Luke Skywalker and Rey: Comparing Character Arcs
My second viewing of The Force Awakens only reinforced my admiration. I'm very impressed by Rey as a character, and so I want to respond to the prevalent criticism that she does not have a satisfying character arc. I think she stands up better than many people think. To prove it, let's compare her arc to Luke's in the original Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope. Luke and Rey each have two inner conflicts dealing with the themes of loyalty and trust, but in Rey's case, the conflicts converge and are developed in a more dramatic and I think satisfying way. At the start of Episode IV: A New Hope , Luke wants to be loyal to his aunt and uncle, but also wants to follow his own dreams. This is his first inner conflict. His dreams are somewhat vague at first: He wants to get off Tatooine, join the academy, be heroic, etc. When Ben Kenobi tells him his father was a Jedi Knight killed by Darth Vader, his motivation becomes more focused: He wants to joi...