The Rise Of Skywalker: Ways To Interpret "Rey Skywalker" (& Possible Meanings Of The Gold Lightsaber)
The final scenes of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker implied both an end to the Skywalker Saga and a beginning, as Rey cast off the trappings of her bedeviled surname and chose a new one. Some fans reacted in horror at the thought of anyone other than a trueborn Skywalker carrying the legendary name, while others felt it a fitting gesture of respect and reverence for the galaxy's First Family.
The lightsaber she's seen brandishing was something unique to her, with a handle that reflected her personality, and a blade that was -almost- unlike any other blade in the Star Wars galaxy (at least seen in the movies). Whether Rey was simply after name recognition or something else, there are many interpretations of her donning the Skywalker mantle, as well as the possible meanings behind her mysterious gold lightsaber.
10 Interpretation Of Skywalker: Carrying On the Legacy
The Jedi Order mandates that those who follow its code must refuse attachment, and its tenants generally prohibit Jedi from getting married or having children. Anakin Skywalker broke his oath by having twins, but with both Luke and Leia gone, no one would be able to carry on the familial legacy except for Rey.
The Skywalkers have been a part of -or directly responsible for- many of the galaxy's most salient events, and so by connecting herself to the name, Rey is plucked from anonymity in a way that she prefers (as opposed to going by "Palpatine" for the rest of her life).
9 Meaning Behind The Gold Lightsaber: Rarity
A yellow or gold lightsaber is one of the rarest to ever exist in the franchise. Only a select few Jedi Masters have ever wielded one, including Plo Koon, who sat on the Jedi Council in the waning days of the Republic. According to The Clone Wars, they were also wielded by Jedi Temple Guards, though these were double-bladed.
It's only fitting that a person as rare as Rey, a Palpatine by blood but a Skywalker by name, wields an unconventional lightsaber color that echoes her unique status.
8 Interpretation Of Skywalker: Anyone Can Be A Hero
The Skywalker legacy may pertain to one family's surname, but it's also attached to some of the most legendary figures in the galaxy. By taking on the name, "a nobody from Jakku" effectively asserts that anyone can be a "Skywalker," and therefore a champion of good.
Prior to embarking on his own adventures, Luke himself was a "nobody from Tatooine" until it was revealed he was the descendant of a famous Jedi Knight. That famous Jedi Knight had similarly been a "nobody," indicating that the Skywalker name's legacy is as much tied to what it represents through heroic deeds as the name itself.
7 Meaning Behind The Gold Lightsaber: Her Training Is Complete
When Return of the Jedi debuted in 1983, fans got the impression that Luke Skywalker had mastered his Jedi training when Vader announced he was "powerful" for having the skills necessary to complete the construction of his own lightsaber. In the Prequel Trilogy, it was later revealed that this was part of a Jedi Padawan's trials, and one of the final actions that made them a true Jedi Knight.
By constructing a gold lightsaber, Rey is signifying that not only is her training complete, but that she's ready to pass on what she's learned. The significance of constructing her own lightsaber, especially of a rare color, is symbolic of the new direction the Jedi will take under her guidance.
6 Interpretation Of Skywalker: Honoring Her Master
In many ways, Luke Skywalker became the father figure that Rey never had. Despite his gruff demeanor, he still dedicated himself to training her in the time he was able, and they forged a connection that was strong enough to get him to change his mind about aiding the Resistance.
By incorporating Skywalker into her identity, she's honoring her master in a way that will attach his legacy to hers, and allow his deeds to carry on far into the future. Since he never had any children, this was an acceptable way to allow the Skywalker family to endure.
5 Meaning Behind The Gold Lightsaber: Balance
In the game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, players can choose to be from one of three Jedi classes; the Sentinel, the Guardian, and the Consular. Each of them wields a different lightsaber color, and yellow is the color of the Sentinels. Sentinels "ferret out deceit and injustice" as they "strike a balance between the physical and mental disciplines of the Jedi Order."
The Sentinels are well-rounded characters who utilize their mental acuity and their combat skills to bring peace and justice to the galaxy, something that can definitely be said of the quick-thinking, resourceful young woman who can also best Kylo Ren in combat.
4 Interpretation Of Skywalker: Redemption From The Dark Side
Anakin Skywalker famously fell to the dark side and became Darth Vader, a Sith Lord who persecuted the Jedi Order and tried to extinguish their flame from the galaxy. He was ultimately redeemed by his son Luke, who believed in his internal spark of light to such an extent that he was compelled to kill the Emperor.
Luke himself, when frightened of Ben Solo's hidden darkness, had to pull away from the temptation to engage in dark side tactics to protect the galaxy. And Rey, herself descended from the Palpatine family, corrupted by the most infamous Sith Lord of all, was able to resist being seduced by the promise of power and align herself firmly with the light. Rejecting the Palpatine name was her final act of defying the allure of the dark side.
3 Meaning Behind The Gold Lightsaber: It Reflects Her Scavenger Past
Every Jedi's lightsaber is as unique as they are in construction. They travel far and wide to locate the kyber crystal to power it and make the hilt based on their preferences in combat. A lightsaber handle is often made out of found parts that reflect the Jedi's personality.
Rey's lightsaber is constructed from materials she salvaged from her quarterstaff, making it a little less elegant than other Jedi weapons. It has exterior armor that helped with impact resistance, and a cloth grip. At the top of the hilt, the emitter matrix opens with a gear-like rotating mechanism, from which the gold blade would spring forth in a reflection of her scavenger ingenuity.
2 Interpretation Of Skywalker: Honoring Ben Solo's Sacrifice
When Kylo Ren left the dark side, he became Ben Solo again, embracing his father's legacy as a freedom fighter, and his mother's legacy as a heroic Skywalker. Even Palpatine acknowledged his mighty bloodline by calling him "the last Skywalker" before hurtling off a precipice.
Ben survived the fall and returned to give his life force to an ailing Rey, who was near death after finishing Palpatine off for good. When Ben died saving Rey, his mother's body vanished along with his, and the Skywalker line truly ended. By claiming it as her own, she was able to honor his sacrifice, and that of Leia's.
1 Meaning Behind The Gold Lightsaber: It Honors Her Mentors
Rey's journey to becoming a Jedi took many exciting and perilous turns, and fortunately, she had august mentors shaping her path. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker began her training, and Leia Organa oversaw its completion, urging her to commune with the spirits of all the Jedi that had come before her for guidance.
When activating her lightsaber, several lights flash in the blade emitter. These lights are green and blue, commemorating both of Luke's blades (the blue that was once Anakin's, and the green he used in Return of the Jedi), and Leia's blue blade (seen ignited during the training montage of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker). By having those colors flash briefly before her yellow blade emerges, she honors her mentors while keeping their blade colors sacred.
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