Star Wars: JJ Abrams reveals that Rey's parents were not in The Force Awakens

You can count out pretty much everyone you thought it was

UPDATE: Abrams has since clarified his comments in a post-Q&A interview with EW: “What I meant was that she doesn’t discover them in Episode VII. Not that they may not already be in her world,” he said.

A Star Wars fan of any calibre will know that - in a galaxy far far away - huge importance is placed on the identity of one's parents.

Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Kylo Ren - these are all characters whose parentage has provided audiences with a shock over the course of seven films.

One key character whose heritage remains unknown, however, is The Force Awakens' heroine Rey (Daisy Ridley) enhanced somewhat by the pivotal moment she uses the force in a crucial scene with the villainous Ren (Adam Driver).

On Friday evening (15 April), Episode VII's director JJ Abrams revealed a key detail about her parents' identity which doesn't so much provide us with a hint about who they are than who they aren't.

Speaking at the Tribeca Film Festival currently taking place in New York, Abrams said: "Rey's parents are not in Episode VII so I can't possibly at this moment tell you who they are."

Several theories generated since the film's December 2015 release suggested that Rey's father is Skywalker (Mark Hamill) while other people believed the character could be the child of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia (Carrie Fisher) - which would make her Kylo Ren's sister.

Abrams' comments, however, shoot these theories to sunshine.

One theory still in contention - despite being dismissed by Ridley herself - is that Rey's mother is Jyn Erso, the protagonist played by Felicity Jones in upcoming spin-off prequel Rogue One.

The as-of-yet untitled Episode VIII - directed by Rian Johnson - is currently shooting, with the film set to be released December 2017.

In the meantime, a teaser trailer for he aforementioned Rogue One was recently dropped ahead of its release this December.

JJ Abrams previously admitted he made a mistake in a particular Force Awakens scene involving General Leia and Chewbacca.