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"Rey, her theme has a musical grammar that is not heroic in the sense of a hero's theme. It's kind of an adventure theme that maybe promises more than resolving itself in the most major triumphant resolutions."

- John Williams

"Rey's Theme" is a musical leitmotif written by John Williams for the 2015 film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens and its respective score to represent Rey, a focal character in the film.

Conception and development
"Rey's Theme" is the musical leitmotif that represents Rey, the central character of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens. It was composed and conducted for the film by John Williams. When Williams saw the film and began composing the music, he felt empathy towards Rey, as she is first introduced alone and without her family. He wanted the theme to illustrate that empathy that he felt towards her. Williams composed the theme with a musical grammar that was intended more as an adventure theme rather than a hero's theme, one that promises more adventure and resolution to come.

Summary
Led by strings and woodwinds, "Rey's Theme" is a mysterious five-segment piece with a core leitmotif of quickly alternating notes played by various instruments such as solo flute. The theme's first part is comprised of ten notes which are repeated, transitioning into a second part consisting of seven notes. The third part of the piece is the 12 note main motif of "Rey's Theme," and parts four and five conclude the piece, returning to the seven and ten note melodies.

In the movies
In The Force Awakens, the theme is first introduced as Rey exits a crashed Star Destroyer and speeds across the deserts of Jakku. It continues into a number of other themes from the film, including "The Scavenger," when Rey is first introduced; "Farewell and The Trip," as Rey arrives on Ahch-To to find Luke Skywalker; and "The Jedi Steps and Finale," in the end credits.

Reception
"Even when you look at it objectively, what John Williams has achieved with this score is nothing short of remarkable. He has written five new themes, two of which&mdash;'Rey's Theme' and the 'March of the Resistance'&mdash;are wonderfully memorable, and can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the already bulging cache of memorable themes within the Star Wars universe."

- Jonathan Broxton