Star Wars: The Search for Rey's Parents

This week Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams helped fans in their speculation about who, exactly, are the parents of the film's heroine Rey. Abrams narrowed down the possibilities by revealing, in an off-hand way, who Rey's parents aren't.

Abrams told an audience at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday that Rey's parents aren't in The Force Awakens. That shoots down the most popular fan theory - that Luke Skywalker is Rey's dad - and it also eliminates the slightly less popular theory that Rey is the daughter of Han Solo and Leia Organa. Abrams later backpedaled a bit, saying that Rey doesn't "discover" her parents in The Force Awakens, but that they may already be "in her world."

Another popular theory is that Rey's mother is Jyn Erso, the heroine of the upcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. But Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, cautions fans not to assume that just because she and Felicity Jones, who plays Jyn Erso, look somewhat alike they're related. Ridley reportedly already knows the identities of Rey's parents, so she's probably trustworthy. Or she may be just practicing a little misdirection.

No matter who Rey's parents turn out to be, the speculation is proof that the new Star Wars stories are effectively fueling the imaginations of fans.