10 Amazing Female Characters We Met in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
By Elaine Tveit
via StarWars.com
1. Rey
Of all the female characters we have listed so far, Rey is the one around whom most of our questions revolve. Who is she? Who are her parents? Will she train to be a Jedi? Will she be tempted by the dark side?
Who will she become?
“The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead” – Maz Kanata
As she is, she is incredible. Her ability to catch on to how to tap into the wells of the Force is astounding. Her compassion for others is endearing. And her dedication is mind-boggling. This is a young woman who is an excellent pilot, yet never once does she try to leave Jakku until BB-8 and Finn come along. She doesn’t want to leave because she is waiting for the family who left her there, perhaps forever.
Yet her loyalty to people she probably doesn’t even remember is unwavering. It’s a strength of character on par with Leia’s, and it’s only likely to get stronger the more attachments she forms and the more causes she champions. Hers is a story full of potential for both good and evil. But her steadfast, unyielding loyalty is what makes us believe she will come out of her trials better and stronger in the end, and still the role model for girls in this galaxy and hers to look up to.
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Being a role model is the message of all the females on this list. You might not want to take lessons in bounty hunting from Bazine Netal, it’s true. Or lessons in bullying villagers from Captain Phasma. But the diversity of these women is realistic, enriching, and inspiring, particularly when compared to what past sci-fi films have denied us.
Star Wars, ever the pioneering franchise, has taken another, great step toward correcting what we have been missing. As Maz Kanata, said, “The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead.”