Star Wars is doubling down on the controversial “Rey Skywalker” moment at the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Since 2019, Star Wars has effectively been relegated to the small screen, with Lucasfilm struggling to figure out the franchise’s cinematic future. All that changed from last year’s Star Wars Celebration, when Lucasfilm finally announced a slate of upcoming Star Wars movies. One of the most intriguing, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, will feature the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey as she establishes a new Jedi Order.

Precious little is known about this movie, which is generally believed to be called “Star Wars: New Jedi Order.” Obaid-Chinoy finally broke her silence in a recent interview, though, revealing she’s had discussions with everybody from J.J. Abrams to George Lucas himself – a particularly exciting development. Set 15 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it will also apparently feature Rey’s new Jedi Academy. But one detail stood out in the interview for many viewers – that Obaid-Chinoy intends to double down on “Rey Skywalker.”

Rey Skywalker Was Controversial – But It’s Sticking

The end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker saw Rey claim the Skywalker surname as her own, as the Force Ghosts of Luke and Leia looked on approvingly. This proved to be a controversial choice, with some parts of the fanbase insisting she hasn’t earned it, but it was based on a deliberate decision by Lucasfilm to subtly redefine what it means to be a Skywalker. According to The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, this had been planned all along, with the book containing comments from Pablo Hidalgo dating back to before the sequels began.

“I like the idea that she’s going to be our Skywalker, but she’s not a Skywalker. Then, for our purposes, ‘the Skywalker’ is really a metaphor. It doesn’t have to be something that’s directly connected to blood.”

In her latest interview, Obaid-Chinoy emphasizes that Daisy Ridley’s character is “Rey Skywalker.” The implication is that she sees Rey’s path as complete because the Jedi Master has found a center for her identity, and that is in her being a Skywalker. As controversial as this may have been, Obaid-Chinoy is doubling down on it.

Rey Is The Legacy Of The Skywalkers

This is undoubtedly the right call for Lucasfilm, because Rey has essentially become the Skywalker legacy. She was trained by both Luke and Leia, and she has resolved to continue the Jedi Order that they founded. Even more importantly, though, she does not come from the place Luke began – of veneration for the Jedi. She is well aware of their flaws and faults, and she knows they must be reinvented for a new age.

To be a Skywalker is to be an agent of balance, and it will be thrilling to see how this affects Rey as she restores the Jedi Order. The early Jedi considered balance to be another side of the Force, like light and dark, and it’s possible Rey will have come to the same conclusion. If so, her new Jedi Order could be unlike anything seen in Star Wars before.