Fan Theories are a dime a dozen, especially when it comes to the Star Wars franchise. But lately, fanatics with a little extra time on their hands have been working overtime to crack the code onStar Wars: The Last Jedi. And from this has sprung a few interesting ideas. The latest one suggests the perfect father forRey. And in terms of timelines and character motivation, it all makes perfect sense.
Ever since being cast inStar Wars: The Last Jedi, Benicio del Toro has played coy about his role. He isn’t allowed to say much, and the character hasn’t been revealed. But the actor, who first claimed he was playing a villain, later clarified that his incoming presence falls between the light and dark side of the force. Now, a fan onRedditclaims to have the answers. Their theory suggests that Benicio Del Toro is playing an older version ofStar Wars Rebelscharacter Ezra Bridger. Not only that, they suggest that Bridger is Rey’s father. In terms of Bridges’s age and theStar Wars Rebelstimeline, matched with del Toro’s own age, this could be true.
This latest theory not only tiesStar Wars Rebelsdirectly into theStar Warsfranchise much the same wayRogue Onedid, it does so at a more important cost. And it places Benicio Del Toro right smack dab in the middle of an intriguing storyline that stretches across the entire Star Wars cinematic canon in a way we haven’t really seen play out before.
Star Wars Rebelsis set 14 years afterStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and it takes place roughly five years beforeA New Hope. The show is in it’s third season, with Ezra Bridger continuing his quest as a Jedi Padawan. This theory suggest that Bridger will join Luke Skywalker’sJedi Academyafter the events seen in Return of the Jedi. But he has always harbored a torch for the Dark Side, ideas that are currently being explored on Star Wars Rebels. After teaming up with Luke, it’s theorized that he may join an old foe named Snoke to manipulate the Jedi, and he beings withKylo Ren.
According to recent set leaks Rey will learn the identity of her father during a climactic duel with Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi that mirrors what happened between Luke and his own father Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi. Now, it’s suggested that Bridger will be revealed as her father. Luke is believed to have discovered Bridger’s identity and soon realizes Bridges’s plans to team up withSnoke. He decides to hide Rey away on Jakku. In retaliation, Bridger and Snoke destroy Skywalker’s Jedi temple, which we catch glimpses of in Rey’s Forceback duringThe Force Awakens.
Lining up the time lines of the movies and animated TV shows, Bridger would be roughly 51 years-old at the time the events ofThe Last Jedihappen. This lines up with del Toro’s own age, with the actor 49 at the time he shot his scenes for Star Wars 8. He certainly is the right age to play Bridger in a new live-action movie.
This fan theory, which comes from someone calling themselves Darth_Hodor, goes onto suggest that Bridger manages to manipulate his daughter much like he did Kylo Ren. And he turns her to the dark side to join Snoke. At the same time, Kyle Ren is moving closer to the light side to redeem himself and reclaim his name as Ben Organa (or Ben Solo, which ever you prefer until it’s officially addressed in canon). This will supposedly set up a final duel inStar Wars 9, which will be directed by Colin Trevorrow. Of course, none of this has been confirmed by anyone, and it’s unlikely that the Lucasfilm and Disney camps will say anything about the mysterious character Benicio del Toro is playing until the movie opens this Christmas. Until then, all we have is rumored set leaks and these brazen fan theories to go on.
