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The main character taking the last name Skywalker by choice democratizes the most important/prominent legacy in Star Wars, and as a result does actually democratize the Force. Her having her own legacy to leave doesn’t take from this point.
There was so much talk about how the ST could make the Force for everyone and it does actually. The Space Devil’s Granddaughter purified one legacy, redeemed another by taking up its mantle, and so opened the door for others to choose their own legacy and fates.
Ben and Rey were a dyad, imo, in large part because their families are linked and had been for some time. Their fates were connected because their families’ fates were connected. How that happened we don’t know and what grew out of that was up to them.
The Skywalkers fell when one was given a new name and a Skywalker rose when she took that name back from the one who held power over it.
A Skywalker took the life of a Palpatine and while peace came for a time, the cycle wasn’t broken. A Skywalker finished what his grandfather started by giving life to a Palpatine and now there’s a chance for things to be different.
The criticism that two families held control of the Force, imo, is a lot like the criticism that the Jedi were too stiff and arrogant in the PT... the criticism is the point!
The ST didn’t start with the democratization of the Force. TFA doesn’t show us this already happening. TRoS showed us this finally being achieved. The the Balacing family finally came together, albeit unconventionally, to stand against the imbalance (Palpatine)
The Skywalkers and the Palpatines *do* represent the powerful families owning the Force and the vanity of it. Moreso than the Jedi do by the time we reach the OT. Leia’s love for Rey while knowing what she represents, Rey’s love for others, including Ben imo, her compassion...
Rey’s compassion, which I would argue is unconditional love, is essential to her life now as a Jedi. And how she could restore what was always meant to be in the galaxy. What the Skywalkers were meant to do. Bring balance.
Before TRoS I would say the one thing I didn’t want was for Anakin’s legacy to be outdone. Be unimportant. That Anakin needed to be the Chosen One. In a way... I got my unwish. But oddly, I loved how they did it. Because of everything I’ve said above. And because of the following
I can’t take credit for this. It was my co-host’s thought. But I love the idea that it’s the Skywalker family that’s now the Chosen One. I’ve never liked the idea that Luke was the Chosen One and not Anakin. But now I live the idea he’s an extension of him. As are Leia and Ben.
That maybe the Jedi couldn’t conceive of a Chosen Family because they... don’t have family. That the reason Luke could do what he did was because he had some Choseness. Not *instead* of Anakin. But because of Anakin. Maybe there isn’t a One.
Again, let’s think about the importance of a name for a brief second.
The idea that we inherent a legacy from our parents is true from a micro level, but also a macro/cultural level. It’s why people fight for justice or the environment. “What are we leaving for our children?” The Skywalkers are the embodiment of that. As is Palpatine.
Palpatine is meant to be a legacy of evil in the world. But the Skywalkers are the legacy of failed heroes. No they don’t fail all of the time. They achieve a lot of good. They also plunge the galaxy into darkness. Twice.
There’s something deeper here for us. We see ourselves as heroes, or we wish we could. But what are we doing? What part are we playing? What bigger failures do we perpetuate thinking ourselves valiant?
It’s the system, right? We fight against a broken system. That’s what today’s unrest is about. That’s what every real world fight worth fighting has been about. Rey was the heir of a broken system. And she burned to the ground and brought gave new life to the good system now gone
Not just the Jedi, that was the best gif I could find. But the Skywalkers, the Force’s Chosen, also. And as a result corrects the system. Now the Chosen have gone home to the Force that gave birth to them. And the redeemer takes her new name and watches over a balanced galaxy
Rey No Longer Palpatine Skywalker, made by her own choices, saved by the life of her soulmate yes- but also the heir of the family that should have fought her, is the manifestation of a balanced Force. Shown in her name.
And because that person who should have been the system, broke the system instead, the people of the galaxy now have a chance to find who they are in the Force.
TL;DR normalize taking the last name Skywalker.
(The more I look at the gifs I chose and the options I had that the thought process behind them the more I notice the representation gap and... Finn and Jannah are important and we need them. And others.)
Okay thank you all for some amazing discussion but I’m exhausted 
if ignore you now I’m sorry.
if ignore you now I’m sorry.
