was shockingly revealed that Maz had Anakin Skywalker’s old lightsaber. When it called out to Rey, she found it hidden away in Maz’s castle; however, as she reached for it, she was suddenly thrown into moments from the past, from Luke Skywalker sitting in the rain with his hand on R2-D2 to Kylo Ren standing with the Knights of Ren. Although this certainly wasn’t the first example of Force visions in Star Wars, it felt quite distinct from those that had come before.

Some of the most prominent Force visions in Star Wars include those of Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, which both saw Anakin having nightmares about his mother’s death and Padmé’s death. Tragically, these events did come to pass, and they were therefore more conventional visions; essentially, Anakin was seeing into the future. Similarly, in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano began having visions—also as nightmares—of Padmé being assassinated. This example was a bit distinct, as Ahsoka was able to change Padmé’s fate.

However, Rey’s vision in The Force Awakens was entirely unlike those examples. For one, Rey was seeing the past, not the future. For another, and more importantly, Rey was not a passive observer of the events unfolding. Rather, Rey was physically in these moments from the past, able to interact with those in the visions, and they were able to interact with her. One key example was in the scene with Kylo Ren and the Knights of Ren, in which Kylo turned, saw her, and began advancing toward her.

Did Rey Actually Travel With Time Through The Force?

Given Rey’s ability to interact with these moments in the past, it seems possible that, rather than a vision, Rey had truly entered that point in time. This could be made possible by the Force Dyad, a new Star Wars concept introduced in the sequel trilogy that enabled Kylo Ren and Rey to pull off their incredible Force feats, such as passing a lightsaber through space and experiencing their Force bonds, which brought them face-to-face at random moments and when they were far apart. In fact, time travel may very well be a Force Dyad power.

This would also explain Kylo Ren’s odd reaction to hearing about the girl with Finn and BB-8. His alarm, which was otherwise a bit strange, could have been because he’d feared the girl he’d once seen appear and disappear in front of him. That is, if Rey’s exposure to the past wasn’t through visions but rather through a form of time travel via the Force, Kylo Ren would undoubtedly have remembered such a shocking moment and been wary of the power the Force-user he saw would have possessed.

Rey & Kylo Ren Never Mastered The Force Dyad

This power may also have been one unique to Kylo Ren and Rey as two parts of the Force Dyad. Notably, when Rey entered the memory of Luke watching the Temple burn, Luke didn’t acknowledge her presence, nor did Unkar Plutt and little Rey when she jumped to the moment her parents left her behind on Jakku. As Kylo Ren was the only one to acknowledge and respond to her, that may be further confirmation that this ability was specific to the Dyad.

Unfortunately, this power wasn’t fully explored in the sequel trilogy. Although Rey does impressively manage to pass a lightsaber to Kylo Ren through space in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, that was the greatest feat the two accomplished (albeit an incredible one) through the Force Dyad. As Ben Solo also died at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, it seems unlikely the Dyad will be explored in more detail. Unfortunately, that may mean that this power doesn’t get further attention, even in Rey’s upcoming Star Wars movie.

Will Rey Still Possess This Force Power When She Leads Her New Jedi Order?

Star Wars has yet to confirm that the powers afforded to Rey through the Force Dyad will be cut off now that Ben has died. His death came at the end of the movie, so the implications of it, particularly for Rey, have yet to be revealed. As Rey’s movie is set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, it’s a safe assumption that this will be one aspect of the new movie. This means Rey could maintain her powers, the potential time travel included, in this next phase of her story, which would mean incredible things for Star Wars.

As Rey is expected to establish a new Jedi Order, she could use this ability to her advantage, not only seeing the flaws of the prequel trilogy’s Jedi Order but also perhaps the very origins of the Jedi. This could even tie into yet another upcoming Star Wars movie, thought to be titled Dawn of the Jedi, which is set to reveal the very first Jedi. Whether the power is further developed, though, it’s possible that these scenes in Star Wars: The Force Awakens comprise Rey Skywalker’s most impressive Force power.

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  Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens

  Set 30 years after Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: The Force Awakens teams new heroes Finn (John Boyega), Rey (Daisy Ridley), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), who is now a General in the Rebel Alliance. Together they try to track down Luke Skywalker while battling the First Order, led by the villainous Kylo Ren. The Force Awakens is the first Star Wars film to be produced by Disney and was directed by JJ Abrams.

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  Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi

  In the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, General Leia Organa leads the Resistance forces against the First Order. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker struggles to come to terms with his past failures, while Rey urges him to train her in the Force and join the resistance. Culminating in a massive battle between the two armies, The Last Jedi raises the stakes of this intergalactic war, and sees the final fight of one beloved character.

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  Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker

  This is the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and serves as the culmination of the Skywalker saga. The film sees Rey (Daisy Ridley), Poe (Oscar Isaac), and Finn (John Boyega) team up to put an end to the First Order after Palpatine mysteriously returns. Jurassic World helmsman Colin Trevorrow was originally named director back in 2015 when the film first entered development, but he parted ways with Lucasfilm due to creative differences over the script. In September 2017, Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams signed on to finish what he started.

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