"Where's Rey?"
It's been a question that outraged Star Wars fans have been asking since the film's leading heroine, Rey, was noticeably left out of the new line of toys. (Even director J.J. Abrams was baffled.)
The character, played by breakout star Daisy Ridley, is not only one of the main focuses of the film, but she's a strong-willed, butt-kicking, and all-around amazing woman. She's the hero for a new generation, and yet she was absent from the action-figure set and the Monopoly game. (The outcry from the public was so resounding that a "new wave" of toys with Rey have since been released, according to Entertainment Weekly.)
Still, why was this even a question we needed to ask in the first place? It's terrible to think toy companies continue to believe that only girls play with dolls, not action figures. Or, worse, that boys won't play with a toy that represents a girl.
Thankfully, a tweet may put those fears to rest and speak volumes to the toy companies that are still behind on the times.
Twitter user Meghan Dennis of York, England shared this anecdote that's as heartwarming as it is hopeful for the state of feminism and future generations. She wrote, "Just passed 2 boys on the way home, both sub-12. They were arguing over who got to be Rey and who had to be Kylo Ren. Who GOT to and HAD TO."
That's right, two boys under the age of 12 who both wanted to play Daisy Ridley's Rey. Male or not, it seems neither of them wanted to play Adam Driver's villainous, pouting Kylo Ren. And who could blame them? Rey is awesome, and Kylo Ren is not.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been nothing short of a cultural juggernaut since its release. It earned over 1.7 billion worldwide to date, making it the third highest-earning film of all time — plus, just this week, it nabbed five Oscar nominations. Everybody loves Star Wars — girls and boys alike — and it seems like a new generation of young Jedis know that the force is (working) with them to make feminism the norm.
It's not only a testament to younger kids who are growing up in this new world, but to Daisy Ridley's performance. She's no damsel in distress: She's the one who saves the day, and she just so happens to be female. It breaks down gender norms and barriers, and will give this generation a new way to define their silver-screen heroes.
See the inspiring aforementioned tweet here, and feel free to smile at the thought of groups of kids all over the world having this very same discussion:
Just passed 2 boys on the way home, both sub-12. They were arguing over who got to be Rey and who had to be Kylo Ren. Who GOT to and HAD TO.
— Meghan Dennis (@GingeryGamer) January 14, 2016