With the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker behind her, Rey is on a path to successfully revive the Jedi where Luke had ultimately failed. Though the two share similar roots, character journeys, and intentions, Rey’s advantages make her the more ideal candidate to breathe life into a new Jedi Order.
In becoming a Jedi, and subsequently becoming the sole Jedi Master in the galaxy, Luke Skywalker’s highs contrasted so drastically with his lows that the experience led him into isolation and exile. He ultimately rose to the occasion when all hope seemed lost in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but his journey from beginning to end was by no means without devastating hardships. On the other hand, Rey’s experience - from scavenging on Jakku to battling the Emperor on Exegol - successfully set her up to pioneer a new age of Jedi. Without Luke, Rey might have never had the guidance she needed to ultimately represent the spark of hope the Resistance needed to triumph over the First Order, but without Rey, the future of the Jedi might have never stood as strong a chance at sustaining themselves for generations to come.
Rey’s Intentions Mirror Luke’s for the Better
Though Luke and Rey’s journeys are similar on paper - both dreamt of leaving their dessert plan behind in exchange for a more fulfilling life, both trained to become Jedi under the tutelage of legendary masters who subverted their expectations, and both successfully overcame the dark side for the sake of the greater good - their core principles are starkly different. As with anyone, these principles were shaped in their most formative years, well before their stories were set into motion within their respective trilogies.
Despite the personal sacrifices he made in his pursuit to take down the empire, Luke’s journey was internal. His future was seemingly written as a moisture farmer on his aunt and uncle’s farm, so when he finally took his first steps to becoming a Jedi, he partially did so out of rebellion. He wanted to abandon course and escape his past, to be independent. In terms of complementing the Rebel Alliance - and, by extension, representing a force of good - it appropriately symbolized the overarching themes of the original trilogy. However, Rey’s journey was built on a very different foundation. Whereas Luke’s journey was internal, hers was external.
When Rey inadvertently embarked on her path to become a Jedi, she wasn’t seeking independence, but unity. She didn’t have the luxury of family, so her perspective and what she considered to be fulfilling differed dramatically from Luke’s. Instead of rebelling, she craved purpose. As early as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rey had hope that her family would come back to her, but it never happens - not in the literal way she expects. In the end, her arc allowed her to find her chosen family, become one part of a whole, take ownership of her path, and ultimately carve her own destiny.
Skywalkers Are Too Temperamental, While Palpatine’s Have a Proven Track Record
Though it’s fair to say that the Sith are objectively evil in the Star Wars universe, that’s not to say that Sheev Palpatine didn’t know what he was doing on his quest for power. He may have lost in the end, but, as early as Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Palpatine proved to be successful at rallying people to his cause and sustaining his efforts. With a combination of confidence, manipulation, and conviction, he climbed the ranks to emperor, all the while balancing a double life as leader of the Sith. His goals were malicious, but his follow-through was admirable.
His light side counterpart - the Skywalkers - were easy to foil. Over the course of nine films, their emotions proved to be their worst enemy. And, worst of all, this emotional handicap passed down from generation to generation. In the prequels, Anakin’s path to defeating the Sith ultimately crumbles on account of his inability to practice self-control, and the same disadvantage ends up applying to his son, Luke, whose emotional rollercoaster of a role within the saga leads to him personally triggering the rise of an entirely new galactic threat - the result of which (Kylo Ren) showcases his own emotional shortcomings (i.e. throwing temper tantrums with his lightsaber).
Rey might have abandoned her Palpatine legacy at the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but being a composed and strategic leader is in her blood. She essentially has the best of both worlds when it comes to reviving the Jedi; she has the wisdom and virtue of the Skywalkers, but the command and tenacity of the Palpatines.
Rey Literally Represents the Balance of the Force
The goal of the prophecy and the Skywalker Saga as a whole was never to eliminate good or evil, but to create balance. In the prequels, the danger of dogmas and absolutes are a central theme. The Sith were evil, and their intentions cruel, but the Jedi were equally uncompromising with their own ideals. The result: disorder, destruction, and defeat. The original trilogy then sees the galaxy picking itself up from the mess they inherited, but introduces the idea that there can be a grey area between the dark side and the light side. In the new trilogy, that concept becomes the central theme, ultimately (and physically) represented by Rey. Her roots are established in this grey area. Her grandfather represented the dark side, her parents represented the light, and Rey’s overall arc is establishing her identity in between.
Now, this isn’t to say that Luke didn’t agree with or abide by this point of view. In fact, in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he makes this a talking point when opening up to Rey about his personal issues with traditional Jedi ideologies. That said, as a character, he doesn’t represent this. Like Rey, he is a source of light born out of darkness, but only to an extent. Anakin Skywalker might have joined the Sith, but - like his grandson, Ben Solo - he saw the error of his ways and embraced the light side at the last minute. The central figure in Rey’s heritage showed no such flexibility.
Rey Can Make A Truly New & Different Jedi Order
Even if none of the earlier points had applied to Luke Skywalker, when it comes to successfully reviving the Jedi, Rey is simply in a better setting and functioning under easier circumstances than Luke was. Though she’ll undoubtedly face various threats, she doesn’t have the burden of the Skywalker Saga’s greatest adversaries in her way. The Sith have fallen, the Emperor is dead, and there’s no other equivalent to Kylo Ren standing in her way. In short, she has a clean slate.
Rey can also use history to her advantage. She’s seen what works and what doesn’t. She’s seen the effect that certain decisions have on even the most skilled and respected leaders. Luke had reached certain necessary epiphanies when it came to figuring out the best course of action to take in establishing a future for the Jedi, but he was well into the twilight years of his life - and self-exiled on Ahch-To - by the time it registered. He understood that replicating the ways of the old wasn’t sustainable, and he understood the necessity of balance. But his ultimate role was to pass the torch to a new generation.
Yoda told Luke, “We are what they grow beyond,” which turned out to be one of the key sentiments in the Skywalker Saga. Like the best Jedi before him, Luke ended up establishing a legacy worth following. It didn’t adhere to tradition or convention, but developed organically and for the sake of progression. In the end, as Jedi Master, it was also his role to leave the future of the Jedi in Rey’s hands. Whatever his shortcomings might have been on his journey, they were necessary in establishing him as the Jedi he eventually became - one who would ultimately help bring balance to the Force, reestablish the Jedi, and usher in a generation of peace throughout the galaxy.
More: Star Wars: The 16 Most Powerful Jedi Who Ever Lived - Legends Included
