“I got a bad feeling about this.” It’s not just blasters and light sabers that make "Star Wars" what it is to its captive audience. In every film, someone says this line and then, of course, something bad happens. It happens every single time, can be counted on. Something else about the series can be counted on as well. What people don’t like to talk about, but it is still part of that galaxy so far, far away is the overwhelming lack of female characters. At least, that’s the way it’s been. Until now. (Spoilers ahead, obviously.)

When I heard "The Force Awakens" release date, I screamed for joy. Even though I have never been able to relate to the male characters and the epic father-son struggle, the movies reeled me in from a very young age and I watched the original trilogy over and over again, driving my parents crazy with it. The prequels were just as exciting for me. Yes, I know that is blasphemous for a "Star Wars" fan to say, but I was young and thought Jar Jar was idiotic in an adorable way. I was ready for the new movie and bought an R2-D2 backpack in my excitement, thinking it would just be entertaining and enjoyable. And, boy, was I in for a surprise.

Nothing could prepare me for this movie. This may sound like an exaggeration, but I was completely unprepared for how amazing and powerful this film is for me. I drove my family crazy for three days after seeing it. We would all be in the living room doing our own thing and just being together when I would randomly look up and exclaim, "'Star Wars' was so FREAKING amazing!” The story gave me so much information, but left me with questions I am begging to have answered. The special effects entertained me and the actors were so thoroughly dissolved in their roles that even though I know their actual names, I can only address them by their character names. All of this was outstanding and life changing, but there was an element to the movie that floored me beyond anything else and I still think about it constantly and smile every time I do.

My hero for this film is Rey. She is average, not drop dead gorgeous and perpetuating an unattainable standard of beauty. She is knowledgeable, not incompetent or just going along for the ride. She can keep up with Han Solo, the stereotypical macho man of the franchise. She can take care of herself and is a self-taught expert in the usually “masculine” arena of mechanics and machinery. When faced with obstacles and enemies, she can rescue herself. She is the all-powerful protagonist strong with the Force. When she figures out her inner strength, she quickly wields it and experiments with it, discovering for herself what she is capable of. She is the ultimate hero and a woman.

All throughout my life I have been in love with fiction and fantasy. "Harry Potter," " Lord of the Rings" and many other “fandoms” of our generation have occupied my bookshelves and Netflix lists. I have seen strong female characters, but they have sometimes disappointed me or not received the amount of recognition and focus they deserve. They always feel one dimensional and impossibly beautiful. They are never realistic and they always end up being saved by a man or defeated by one. I wouldn’t notice it so much if there was a balance. If there were just as many amazing female hero stories as there are male hero stories, this article would not be necessary. But, it always seems like women are there for the men’s story and I have grown tired of it.

Then, I saw Rey and gave a triumphant laugh as she met Fin and told him to stop holding her hand whenever they had to take off at a run. You don’t realize that the man always grab the woman’s hand when they’re running until Rey furrows her brow in annoyance at Fin and says she knows how to run without someone holding her hand. She breaks down a wall with her independence and ability to save her own skin. She has her very own personality and is so intelligent and powerful. I watched her the entire time, cheering for her because she made me feel powerful.

By the end of the film when she stood opposite Luke Skywalker with the light saber outstretched, I knew this next installment of "Star Wars" would be much different than anything the universe has presented to the world before. As the music swelled and the camera rotated around Luke and Rey, I just knew that I had seen an amazing change in the Force. I had witnessed true gender equality in one of my favorite film franchises and it made me tear up. I never knew how important it was to feel represented on the screen until I met Rey. It’s something I have ranted about before as a passionate feminist, but never had I felt the gut wrenching importance of everyone being equally represented on the silver screen until this new "Star Wars" movie. When I say it was life changing, I’m not talking about the geeky side of me that was excited for more geekiness. I am talking about witnessing a new era. If "Star Wars" is gender equal, then the rest of the world can’t be far behind. This feels like a turning point in our culture and I am ready to welcome it with my R2-D2 backpack slung over my shoulder and my lightsaber in hand. May the force be with you as we continue this "Star Wars" journey and see what else it has to offer us.