Rey glances over at Anakin's face as he processes the news, and she can't help but to think of Ben, even younger than Anakin is now, being manipulated like this. There's a lurch in her chest, like a sudden wave of empathy, and she swallows hard.
Ben and his grandfather really are very alike, in so many ways. If Rey's compassion and understanding extends to Ben, then it must also extend to the boy who would be Vader.
There's a quiet moment, and then Rey shifts closer and reaches out to put her hand on Anakin's shoulder. It's the first time that they've touched with any sort of deliberate intent, and Rey realizes just how much she had been unfairly holding herself back, staying wary of him even though she already understood him better than she even knew.
"You were not the only one that Palpatine deceived," Rey tells him, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as she looks back at the throne. She thinks about the life taken from her by Palpatine. The like taken from Ben, from Anakin, from all of them, and her next words come out choked up and rough. "He was a monster, Anakin. But now he's dead, and his throne sits empty."
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Ben and his grandfather really are very alike, in so many ways. If Rey's compassion and understanding extends to Ben, then it must also extend to the boy who would be Vader.
There's a quiet moment, and then Rey shifts closer and reaches out to put her hand on Anakin's shoulder. It's the first time that they've touched with any sort of deliberate intent, and Rey realizes just how much she had been unfairly holding herself back, staying wary of him even though she already understood him better than she even knew.
"You were not the only one that Palpatine deceived," Rey tells him, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze as she looks back at the throne. She thinks about the life taken from her by Palpatine. The like taken from Ben, from Anakin, from all of them, and her next words come out choked up and rough. "He was a monster, Anakin. But now he's dead, and his throne sits empty."