Pablo Hidalgo squashes Rey parentage rumour

The run up to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is, as expected, full of rumour and speculation due to the lack of concrete details being released by Disney and Lucasfilm, but one fan theory concerning Rey has been laid to rest by Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo. 

When asked whether Han Solo was Rey's father, Hidalgo flat out shut down the long-established theory.

The theory hinges on Han and Leia's estrangement, which was clear from The Force Awakens, but Hidalgo's tweet confirms that this does not fit with the established canon timeline of events.

So, who are Rey's parents?

Although this has been a fairly huge discussion point amongst fans throughout production of the Star Wars sequels trilogy, Rian Johnson's take on the question during The Last Jedi would have us believe that Rey's parents were nobody special. Actress Daisy Ridley previously stated that she knew who Rey's parents were, and Episode IX's former director Colin Trevorrow had also said that the answer to the question would be satisfying as she was important to the saga.

We're going to make sure that that answer is deeply and profoundly satisfying. Rey is a character that is important in this universe, not just in the context of The Force Awakens, but in the entire galaxy.

Colin Trevorrow

Of course, this was said before Trevorrow left the project due to creative differences, and while returning director JJ Abrams has remained tight-lipped about the facts of Rey's parentage he has promised that "there's more to the story than you've seen."

Other theories point at John Williams' film score for hints, with Rey's theme containing motifs from both Luke Skywalker's and Darth Vader's themes. Then of course there is the rumour that she is a Palpatine, having been fathered by the erstwhile Emperor or conceived by his manipulation of the Force, and the surprise reveal of Ian McDiarmid at Celebration Chicago this year lends more weight to this theory. Further rumours still try to connect the dots to prove that Rey is the grand-daughter of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Ultimately we'll find out if the question is answered when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is released this December.