Empress Palpatine

*WARNING: SPOILERS*

The concept came as quite a shock to most. 

In the film, it’s revealed that Rey (Daisy Ridley) is Palpatine’s granddaughter. Throughout the narrative, we witness Rey’s dark side manifest to tempt her into essentially becoming Empress Palpatine. If she strikes down her grandfather, his presence will transfer onto her and she will rule the Final Order. 

Her bloodline acts as the film’s big reveal, urging audiences to consider that her fate is to become Empress, but we obviously know that this isn’t the case. The issue for many lays in the fact we never believed Rey was ever tempted by the dark side. 

In the end, she does not consider herself a Palpatine, but instead, a Skywalker. The conflict between the light and dark within Rey arguably never provided tension.