'Star Wars: Episode VIII' spoilers: J.J. Abrams addresses rumor of Rey's parentage

One of the biggest mysteries about "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was in regards to the parentage of Rey (Daisy Ridley), who was stranded on the planet Jakku. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, director J.J. Abrams clarified his statements regarding who Rey's parents were and if "Star Wars: Episode VIII" will explore this plot arc.

Abrams previously stated at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center that Rey's parents were not in "The Force Awakens," causing many fans to dispute the claims that "The Force Awakens" will continue the franchise's focus on the Skywalkers if Rey was not somehow connected to them.

However, speaking to EW, Abrams managed to clarify that he didn't mean they were literally not in the movie but that their identities have been kept from Rey.

"What I meant was that she doesn't discover them in 'Episode VII.' Not that they may not already be in her world," the director explained. While this clarifies that at least one of the characters in "The Force Awakens" could be Rey's parent, it does not reveal any additional clues as to who it might be.

Many fans speculate that Rey is either Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) daughter and that she was left on Jakku when Ben Solo aka Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) turned to the Dark Side or that she is Ben's younger sister, making her Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia's (Carrie Fisher) daughter.

However, as stated in a report from Cinema Blend, the best theory right now is that she is Luke's daughter given that she responded to the Force so naturally and that she was able to hear the call of Luke's lightsaber when she was in Maz Kanata's temple. However, this is still based on speculation and could be proven otherwise.

"Star Wars: Episode VIII" will venture further into Rey's backstory when it is released in theaters on Dec. 15 2017.

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