Oh, this one has been a long time coming. As someone who always dreamed of picking up a lightsaber--and wished that just once they would let a girl be a Jedi, not that I didn't fully appreciate Princess Leia kicking butt without the force in the original trilogy--I of course took to Rey like a fish to water.

She's scrappy, feisty, and brave, qualities that I always admire in my heroines (and heroes for that matter). She's also a bit of a dreamer. Besides being a Jedi--or soon-to-be Jedi I hope--Rey defies other gender stereotypes often seen in the Star Wars movies. For instance, she's a skilled pilot and mechanic. All these things make Rey one of my favorite characters in the movies.

Learn more about Rey.

Note: I'm seeing the next movie (The Last Jedi) this weekend, so I don't know if Rey is still awesome. She better be.