Rey’s outfit in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has been criticized by fans for being too close to the costume she wore in The Force Awakens, with not enough to differentiate it. It does have one significant alteration to her original threads, though: note that the heroine now has a hood. It might not be the biggest change to her fashion sense, but a tie-in book for the movie confirms that it’s actually an homage to one of the most important people in Rey’s life.
In case you hadn’t realized by now, TROS‘s Visual Dictionary is a must-buy, as it features a whole heap of information that enhances the story of Episode IX. For instance, it clarifies that Jannah is most likely Lando’s daughter, finally gives the Knights of Ren names, explains how Rey healed the Skywalker lightsaber and much more. It also confirms that Rey added a traditional Alderaan white hood to her costume to honor Leia Organa, Resistance general, mentor and princess of the tragically doomed planet.
Though the pair couldn’t share a lot of screentime due to the much-missed Carrie Fisher only appearing via archived footage, Rise beefed up the connection between Rey and Leia, with it established that the latter had become the orphan’s new trainer since the passing of Luke. The end of the movie, which saw the Force ghosts of the Skywalker twins watching over her, made it obvious that Rey had effectively been adopted by the siblings. So, it makes sense that she would hope to emulate Leia in this way.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker also featured the revelation that Luke had trained Leia in the ways of the Force in their younger days, but she’d decided to give it up when her son Ben was born. Nevertheless, she still possessed her own lightsaber that Rey buried in the sands of Tatooine after her death. Both the twins still live on through the heroine, too, as her decision to take on the Skywalker surname makes clear.
