The Star Wars sequel trilogy stars a new Jedi-in-training – Rey (surname unknown). This character was not in Lucas’s story for the sequels, but she is clearly based in part on a character called Kira, who is in concept art that Lucas commissioned while he was preparing for Episode VII.
Lucas’s story apparently revolved around young teenage characters, and it is speculated that Disney were concerned that this was too similar to Episode I – The Phantom Menace, which was perhaps the most divisive Star Wars film to date. Many fans of the original trilogy felt very negatively towards the prequels, with its shift in tone and change in look from the familiar ‘used world’ Star Wars aesthetic from the original movies. Regardless of the validity of those fans’ opinions (or the fact that many fans – especially the younger generation – loved the prequels), it’s understandable that Disney would want to regain the fans that felt betrayed by the prequels (and by Lucas). Therefore we can safely assume that Disney chose to change Lucas’s story in an effort to make a sequel that was more appealing to the fans who grew up on the original trilogy, and for new fans who might not have seen any of Lucas’s original six movies.
In The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, two characters appear in concept art as possibly being the main protagonists of Michael Arndt’s original script draft (and therefore Lucas’s story). These are likely the young teenage characters that Lucas’s story revolved around. Kira is a girl wielding a lightsaber, and Sam is a boy with a resemblance to a young Han Solo. Both appear to be in their mid-late teens:
Given Lucas’s comments that Star Wars is a ‘soap opera about a family’s generations’, it is quite likely that Kira and Sam are Skywalkers (or Solos), that is they are probably grandchildren of Anakin Skywalker, with either Luke Skywalker or Leia and Han as their parents. In the image above, Kira bears a resemblance to Natalie Portman, the actress who played Luke and Leia’s mother Padme Amidala in the prequel trilogy.
A Female Protagonist
Kathleen Kennedy implied that it was she and J.J. Abrams who decided the sequel trilogy’s main protagonist should be female:
“It was right from the beginning. [having a female protagonist is] something that J.J. and I started talking about day one. It was really important to us. We both have daughters, so, very important.” – Kathleen Kennedy, from <https://www.thesuburbanmom.com/2015/12/16/lucasfilm-president-kathleen-kennedy-star-wars-the-force-awakens/>
This implies that Lucas’s story didn’t have a female main protagonist, though it has been mentioned that Lucas’s story involved Luke training Rey/Kira as his padawan learner.
This next image shows a scene similar to the scene in the movie where Kylo Ren interrogates Rey on Starkiller base, but with a key difference: the Jedi is male. Overlooking the interrogation is a stormtrooper without his helmet on (Finn?). Since we know Lucas’s story had the Kira character as Luke’s padawan learner, who is the Jedi being tortured?
Luke and Kira Concept Art
Lucas’s Episode VII apparently contained a lot more Luke/Rey (Kira) interaction than the final movie. In January 2013, George Lucas brought some concept art to the first story meeting for the sequels, including images of an older Luke Skywalker and his padawan learner, Kira.
In a promotional interview, Mark Hamill mentions some more concept art from early in The Force Awakens‘ development:
“[I saw]…all this conceptual art where Luke’s in scuba gear with [Rey]” – Mark Hamill
The mention of scuba gear brings to mind the concept art of Rey swimming around the wreckage of the Death Star, presumably crashed into an ocean on the forest moon of Endor:
Is this image one of many, with others including Luke?
George Lucas's Sequel Trilogy 