The Mystery of Anakin's Lightsaber: Why Did It Reach Out to Rey?

Anakin Skywalker's Lightsaber and its Connection to Rey

Recent additions to the Star Wars canon have shed new light as to why Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber called out to Rey in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. Although it would be revealed that Rey was ultimately the secret granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine, the legendary Skywalker saber called out to the young scavenger, kickstarting her Jedi path in the Star Wars timeline. Now, Star Wars has revealed a key reason why the lightsaber called out to Rey in the first place.

Rey takes Anakin's lightsaber in The Force Awakens

Originally wielded by Anakin Skywalker during the prequels, his son Luke would inherit the iconic weapon in the original trilogy before he lost both the saber and his hand during his duel with his father in The Empire Strikes Back. However, the lightsaber then fell into the possession of Maz Kanata on the planet Takodana where it subsequently calls out to Rey in The Force Awakens. To that end, it's been strongly implied that the reason the legacy lightsaber called out to Rey has everything to do with the kyber crystal inside the lightsaber and the will of the Force itself.

star wars rey palpatine luke skywalker jedi kyber crystal

The Role of Kyber Crystal in Calling Out to Rey

Rather than the redeemed spirit of Anakin Skywalker working through the blade as a means of motivating Rey toward her destiny, it's been strongly implied that it was the kyber crystal within that reached out to Rey. Considered to be living with strong connections to the Force itself, the canonical Star Wars #35 by Charles Soule and Madibek Musabekov reveals that kyber has its own way of speaking and talking, tying nicely to Kanata's claim that the lightsaber was calling out to Rey.

Likewise, the issue is set between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi when Luke encounters a kyber specialist who reveals new insights while also giving Luke the kyber he'll use for his green-bladed lightsaber. Originally transparent, Luke was encouraged to connect with the kyber, an act that pulled his spirit into the Force and allowed him to commune with Yoda before he was returned to the physical plane. In the aftermath, Luke's kyber crystal turned green, indicating that their bond had been forged through the Force. This is not unlike Rey who also received a key Force vision the moment she touched the Skywalker saber.

The Kyber's Connection to Rey's Destiny and the Will of the Force

This new addition to the Star Wars canon supports the idea that Rey's experience in The Force Awakens was something many past Jedi experienced when bonding with their respective kyber crystals. It was the kyber that chose Rey to be its next wielder, calling out to her when she came to Takodana. It's also likely that Rey's connection to Kylo Ren as a powerful Force dyad and her unique destiny is what drew the kyber to seek a bond in The Force Awakens, seeing as how she'd eventually restore balance to the galaxy just as the saber's original wielder did in the Star Wars canon.