The heroine Rey’s path in the Star Wars sequel trilogy has sparked much debate amongst fans about whether she is truly a Jedi or a Grey Jedi. Her unusual training and use of both the light and dark sides of the Force raises questions about where she stands within the Jedi tradition. In this article, we’ll analyze Rey’s origins, powers, and choices to determine if she embodies the Jedi code or forges her own grey path.
What is a Grey Jedi?
First, to understand Rey’s standing, we must define what a Grey Jedi is. Grey Jedi walk a middle ground between the light side Jedi and dark side Sith. They break from Jedi dogma and are open to using emotions and darker side abilities. However, they still follow the will of the Force and try to achieve balance like the Jedi. Their grey morality allows a flexibility that strict light and dark sides do not.
Notable Grey Jedi from Star Wars lore include Qui-Gon Jinn for his disagreements with the Jedi Council, Ahsoka Tano for leaving the Jedi Order, and Jolee Bindo from Knights of the Old Republic for using both sides of the Force. Rey shares similarities with these figures in her unorthodox power and training.
Rey’s Backstory
To begin analyzing Rey’s path, we must start with her origins. Rey was born 11 years after Return of the Jedi. She was the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine and daughter of one of his failed clone sons. However, her parents chose to be nobodies and hide Rey on the planet Jakku to protect her from Palpatine. Rey was abandoned at a young age and waited years for her parents’ return on the desert planet.
Rey’s lineage connects her to the dark side from birth. However, without parents to guide her training, she lacked a clear direction to the light or dark side. Her life on Jakku gave her self-reliance and scavenging skills but left her unaware of her strength with the Force. Once thrust into the galactic conflict in The Force Awakens, Rey would need to forge her own path as a Force user.
Rey’s Training and Mentors
A key element of Rey’s destiny was her sparse training. She did not attend Luke Skywalker’s rebuilt Jedi academy as other sequel heroes like Ben Solo did. Her abilities were awakened by her bond with the Skywalker lightsaber and encounter with Kylo Ren. This more natural awakening echoes the Grey Jedi’s trust in the will of the Force.
Rey’s main mentor was Luke Skywalker. However, Luke was disillusioned with the old Jedi ways after his failure with training Ben Solo. He taught Rey some basics but was reluctant to fully train her. Their unorthodox master-student relationship allowed Rey to learn from a Jedi legend while still charting her own course. She took the ancient Jedi texts to learn their ways but did not bind herself to their strict dogma.
Rey’s other mentor was Leia Organa. Leia’s Jedi training had been cut short in her youth. Her guidance focused more on hope and perseverance than specific abilities. This softer mentoring encouraged Rey’s sensitivity and emotional openness over rigid training. It allowed her to stay true to her heart despite her dark lineage.
Key Events in Rey’s Training
| Event | Significance |
|---|---|
| Bonding with Anakin’s lightsaber | Awakens her latent Force potential |
| Mind probe by Kylo Ren | Rey able to reverse probe and enter Ren’s mind |
| Partial Jedi Training with Luke | Learns basics but remains unbound to Jedi code |
| Taking the ancient Jedi texts | Seeks wider Jedi knowledge beyond Luke’s limited teaching |
| Training with Leia Organa | Softer mentorship focused on emotional sensitivity |
This mix of strong latent power, partial training, and varied mentors allowed Rey to harness both the light and dark on her own terms.
Rey’s Abilities and Force Use
Throughout the sequel trilogy, Rey displays an impressive command of Force abilities drawing from both the light and dark side. She grows quickly in power, summoning advanced skills such as telekinesis, lightsaber combat, and mind tricks with little formal training. Her blend of light and dark powers stays true to the Grey Jedi’s flexible philosophy.
Light Side Abilities
- Telekinesis – lifts rocks to escape cave on Ahch-To
- Mind tricks – convinces Daniel Craig’s stormtrooper to free her
- Force healing – heals Kylo Ren’s fatal wound on Kef Bir
- Force vision – sees Kylo’s future on Ahch-To through their bond
Dark Side Abilities
- Force lightning – destroys transport ship on Pasaana
- Force drain – drains life from Kylo Ren to heal herself
- Psychometry – views Kylo’s past by touching his lightsaber
- Rage – taps into anger in duels with Kylo
This duality of light and dark side skills shows Rey’s flexibility as a Force user. She harnesses whatever abilities suit her in the moment regardless of strict Jedi codes. Her power continues to grow through the trilogy as she balances these light and dark techniques.
Rey’s Lightsaber Color
The color of a Jedi’s lightsaber also symbolic of their path. Most traditional Jedi wield blue or green blades. Red blades signify the dark side Sith. Purple and yellow blades are more unusual colors for Jedi Council masters or temple guards.
In Rise of Skywalker, Rey constructs her own unique lightsaber after Luke and Leia’s sabers are destroyed. Her new saber uses part of her staff and emits a yellow plasma blade. Yellow blades have very rare in Star Wars lore but are associated with Jedi temple guards and sentinels. The yellow evokes Rey’s desire to honor the old Jedi ways while still charting her own path. Her scavenged, homemade hilt reinforces her unexpected destiny and independence from rigid training.
The yellow saber helps solidify Rey’s place as a Grey Jedi. It separates her from the traditional blue and green blades of the Jedi while still avoiding the red of the Sith. The temple guard yellow reinforces her role as a watcher and guardian of balance in the Force.
Rey’s Choices
Rey’s biggest choices throughout the sequel trilogy also support her Grey Jedi leanings. She rejects the dark side temptation from Palpatine and Kylo Ren and chooses to stay true to the light. However, she does so in her own way that leaves behind the rigid old Jedi code.
Key Choices
- Refuses to join Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi
- Saves the Resistance fleet after Luke’s passing
- Seeks balance by healing Kylo Ren on Kef Bir
- Chooses the Skywalker name to honor mentors
- Rejects Palpatine’s call to the throne and dark side
These key moments show Rey’s commitment to the light but on her own terms. She displays compassion in saving the Resistance and redeeming Kylo Ren while rejecting the temptations of power from Palpatine. She chooses to honor her mentors Luke and Leia but does not bind herself to the old Jedi code. Her blend of emotion, light, and dark powers walks the Grey path.
Conclusion
After analyzing Rey’s backstory, training, abilities, and choices, the evidence clearly frames her as a Grey Jedi. She maintains her dedication to the light side but operates outside the Jedi’s strict dogma. Her natural strength with the Force and varied mentors allowed her to forge a grey path as a powerful warrior. Rey’s mix of light side compassion and dark side strength makes her an embodiment of the Grey Jedi philosophy. While the Jedi may be gone, her balance of light and dark ensures the Force lives on.
