Rey seems to be becoming the new "Darth Vader" figure in Star Wars, but that just makes one Rise of Skywalker mistake all the worse. Last year's Star Wars Celebration was an unforgettable experience, but one moment sticks out in my memory; Daisy Ridley taking to the stage when Lucasfilm announced her return in the "New Jedi Order." I'm terminally online, and I'm used to operating in a world where the mere mention of Ridley is controversial. Celebration was a welcome reminder that social media is not real life, because the sheer excitement at Rey's return was palpable.

As exciting as Rey's return may be, it's no surprise that progress on this New Jedi Order movie has been slow; writer canceled Star Wars movies and shows over the last decade or so. This time, though, the problems are actually being driven by a surprising argument: that Ridley's Rey is simply too important to get wrong.

Daisy Ridley Is Darth Vader's Replacement As The "Face" Of Star Wars

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker seemed to position Rey as the new Luke Skywalker figure, founder of the New Jedi Order. It's now becoming clear she's far more, though; Ridley's Rey is seen as Star Wars' most marketable character, a proven star of the big screen. Rey is essentially the Darth Vader replacement, the new "face" of Star Wars. There are apparently multiple movies in the works that will feature her in some way, not just Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's New Jedi Order movie.

Lucasfilm's biggest problem when it comes to Rey, though, is that the studio hasn't quite fixed on a direction for the character. Several movies featuring Rey are in development, and any one of them could essentially set her new status quo in place, affecting everything else. It's a far from ideal situation, and it all flows from one critical mistake in The Rise of Skywalker.

Darth Vader Embodies The Duality Of The Force

Let's take a step back and ask a simple question: What makes Darth Vader the perfect "face" of Star Wars? A big part of it lies in the fact the Darth Vader design is so inexpressibly iconic, investing every one of the Sith Lord's appearances with so much weight and power. I the thrill of watching Rogue One: A Star Wars Story for the first time, watching with amazement as Darth Vader cut through rebel forces with brutal efficiency. His return in Obi-Wan Kenobi was likewise unforgettable, as he exacted revenge on the Jedi who defeated him on Mustafar.

Redemption, hope, the darkest night overcome by the light of the Jedi... all these ideas are now found in Darth Vader's fearsome visage.

But there's more to it than that. Darth Vader embodies the duality of the Force, because he isn't just a villain; he's a fallen hero who is ultimately redeemed. On a symbolic level, Vader represents the potential for salvation and redemption, the triumph of the light over the dark. Every atrocity simply underscores the wonder of the ending. Redemption, hope, the darkest night overcome by the light of the Jedi... all these ideas are now found in Darth Vader's fearsome visage. It's why he is the "face" of George Lucas' Star Wars, and it makes him very difficult to replace.

Rise Of Skywalker Set Up A Similar Story For Rey... But Backed Away

Rey just doesn't quite strike the same notes. To be sure, he had her own struggle with darkness - but it felt more like a dark lineage than her own inner dark side. I think Rise of Skywalker was trying to blur the lines there, but the movie didn't quite pull it off, and it really wasn't satisfying as a result. When Rey did see a vision of herself as a Sith ("Dark Rey"), it wasn't clear whether this potential future was her own choice, or a result of her being possessed by her grandfather's spirit. It was something of a mess.

Personally, I view The Rise of Skywalker as something of a frustrating film; it has a lot of ideas I was interested in exploring in greater detail, but it never actually committed to them. I'm fascinated by the Force Dyad, for example, which has the potential to redefine the Force in a fascinating way, but any real exploration has been reserved for tie-ins. Dark Rey is another case, an idea so exciting it featured prominently in Rise of Skywalker's marketing, when it's really just a brief moment that's then forgotten at speed.

Star Wars Failed Rey, Making Her A More Frustrating "Face" For Star Wars Than Vader

Don't get me wrong here, I don't want to the legion of Rey haters; as I mentioned earlier, I loved Celebration because it reminded me there's so much love for the character. I can't even begin to count how many cosplayers had come dressed as Rey, and the announcement of Ridley's return was a highlight of the whole event. But there seems to be no denying the truth that Star Wars failed Rey, her character arcs and motivations damaged because of poor plotting and too many course-corrections.

Imagine a scenario where The Rise of Skywalker had actually committed to Dark Rey, turning Rey's battle with the dark side into something much more compelling - something really rooted in her own inner darkness rather than some weird, ill-defined legacy that came because Palpatine insisted he was her grandfather. This version of Rey would be one whose story incorporated both darkness and light in a much more visceral way, meaning she more easily struck the same symbolic notes as Darth Vader.

Lucasfilm's sequel trilogy stumbles mean Rey will never really be the "face" of Star Wars. She'll certainly be Lucasfilm's most marketable character, their one remaining proven big-screen superstar now too many other characters have been killed off (Kylo Ren) or simply underdeveloped (Finn). But she could have been so much more, had Star Wars not failed in The Rise of Skywalker.