Star Wars‘ thrilling new audiobook, set between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, finally gives us a fresh look at her training. The first two movies in the sequel trilogy happen back to back, but there’s then a year-long time jump before we get to The Rise of Skywalker. This year is surprisingly little-explored… until now.
Charles Soule, Nolan Woodard, and Luke Ross’ Legacy of Vader comic book series is exploring Kylo Ren’s story during this time. Now, though, Cavan Scott has revealed what was going on with Rey – in a thrilling new audiobook that’s released exclusively on Audible. Jaws of Jakku tells the story of Rey’s training, while hinting at a new Palpatine plot.
Purchase Jaws of Jakku from Audible
The Jaws of Jakku Provides A Rare Window Into Rey’s Character
Cavan Scott is easily one of Star Wars‘ best writers, and he has an incredible grasp of Rey’s character. He understands that, while Rey is naturally gifted, she also struggled to find her place in the galaxy; she felt overshadowed by the living legends surrounding her, and didn’t believe she deserved to be one of them.
Scott presents Rey’s longing for her parents as a form of attachment holding her back, a desire for belonging and family connection. It’s a smart interpretation of Rey’s character, one that subtly draws her personal struggles in to the main themes of the Skywalker saga. If she is a Jedi, Rey must let the past go.
There’s a beautiful dramatic irony here; in a sense, Kylo Ren was right when he told Rey to “let the past die.” That is what she did, in the end; she let her own past die, choosing to reinterpret herself as a Jedi, to recognize her place among the heroes she revered, and to claim the Skywalker family as her own.
Jakku Is More Important To Star Wars Than You Think
Rey’s quest takes her back to Jakku, a planet that’s more important to Star Wars lore than you may think. The Battle of Jakku was the final conflict between the New Republic and the Galactic Civil War, but Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy revealed it was planned by Palpatine himself, who had rigged the entire planet as a bomb to destroy a rebellious galaxy’s military forces.
Jakku was site of one of Palpatine’s Observatories, one dedicated to researching the Unknown Regions as part of his contingency in the event of his death. There are even hints he originally hoped to be resurrected at Jakku, rather than at Exegol.
Given this is the case, Rey’s return to Jakku as a Jedi is an important step in her evolution. She’d headed back to a far darker world than she realized, one of incredible significance to the Star Wars Skywalker saga.
Rey Skywalker
- Created By
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J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, Michael Arndt
- Cast
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Daisy Ridley
- First Appearance
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Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
- Alliance
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Jedi
- Race
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Human
- Movies
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars: New Jedi Order
