Warning: minor spoilers ahead!
The Star Wars franchise has been known for its very memorable male leads with only Princess Leia to represent strong females. Until now. In Star Wars: The Force Awakens we are introduced to Rey, a young woman from the planet of Jakku who we know very little about. Other than the fact that she was abandoned by her parents at a young age, we actually know nothing about her backstory. Regardless of her unknown beginnings, Rey truly represents female strength and independence. Think about it: she has been able to keep herself alive, fighting off the harsh environment of Jakku, without any help whatsoever. Throughout the movie she also manages to save herself from many sticky situations with her own skills and cunning. Her fighting skills are just as good, if not better than, any of the other characters, including the feared Kylo Ren. Not to mention her knowledge of piloting and mechanics. And, on top of all that, she is still one of the most caring characters ever, always ensuring the safety of BB-8 and Finn. Brains, beauty, grace, and strength. She literally has it all.
It is worth mentioning however, that even in the cinematic world of Star Wars one cannot go without seeing a few gender stigmas present. For instance, whenever Rey finds herself trapped, Finn always seems to have the need to save her. This is very consistent with the “damsel in distress” motif. Also, there is constant surprise about Rey’s strength and abilities. Whenever she manages to figure out something everyone seems to mention their shock at how well “a girl could do it” or mentioning how well she is able to fight. She even seems to surprise herself at times since she has been raised in a society where there are very few women with strength comparable to hers.
Regardless of all the barriers holding her back, Rey prevails and (I can safely say) becomes an amazing role model for all women.