Poll Is Rey a Mary Sue?

[Campe]

To be fair, Bryce Dallas Howard and Deborah Chow are directing episodes of The Mandalorian. The later will also be directing the Obi-Wan series. Leigh Brackett wrote the initial draft of Empire. And multiple female writers have written episodes of The Clone Wars, Rebels and Resistance.

Still, I have no issue with Rey as a character or as the heroine in the sequel trilogy. And she most assuredly is not a Mary Sue.

 

[fireproof78]

I don’t think facts are going to sway this particular argument.

Let's keep it on the facts, even if they won't change minds.

 

[Set Harth]

The fact that Rey walks onto the Falcon and acts like she knows her way around a cockpit tells me that she's flown ships before.

More about her flying history is covered here.

My wife has been calling Luke a whiny brat since I met her in 1992.

But isn't that kind of the point?

Luke starts out whiny, but Rey can't possibly start that way, because that wouldn't be sufficiently feminist. She's gotta be supremely confident and able to handle anything right from the get-go.

 

[BillJ]

But isn't that kind of the point?

Luke starts out whiny, but Rey can't possibly start that way, because that wouldn't be sufficiently feminist. She's gotta be supremely confident and able to handle anything right from the get-go.

My own take: someone who grew up on their own would have to develop confidence in order to survive.

And I’ve never heard anyone complain about Han Solo being confident.

 

[JD]

Lindsey Brigman from The Abyss.. another character written by James Cameron

I vaguely remember the character, but I don't really remember her standing out the way characters like Sarah Connor, Ripley, Buffy, or Sydney Bristow from Alias did.

 

[fireproof78]

Luke starts out whiny, but Rey can't possibly start that way, because that wouldn't be sufficiently feminist. She's gotta be supremely confident and able to handle anything right from the get-go.

Yes. She had to grow up to survive in a very harsh environment. Success breeds a certain level of confidence. In Han Solo, that's OK. In Rey that's not OK.

Some day, someone will figure out the reason why...?

 

[Professor Zoom]

This is not required of Luke or Anakin and it is bizarre.

it's almost as if... there's something...different about Rey than Luke or Anakin... hm....

 

[fireproof78]

it's almost as if... there's something...different about Rey than Luke or Anakin... hm....

I know...I'm just as confused as you are

 

[crookeddy]

it's almost as if... there's something...different about Rey than Luke or Anakin... hm....

Oh, oh, I know this one! She is not their father!

Did I get it?

 

[Campe]

She came from a planet full of sand!

No. That’s not it.

 

[fireproof78]

She came from a planet full of sand!

I don't like that!

Maybe she comes from a planet full of sand and wants to return there?

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Are you saying that no one ever criticized Luke and the original trilogy until the creation of Rey in The Force Awakens?

You sir, are full of shit or delusional. My wife has been calling Luke a whiny brat since I met her in 1992.

OMG, over the years I've heard people call Luke a whiny brat, Aryan poster child, a droid slaver, a Gary Stu, ugly, short (not just Leia), a space hillbilly who loves his sister, and a borderline serial killer for bullseyeing womp rats and not showing any emotions over the death of his aunt and uncle or remorse over killing millions(?) on the Death Star. I'm not saying I agree with all of those, so I'm not going to argue the points, just saying I've heard 'em over the past 42 years of Star Wars fandom.

 

[Campe]

OMG, over the years I've heard people call Luke a whiny brat, Aryan poster child, a droid slaver, a Gary Stu, ugly, short (not just Leia), a space hillbilly who loves his sister, and a borderline serial killer for bullseyeing womp rats and not showing any emotions over the death of his aunt and uncle or remorse over killing millions(?) on the Death Star. I'm not saying I agree with all of those, so I'm not going to argue the points, just saying I've heard 'em over the past 42 years of Star Wars fandom.

But nah, he’s always been a perfectly fine character. No one would ever complain about such things. There are explanations, ya see!

 

[fireproof78]

But nah, he’s always been a perfectly fine character. No one would ever complain about such things. There are explanations, ya see!

And if there are explanations then it must be ok, right?

 

[Campe]

And if there are explanations then it must be ok, right?

Only so long as the explanations are shallow and full of double standards.

 

[Set Harth]

She is not their father!

She is also not their daughter!

 

[crookeddy]

She is also not their daughter!

Or so we've been told.

 

[Skipper]

Or so we've been told.

 

[Skipper]

So, the best argument for why Rey is a Mary Sue that I read on this thread is "Because I say so!", right?

Airtight!

 

[Campe]

Because... um... reasons!