Okay, so according to the timelines I have seen Kylo was in his mid-twenties when he took out the Jedi academy. Rey looked like she was 5-7 years old when she was dropped off at Jakku. Doing that math she could easily have been his daughter from an illicit affair at the academy. This solves for most of the issues I have seen floating around.

1. She would be young enough to not recall everything about her childhood and to have blocked out a lot of the trauma.
2. Kylo recognizes her and her desire to kill him, which she does, because he killed her mom and all the people she knew. It may be in the back of her head, but it is there.
3. She is as powerful as he is (thus Luke's comment about being as strong as Kylo)
4. Luke's comments about his family being force sensitive would include her.
5. She has some basic training from growing up a bit at the academy
6. She was taken away from him after the academy incident and left on a desert (mirror of Luke being hidden from vader)
7. Leia recognizes her after a bit (she would probably only have met her a couple times as a child)
8. The light saber is attuned to her because she is a skywalker
9. It would explain why Kylo wants her to join him not fight him.
10. Luke sort of recognizes her when she lands with his lightsaber. It wasn't a "who the heck are you" look he gave, more of a "I didn't expect you to find me" look.

Toss some counter points to me and I will see if I can answer them.

TLDR: They aren't skirting around the "empire = the last jedi" poetic rhyme. They are embracing it completely. "Rey, I am your father."

Off-topic is that-a-way --->

I hope she's going to turn out to be Boba Fett's kid who'll show up nonchalantly and give her some Mandalorian armor and them kick both the First Order and Resistance in the rear.

8 minutes ago, kris40k said:

Off-topic is that-a-way --->

XD

Savage.
+1
Etc.

Based on birth dates available, Kylo is only 10 years older than Rey. He's 29 (born ABY 5, 1 year after Endor), while Rey has a recorded birthdate of ABY 15, making her 19. The destruction of Luke's academy happened after ABY 28 (24 years after battle of Endor and 6 years before TFA), meaning the little Rey we saw in her vision happened before the destruction of the academy because she looked to be around 5 years old, but would have been around 13 at the time.

18 minutes ago, Rinzler in a Tie said:

XD

Savage.
+1
Etc.

kylo renn isnt 40 though. Kylo wasnt born until after deathstar 2 got popped, which we know is 30 years almost to the day before force awakens. unless Rey is 10 years old or Kylo fathered children at age 5, its simply not possible

32 minutes ago, SabineKey said:

Based on birth dates available, Kylo is only 10 years older than Rey. He's 29 (born ABY 5, 1 year after Endor), while Rey has a recorded birthdate of ABY 15, making her 19. The destruction of Luke's academy happened after ABY 28 (24 years after battle of Endor and 6 years before TFA), meaning the little Rey we saw in her vision happened before the destruction of the academy because she looked to be around 5 years old, but would have been around 13 at the time.

Wait, we know when Rey was born? How do we know that?

I dug through the internet for a bit and the only reason people think that is because of a reference guide. I am pretty sure movie reference guides aren't cannon. WE should have learned that lesson with all the varying ship sizes over the years.

I supposed Daisy doesn't really look like a pre-teen though. but hey it is a galaxy far far away, and Natalie portman definitely didn't look like a pre-teen in the Phantom Menace

2 minutes ago, benbaxter said:

Wait, we know when Rey was born? How do we know that?

We got the date from the TFA Visual Guide. Now, that's not as solid a source as I would like, but it tracks logical. At 19, Rey is about the same age as Luke and Leia were during ANH, which adds to the similarities they built between the movies. If Rey is suppose to be younger than that, they didn't show it. Add to that the timeframe of when Ben was born, and we have a highly unlikely situation that Ben sired Rey. Not impossible, but that leads down a troublesome path I don't think Disney are gonna go for.

44 minutes ago, SabineKey said:

Based on birth dates available, Kylo is only 10 years older than Rey. He's 29 (born ABY 5, 1 year after Endor), while Rey has a recorded birthdate of ABY 15, making her 19. The destruction of Luke's academy happened after ABY 28 (24 years after battle of Endor and 6 years before TFA), meaning the little Rey we saw in her vision happened before the destruction of the academy because she looked to be around 5 years old, but would have been around 13 at the time.

