Rey is in search of a purpose, fulfillment, and belonging. Her struggle to recognize her own self-worth is one that we’ve all experienced at one point or another; if we look past the droids and Jedis and everything else that comes with the epic Space Opera that is the Star Wars saga, we notice that Rey’s loneliness is more relatable than not. She spends her days awaiting the indefinite return of the family that abandoned her (even though it was probably for her own protection) and the majority of her time scavenging Jakku for useless trinkets and parts to trade in for food; she lives merely on a day-to-day basis, in pursuit of something more, but initially without the means to facilitate a change.

She is lonely and stuck in a routine that seemingly has no end. This is no more apparent than when we see her scrubbing her finds of the day before she trades them in – as she watches an old woman across from her doing the exact same job she is doing, and probably has been doing for the majority of her life. As Rey wonders if the fate of that old woman will become her own, we really sympathize and understand the pain of a space-orphan from a galaxy far, far away. Maybe it’s your job. Maybe it’s your relationship. But knowing you’re meant for something more and not necessarily having a way to change things is heartbreaking. We’ve all been there.