So Wait, Is Jannah Lando’s Daughter In The Star Wars Universe, Or What?

There were introductions galore in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, from a staggering amount of plot twists to new characters for fans to parse through. While some of the series’ major parentage questions were finally addressed in The Rise of Skywalker, there are still a few more loose ends left to consider — including the warrior Jannah’s (Naomi Ackie) mysterious backstory.

Jannah is introduced as an ex-Stormtrooper who defected from the First Order, similar to what our pal Finn (John Boyega) did back in The Force Awakens. Jannah is a badass space archer who leads a ragtag team of fellow First Order defectors through the plains of Kef Bir, a moon in the Endor system. Ackie told Refinery29 that her character “is strong and has a swagger about her, but she's vulnerable in that she has a history that has her questioning her identity.” 

This stems from the fact that Jannah doesn’t know where she comes from because her ties to any family were severed after the First Order stole her away as a child, to raise her as a Stormtrooper. In The Rise of Skywalker, she reveals this to Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), who offers to help her find out where she came from.

There might be more to that exchange than meets the eye, however, and the connection between Lando and Jannah could go way back before The Rise of Skywalker. One dominant fan theory is that, unbeknownst to both of them, Jannah is Lando’s long-lost daughter. 

While The Rise of Skywalker does not confirm this speculation outright, there are additional clues to suggest that the two characters could be related. The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary, a companion book to the film, reveals that Lando tried to start a family after the events of Return of the Jedi. But tragedy struck when his infant daughter was abducted by the First Order, who were “building their fighting forces but also specifically striking out at the old Alliance leadership.” According to the book, Lando’s missing daughter would be 21 by the time of The Rise of Skywalker (Ackie is 27, but Jannah could be younger). 

Ackie also hasn’t shut down the theory entirely, leaving open the possibility of exploring Jannah’s parentage in the future. When asked about the rumors at the Star WarsCelebration in April, Ackie joked, “Lando is a very charming man, so he could have children all over the universe. That’s all I’m saying.”