36

In Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker we learn that Rey's grandfather was

Sheev Palpatine

Who was the grandmother?

Improve this question
6
  • 10
    The speculation is: Sly Moore, none (the Force), none (Palpatine created a child with cloning), a random person.
    – Adamant
    Dec 23, 2019 at 2:50
  • 1
    On a similar line of questioning, who are Rey's parents then? Because as far as we know, [spoiler] had no children in the sequel trilogy. There is no canon info on that yet: "Unfortunately, at this time, we don't know much at all about Rey's parents or who mothered [spoiler]'s child."
    – Remy Lebeau
    Dec 23, 2019 at 16:38
  • 2
    Related: Who is Rey's grandmother?
    – TARS
    Jan 5, 2020 at 17:03
  • 9
    It's almost as if Rey's heritage wasn't planned or something...
    – Harabeck
    Jan 22, 2020 at 20:17
  • This question made me laugh, just like that big reveal scene in the movie... Way to steal directly from empire strikes back, huh? It's as though they just started making up plot lines as frivolously as they add new and even more preposterous things the force apparently can do. Thing to consider is even Palpatine had a life before the dark side. It's not inconceivable he had a family... lol... at some point.
    – Kai Qing
    Jan 22, 2020 at 21:33

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
6
+100

She didn't have one (on the Palpatine side)

Material released since TROS has confirmed that Rey's father, Dathan, was a "Strand-Cast", a type of clone. According to Palpatine himself:

Using a technique known as Strand-Casting, countless modified clone bodies were produced from my genetic template. All but one of them were utter failures.

Source: The Secrets of the Sith, via Wookieepedia

This is supported by a scene in the TROS novelization where Rey is able to pick up Palpatine's thoughts:

The heretics of the Sith Eternal toiled, splicing genes, bolstering tissue, creating unnatural abominations in the hope that one of these strandcasts would succeed and become a worthy receptacle. The heretics would do anything, risk anything, to create a cradle for their god-consciousness.

Nothing worked. But their efforts were not entirely in vain.

One genetic strandcast lived. Thrived, even. A not-quite-identical clone. His "son." But he was a useless, powerless failure. Palpatine could not even bear to look upon such disappointing ordinariness.

The boy's only worth would lay in continuing the bloodline through more natural methods.

And it was through that eventual union, unexpected as it was, that Rey was born. The perfect vessel. Strong enough to contain all the power of the Sith. His granddaughter...

Source: The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition; Kindle edition, page 284

Improve this answer
3

As of right now, we do not know. This could be revealed in the future in a movie, a TV series, or in a book, but it has not been revealed yet.

It's like asking who her parents were before Episode VIII came out - they definitely existed, but it just hadn't been canonically defined yet.

Improve this answer
3
  • This is sort of a non-answer. This question is here so that if we ever get any more info it can be posted, but for now, there is nothing to be said.
    – Levi C. Olson
    Jan 22, 2020 at 20:14
  • 2
    @DJSpicyDeluxe You asked the question now, so this seems like the best answer that can be given. I don't think questions are supposed to sit around without answers because future works might provide more insight where there is currently none.
    – Harabeck
    Jan 22, 2020 at 20:19
  • 2
    @DJSpicyDeluxe "There is no answer to this [yet]" is itself a valid answer for when nothing is yet given in canon, which seems to be the case here at present. If new material arises, another answer can be made at that point to supersede this one.
    – Mwr247
    Jan 22, 2020 at 22:05
2

There was no grandmother.

While it is not revealed in the movie, the official novelization is rumored to claim that as part of his contingency, Palpatine prepared a clone before being thrown down the Death Star II shaft by Vader as he sensed the flicker of light within the latter. Before his body hit the ground, he had learned to project his essence into one of the Clones. This was an imperfect clone. Palpatine's son (Rey's father) is also a clone. The son is one of the clone projects of Palpatine because they kept trying to make a body for him to contain his power. The son is a perfect bodied clone. Palpatine hated the son for being a failure as he had no Force abilities. Note: the novel itself has not been released yet and many revelations that are being reported are only available as "leaks".

Improve this answer
7
  • 1
    Interesting...but there's no proof (at least not yet). Also, that opens up the new question, who was the mother?
    – Levi C. Olson
    Mar 6, 2020 at 19:35
  • @DJSpicyDeluxe clones apparently don't need mothers with SW technology. At least the ones created prior to the Clone Wars didn't...
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Mar 6, 2020 at 19:37
  • I've upvoted but I'm counting on you to add in a book quote at the soonest opportunity
    – Valorum
    Mar 6, 2020 at 19:38
  • 1
    @Valorum I appreciate it - but I make no mistakes in knowing that you will likely beat me to the punch, given your speed and reference access talents.
    – Jesse C. Slicer
    Mar 6, 2020 at 19:41
  • @ZeissIkon I meant who was Rey's mother?
    – Levi C. Olson
    Mar 6, 2020 at 20:08

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.