The Dyad Will Rise Again

It doesn't have to be GOOD.

Ben.

Ahem. This scene right here, basically. This, right here:

See Exhibit A:

So I really wanted to leave this meta as is and let the visuals speak for themselves. I really wanted to leave it as is, to get across the symbolic impact of this scene, because it’s the driving force behind my theory and honestly the most important part in the movie. But in lit crit when you present your ideas, you need to back up the crux of your argument with evidence, so that’s what I’m going to do.

Before I get started, I wanted to thank all those in the fandom who contributed their ideas to this (honestly, it was one of the most stimulating discussions I’ve had on art history in ages). Additionally, I want to give a special shout-out to @a-shipper-despite-herself, who was instrumental in creating the collages. You’re a trooper.

What follows is an exhaustive, essay-length thesis-length deconstruction on the canon possibilities of Rey/Kylo (and all their variations), and why the symbolism in the film reinforces the erotic subtext between them (yes, you read that right. Erotic). The essay is a roundabout continuation of last week’s meta on Force Bonds and the similarities between Revan/Kylo and Bastila/Rey (which you can read here). Spoilers for TFA, EU/KotOR, and general craziness after the jump. Again, if you’re looking for surprises, don’t follow. I basically give everything away in detail.

NOTE: Apparently this thing is so big it crashes the mobile app. Either open it through a web browser on your phone or a laptop/desktop to get around it.

Fairy tales aren't about saving yourself.

These aren't epic myths or heroic legends about the great warriors who slay every monster in their path because they're so awesome. Fairy tales are almost always about ordinary, even incompetent, people who get thrown into strange situations where they only succeed because of the help of others.

It's not a gendered thing. The boy who goes off to seek his fortune is usually the dim-witted third son whose older brothers are the strong, smart ones. The third son succeeds because he is kind to the magical helpers who then complete the tasks for him--and the exact same thing happens when a girl is the main character.

The characters in a fairy tale rarely succeed because they embrace their own strength and take their own path. Much more often, they are told step-by-step what to do, and they succeed because they obey--respecting the wisdom of others.

The core virtue of a fairy tale is not pride, but humility. It's not a story about the strong, but those who are weak, small, helpless. The people who can't do it all on their own, but can recognize the worth and wisdom of others.