This.

Can someone close the thread now?

7 minutes ago, SabineKey said:

We got the date from the TFA Visual Guide. Now, that's not as solid a source as I would like, but it tracks logical. At 19, Rey is about the same age as Luke and Leia were during ANH, which adds to the similarities they built between the movies. If Rey is suppose to be younger than that, they didn't show it. Add to that the timeframe of when Ben was born, and we have a highly unlikely situation that Ben sired Rey. Not impossible, but that leads down a troublesome path I don't think Disney are gonna go for.

A 15-16 year old dad isn't very abnormal in the US. Plus the mom could be a little older. A 14 year old Rey would be doable. But yeah, that is the biggest hole in my theory.

23 minutes ago, benbaxter said:

Wait, we know when Rey was born? How do we know that?

I dug through the internet for a bit and the only reason people think that is because of a reference guide. I am pretty sure movie reference guides aren't cannon. WE should have learned that lesson with all the varying ship sizes over the years.

I supposed Daisy doesn't really look like a pre-teen though. but hey it is a galaxy far far away, and Natalie portman definitely didn't look like a pre-teen in the Phantom Menace

Natalie portman wasn't SUPPOSED to look like a pre-teen in TFM. Padme was supposed to be 14. IIRC, natalie portman turned 16 during filming (thanks star wars trivial pursuit), so a tad older than she was playing, but not much.

1 minute ago, Odanan said:

This.

Can someone close the thread now?

That's no fun. I think it would be a much more interesting plot point than being the daughter of Luke or Leia.

1 minute ago, benbaxter said:

That's no fun. I think it would be a much more interesting plot point than being the daughter of Luke or Leia.

What about she being daughter of no other character?

Do you know what is NOT interesting plot? Trying to make everything connected (specially in such a freaking huge galaxy).

1 minute ago, VanderLegion said:

Natalie portman wasn't SUPPOSED to look like a pre-teen in TFM. Padme was supposed to be 14. IIRC, natalie portman turned 16 during filming (thanks star wars trivial pursuit), so a tad older than she was playing, but not much.

she was born in 81, so she was probably 17-18 during production.

1 minute ago, Odanan said:

What about she being daughter of no other character?

Do you know what is NOT interesting plot? Trying to make everything connected (specially in such a freaking huge galaxy).

Lucas seemed to focus on making everything connected though. I mean Yoda hung out with Chewie for crying out loud.

Has anyone ever floated a theory that:

Sabine + Ezra = Rey

?

Just now, ABXY said:

Has anyone ever floated a theory that:

Sabine + Ezra = Rey

?

Yeah, I've seen that one floating around. People really hate Ezra though so it tends to get brushed off. Also there isn't really the amazing pilot connection there.

Okay, how about: "Rey, I am your sperm donor." or "Rey, you are my female clone."?

3 minutes ago, benbaxter said:

A 15-16 year old dad isn't very abnormal in the US. Plus the mom could be a little older. A 14 year old Rey would be doable. But yeah, that is the biggest hole in my theory.

Perhaps not that abnormal, but also not something smiled upon either. I really doubt Disney would stick that kind of plot point into the franchise. Not impossible, but it doesn't really match the Disney image.

A 14 year old Rey is a very large stretch in my mind, pretty much at the breaking point. Plus, it would make Finn's question if she had a boy friend rather creepy.

7 minutes ago, benbaxter said:

she was born in 81, so she was probably 17-18 during production.

It started filming in June 97, so she woul dhave been 15-16 at the start (depending what month her birthday is).

Just now, VanderLegion said:

It started filming in June 97, so she woul dhave been 16 at the start.

That makes sense.

Here's a possibility. Battlefront II 2 spoilers ahoy.

Probably just Han's kid though.

10 minutes ago, ABXY said:

Has anyone ever floated a theory that:

Sabine + Ezra = Rey

?

I think I've heard it before and it is a possibility, though it doesn't feel like a strong contender. It raises a lot of questions that can be answered, but it starts getting complicated.

9 minutes ago, benbaxter said:

... People really hate Ezra though so it tends to get brushed off...

Oh, and Anakin was soooo loveable!