With only a month before "The Last Jedi" release day, Star Wars fans are once again trading conspiracy theories. Those theories seem to be one of two types: speculation about Luke Skywalker's possible embrace of the dark side, and Rey's last name.

From the beginning, I've been sure it's Skywalker for one reason and one reason only: she's the main character of the trilogy, and the Star Wars trilogies have always been about a Skywalker. Why would Lucasfilm suddenly change that in the last trilogy? That doesn't make storytelling sense and it gives my OCD fits, so nothing other than an on-screen declaration of non-Skywalker lineage, complete with supporting paperwork, signed in triplicate by every living Skywalker plus George Lucas himself, will convince me otherwise.

That, plus thinking it would make a really cool father/daughter story, got me on the "Rey as the fruit of Luke's loins" bandwagon.

Darth Vader's legacy

It's been two years since "The Force Awakens." I still think Rey is a Skywalker, but now there's another theory I love just as much, maybe more. What if Rey is the reincarnation of Darth Vader? The presence of supernatural events has already been established in the Star Wars universe with the appearance of Force ghosts (or else Luke was having massive hallucinations and found Dagobah by sheer dumb luck, and Yoda was hearing voices).

Also consider the fact that Darth Vader may feel he has some unfinished business since he spent the last 17 years of his life as a corporate tool, in constant pain and anger from his injuries and forced to live as a mouth-breathing cyborg.

Recall also that "Return of the Jedi" was a compassion/redemption story. If Vader spent his last moments setting an intention to come back and experience life in a different way – or getting revenge on someone who helped to manipulate him into turning to the dark side, someone like Snoke – it could very well have come true in the form of a girl named Rey.

When you add to all of this the current speculation that Rey is turning to the dark side, the Rey Vader theory becomes even more seductive. After all, old habits are hard to break.

Some speculation about Rey's freaky abilities

Now consider Rey's abilities. She's a homeless scavenger…who just happens to be able to pilot the Millennium Falcon as if by instinct.

True, she exhibits mechanical knowledge, but her piloting skills are greater than whatever limited time she's managed to log at the wheel could normally give her.

She's also able to access Kylo Ren's thoughts the first time he accesses hers, and immediately takes the knowledge she gains to put her powers to work. Plus, Anakin's light saber seems to recognize her in the woods. Plus, the light saber-related anxiety she feels when she first comes across the weapon could suggest there's more at work, and at stake, than simply the traumatized memories of an abandoned child. In addition to that, those of us who have seen the controversial last full trailer are well aware Rey has managed to freak out Luke Skywalker with her abilities.

That can't be an easy thing to do.

As much as I would love the warm fuzziness of a Luke/Rey father/daughter story, the thought of the paternal tables being turned is unsettling enough to really make me want to see what would come of a revelation like that. What would the characters do with it? But most of all, I really want to see the look on Luke's face if Rey looks at him and says, "Luke…I'm your father."
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