Finally, Star Wars makes room for some smart and exciting women who are more than just princesses.
1. Meet Rey, she’s a female Han Solo
Carrie Fisher, who plays Princess Leia, once said that when she read the very first script for Star Wars, she was more interested in playing Han Solo. It’s as if the filmmakers took her words and created Rey (Daisy Ridley), a bold, scrappy gal who’s just as clever and smart as Han Solo.
2. Rey can pilot the Millennium Falcon
There’s a reason why Rey is also a pilot and can command the famous spaceship that received its own applause the minute it appeared onscreen, but we won’t spoil that here. Let’s just say her mechanical savvy and navigational ability will come into play throughout the movie.
More: Star Wars for Dummies: What to know before seeing The Force Awakens
3. Rey is loyal to the bone
Having been abandoned by her family as a child, Rey’s parents promised to come back for her. We meet Rey as a young adult and she is still waiting for their return. Clearly, family comes first for this young woman, who seems as if she may have been inspired by another movie heroine, Katniss Everdeen, who fought in The Hunger Games to spare her sister.
4. Princess Leia on her own
Though they don’t explain why Princess Leia and Han Solo have been separated, the movie implies their strong personalities just couldn’t survive each other. While Leia Organa Solo doesn’t need a man and is perfectly capable of being on her own, her reunion with Han is wonderfully sweet and nostalgic.
More: Carrie Fisher was forced to lose weight for new Star Wars movie
5. Maz Kanata is a female Yoda-like character
Played by Lupita Nyong’o, Maz Kanata is an ex-pirate and now a wise old sage, much like Yoda, but with a strong maternal instinct. It is she who guides Rey to her true destiny.
6. Captain Phasma is Star Wars‘ first female villain
Played by Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), she is the boss-lady of the Stormtroopers. Because she is masked, however, her role is less reliant on her looks, like typical female villain stereotypes. Recently, Christie told Entertainment Weekly, “We relate to her character and actions rather than the way she’s been made flesh, due to the armor she wears; which is very practical. That to me seems like a step forward.”
More: 7 Easter eggs in the Star Wars trailer that gave us all the feels
7. Possible father/daughter relationship?
There is a mystery surrounding Rey: What happened to her parents and why does she seem to have powers related to The Force? This is just a guess, but we’re predicting that Rey is actually Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) daughter. As for her mother, we don’t know yet, we’ll just have to wait for the sequel to find out!
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