“The Force Awakens” for the Modern Female Heroine

By Krista Chavez

Warning: SPOILERS INCLUDED!

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With all the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens excitement, I thought I would give a highlight to the film’s portrayal of women. Director J.J. Abrams chose to designate a woman as the new lead character as series continues.

Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, is a tough, lone-scavenger on the planet Jakku. Daily, she seeks out scraps to sell for any food possible to gather. Rey fights for survival because she has been on her own and taking care of herself since she was a young girl. These instincts allow her to become a strong, independent, and empowered woman.

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1. Self-reliance

Since she is used to being on her own, Rey is okay relying on herself to accomplish tasks. Although she does receive help from a support system throughout the film, Rey does not need to be continuously saved or supervised.

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2. Resolute thinking

Rey knows what is most important to her family. She constantly feels as though she must run back to Jakku in case her family returns to rescue her. Although she chooses to follow her path to the force, she remembers that resolute and driven thinking she developed when working to survive at home. 

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3. Belief in oneself

When Rey faces Kylo Ren, she never trained with a lightsaber nor been exposed to combat fighting with such a talented adversary. However, she uses the power of the force that lives within herself in order to escape and return to the Resistance headquarters. Since Rey does not doubt herself and her own strength, she is able to fight off Kylo Ren despite the odds stacked against her.

As a lover of the classic 6 Star Wars films and a lover of women’s empowerment, it was fantastic watching a new heroine rise to the silver screen not only for her beauty (we all know she is absolutely gorgeous) but rather her intelligence, independence, and skill. I am excited to see where the continuation of the series takes us as Abrams develops Rey’s character.

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