Rey Skywalker fulfilled the Chosen One prophecy in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, says the film's production designer Rick Carter. The prophecy about a Skywalker being the Chosen One and destined to bring balance to the Force was set up way back in The Phantom Menace.
Star Wars fans initially thought that Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One, ironically bringing balance back to the Force by throwing Palpatine down a shaft as Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi. Palpatine miraculously survived to return to wreak havoc in The Rise of Skywalker, much to the horror of the Resistance. Rey's major conflict of the final film of the Skywalker saga was the revelation that she was a Palpatine. Disgusted with the discovery over her bloodline, Rey exiles herself to Ahch-To, where Luke appears to her as a Force Ghost. Luke admits to Rey that he and Leia sensed all along that she was a Palpatine, but they still chose to believe in her because Rey had demonstrated through her actions that she was on the light side.
In the recently released art book, Star Wars: The Art of Rise of Skywalker, the film's production designer Rick Carter expressed his view on Rey as the Chosen One. Carter has an impressive résumé, having completed production design on famous films like Forrest Gump, Jurassic Park, and The Force Awakens. Check out the noted designer's thoughts on Rey Skywalker below.
"The Episode I prophecy was that a Skywalker was somehow going to help balance the Force. Rian Johnson opened Star Wars up to the possibility that, if Rey is not a Skywalker by blood, then being the mythological Skywalker is something you can aspire to and achieve in your life - which I think is great. It's not only your destiny based upon birth. Maybe the life lesson in this one is that sometimes you have to go beyond what seems like a finite destiny. That's what it is then to be a dreamer and to be a Skywalker."
The Rise of Skywalker brought a plentiful supply of plot and character debates that still have fans going to this day, none more so than Rey Skywalker. Fan and critic reactions alike were mixed regarding Palpatine's return, with many feeling like it cheapened Return of the Jedi and Anakin Skywalker's ultimate sacrifice for his son. However, Rey's choice to walk away from the path that Palpatine wanted her to tread was in a way, inspired by Anakin's life and death. After all, Rey trained under Luke and learned how in the end, the choices one makes matters far more than predetermined destiny. Rey chose not to become Empress Palpatine and defeated her evil grandfather with the help of all the Jedi that came before her, thus restoring balance to the Force once and for all.
What matters most is that Rey could not have fulfilled the Chosen One prophecy without all of the Jedi before her that fought hard for the good of the galaxy. That's why the scene in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker where Rey hears the Jedi telling her to rise is so poignant. She would not have been able to defeat Palpatine without their struggles and triumphs and strength. Rey's choice to become Rey Skywalker is the culmination of the Skywalker saga and proves the ultimate strength of Star Wars. It doesn't matter where one comes from, but what they choose to be.
Source: The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker