See, I probably need to get this out here before it’s potentially jossed by the next new episodes.
In the meantime, consider:
Luke Skywalker being a young Daddy to baby Rey by the time A New Hope begins.
Rey’s Mama has not been fridged, btw. By mutual agreement, Luke is raising the kid himself and Mama just visits. Luke still wants to get off Tatooine, but he wants to bring his kid with him because he doesn’t want the little one growing up always and forever wondering about her biological parents, just like he did.
So Luke has Plans, okay? He wants to travel the stars but he wants to embark on this adventure with his little girl.
So imagine Luke’s terror when he comes back home to the homestead and finds Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen dead.
Imagine his relief at finding Rey, quiet and terrified in some secret cubbyhole that the Larses once devised for baby Luke. She was quiet, because Aunt Beru told her to be. And so she was never found by the stormtroopers.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, knowing the possible Disaster Scenarios in leaving Rey Skywalker behind (even if she was to be hidden with her biological mama), encourages Luke to bring his toddler with him.
Han made the obligatory grumbles about having kids on his ship but they’re really just for show and basically Chewie has declared that he’s adopting the Skywalkers, even as he’s happily cuddling the baby girl.
Han cannot protest.
When Rey meets her unknown “Aunt” Leia, she takes to the Princess immediately.
Also, Ben Kenobi does not get killed on the Death Star. He’s got Skywalkers to look after. Again.
Also, Rey would be Very Unhappy with him if she doesn’t have her Grandpa Ben.
Luke Skywalker has an even bigger reason to make that Death Star shot.
When a certain wheezy Dark Lord of the Sith finds out the name of the Rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star, he’s understandably Pissed Off.
When he finds out that said Death Star Destroyer is a happy Cinnabon Roll Sunbaby with his own precious happy Cinnabon Roll baby girl, welp - this just in: Darth Vader Defects to the Rebel Alliance.
I’d just like to add more happy/hilarifying headcanons to this:
– Basically Darth Vader does a Hunt for Red October style defection and brings himself and the Executor and her loyal-to-Vader crew over to the Rebellion.
– Also Vader has ALL THE HOLOS of Baby Rey in his private chambers.
– “Who’s Grandpa’s cute little future Empress? You are! Yes you are!”
– “Father, she’s TWO YEARS OLD, you can’t hand her the galaxy to rule just yet!”
– “Well, you and Leia would be her Regents.”
– “FATHER!!! BEN, DO SOMETHING!”
– “I’m sorry, I must do as Her Imperial Highness bids me.”
– “Rawwarrrrgaaaaggghhhhhhhh!!”
– “See? Even the Mighty Chewbacca agrees with me. Everyone knows it’s best not to argue with a Wookiee.”
— The Clones would totally dote over “The Little Empress” and there’s always a couple of them as her “honor guard.”
– Luke has cottoned on that this is really Darth Vader’s idea of a Dad Joke™ but he knows he has a role to play and dutifully registers his mock protests.
– What Luke doesn’t know is that Vader is totally planning to hand HIM and Leia the galaxy on a silver platter. This is Anakin Skywalker’s idea of making up for twenty years winning the Galaxy Deadbeat Dad Award™.
– Ben Kenobi knows that the Skywalker twins are actually going to dismantle the Empire once handed the throne but he’s just happy to let Anakin wreak havoc towards more deserving targets.
– Also, he thinks “Little Empress” is totally a cute nickname for Rey.
It got better!
- When Vader first arrives for his scheduled defection, there is some initial tension between him and Obi-Wan, for obvious reasons, but when baby Rey coos and waves at him from Obi-Wan’s hip, he’s like, “Eh, more important things to worry about.”
The Rebels finally realize that Darth Vader was absolutely SINCERE in his defection when they find him helping to change baby diapers and being HAPPY about it.
bless you