Star Wars Forces of Destiny is Destined to Teach Kids Great Lessons

Episode 2: Tracker Trouble

It’s exciting to be back on the Millennium Falcon fixing problems with Rey. In this second episode of Forces of Destiny, we get to spend some time with Han, Chewie, BB-8, Finn, and (of course) Rey. Finn brings his usual sass and Rey brings her usual tech-savvy, as they race through space toward Maz Kanata’s castle. Unfortunately for them, a tracking device has been embedded in the ship and (even more, unfortunately) it’s rigged to explode as soon as it’s detached.

When Finn unknowingly detaches the tracker, they have exactly 20 seconds to get rid of the bomb. Fortunately for the crew, Rey is quick on her feet and knows all there is to know about the complicated technology present in the Star Wars universe. She recognizes that the tracker doubles as an explosive and she quickly sends Chewie to project the bomb into space through the airlock. Her quick thinking saves the crew.

When I watched The Force Awakens, I was excited to see them take a traditionally male role (that of the tech-savvy builder/mechanic) and give it to a female character. Star Wars subverts traditional gender roles in its characterizations, and I love it. Rey is an inventor, a builder, a mechanic and she is such a fun example for young girls who are mechanically, scientifically, or technologically minded.