The ‘Force’ is Not So Strong With Women

Note: This article contains spoilers for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

In one of the early sequences of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the male and female protagonists, Finn (played by John Boyega) and Rey (played by Hollywood newcomer Daisy Ridley), are famously shown running from bombs being dropped in their desert path. Rey scoffs at Finn’s attempt to lead her away from the onslaught (“Stop taking my hand!”) and instead, runs ahead of him and manages to revive the defunct Millennium Falcon, which leads them to safety.

This is strong female power and independence at its apex. So why are women so much less interested in the film than male moviegoers?

While there’s no question women are watching “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in great numbers — accounting for 30-40 percent of more than a billion and a half in revenue so far — it’s safe to say that a film that attracts 60-70 percent men constitutes a dude flick.

Investing so much in the character of Rey — who is not particularly feminine, but not exactly masculine, either — was a risky move on the part of Disney.

This is important because Rey is the only female figure in the film with any notable character development — other than Leia Organa, whose re-emergence as General of the Rebellion feels more like an extended cameo. Any feminine qualities Rey may possess (sentimentality, restraint, humility, ambassadorship) are effectively neutralized by her need to fit in with and compete with the men in the film.

If anything, the character of Rey is gender neutral in style and substance. This makes her a wash. It sort of defeats the point of having a female protagonist when the only one you have is not particularly feminine.

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That Rey is essentially a tomboy is actually quite inspiring: She’s a scavenger who makes her living searching the far reaches of the desert for metal scraps and tools that can be traded for rations of food. She is an impressive survivalist: evidently a mechanic and a skilled pilot, and self-taught in both. She is intelligent and resourceful; witty and unflappable.

Moreover, she is not only able to take care of her own basic needs; she seems perfectly content with her solitary life. She’s entirely self-sufficient, as the plot reveals she was separated from her family at an early age on account of wrongdoing by the First Order.

But don’t be fooled by the inspiring backstory: Compared to all other characters, she has the most to prove. Like women in the real world, Rey suffers from a patriarchal attitude from her colleagues.

She appears to be a young adult between the ages of 18 and 24 (Ridley is 23, in real life), yet she’s referred to as a “girl” by Kylo Ren (“The girl I’ve heard so much about”), General Hux (“Ren thought the girl was all we needed”), Supreme Leader Snoke (“If what you say about the girl is true, bring her to me”), and even the female alien barkeeper Maz Kanata (“Who’s the girl?”) at various points throughout the film.

The label is patronizing on the border of insulting, given that Rey has been living off the land (read: barren desert) for the 10 or 15 years since she lost contact with her parents and appears more adult-like than most millennials (who literally can’t even handle “adulting” on any given day).

In the story, Rey appears to be emotionally mature. She doesn’t overreact to emotional stressors and doesn’t appear to be particularly bothered by her unmet needs, emotional or otherwise. She shows no signs of weakness or sense of lack.

Her only friend (because remember: a strong woman isn’t needy) is a droid, BB-8, whom she befriended for no apparent reason — though it’s safe to assume her relationship to the machine was designed to convey her innate, perhaps unacknowledged, if slightly contrived maternal instinct.

She has one significant advantage over her male peers. She is physically stronger than her most formidable opponent, Kylo Ren, whom she defeats in an intense light saber battle. By extension, that means she is stronger than Finn, who is defeated by Ren. Never mind the fact that Ren towers about a foot above her; Rey possesses “the force,” and her capacity for mental domination enables her to physically dominate all foes.

All of these powerful qualities — invulnerability, steadfastness, brute strength — also make her less relatable to female audience members. It’s no wonder women are scratching their heads as their husbands and brothers leave the house to watch the film for the third and fourth times.

Critics might call her power symbolic; more accurately, though, it’s irrational. No woman in the real world is able to physically dominate a more physically powerful predator or foe. If you pitted Ronda Rousey against the weakest player in the NFL, would she win? Doubtful. Why? Because men are physically stronger than women. Duh.

But Rey isn’t really female; she’s female by default — because she’s the only character who isn’t explicitly male. So who is she?

“Star Wars” has been likened to a space Western with Han Solo playing the hardened cowboy who’s compelled to defend goodness against unruly outlaws. If so, then what archetype is Rey’s character? She’s not a saloon prostitute, nor the damsel in distress — and thankfully not, for that would be anachronistic in such an evolved, futuristic setting. She’s not exactly a sidekick, though, either.

This leads to the only other rational conclusion: She’s a puppet.

In case there’s any question as to why “Star Wars” leans heavily male, it’s because the film doesn’t get women. Women aren’t parrots who can muster up physical strength on par with men if they just think about it hard enough, or say “I can do this.” We are equal in that we are just as valuable as men, and just as capable of greatness and awesomeness.

But we are still women, and we are different. We are beautifully and wonderfully vulnerable, both physically and emotionally. That “Star Wars” overlooks this fact may explain why women aren’t flocking to theaters at quite the same pace as male fans.

The force may be with all — but impenetrable force symbolized by Rey isn’t something most real women relate to.