I was born and raised in a Star Wars loving home. My dad is one of the biggest Star Wars nerds (he has all of the six inch figures and three or four different BB-8s and gigantic ships and lightsabers; he even has an Obi-Wan costume), and because of that wonderful fact, I became a huge Star Wars nerd as well. Growing up, I had Star Wars action figures, C3PO and R2-D2 slippers, my favorite Ewok in action figure form, and multiple lightsabers. My siblings and I grew up playing more often with Star Wars action figures than we did with Barbies or matchbox cars. Because of this, we all had lots of joy in our hearts when Episode VII came out in theaters - so much joy that we saw it multiple times on the big screen. And honestly, I couldn't wait for it to come out on DVD so I could watch it all over again. But as we were watching Star Wars, I couldn't help but fall deeply in love with the main character, Rey. I loved all the other characters too, but there was something about Rey that really spoke to me - I could empathize with her and understand her. I saw myself in her character, and that was rather brilliant. So here are my nine reasons why Rey is quite possibly the best heroine.

1. She's one tough cookie

One of my favorite scenes in Episode VII is when Kylo Ren is trying to read Rey's mind but then all of a sudden she feels the Force and is able to read his mind instead. When she is in one of the worst possible situations and all hope seems lost, Rey still keeps fighting. She doesn't just give up or break down crying. She keeps pushing; she keeps fighting.

2. She cries

One of the things that frustrates me most about female heroes, is that often times the authors or directors make them so strong and so harsh, that they don't cry and they don't show any of their emotions.Rey is a vulnerable character...she allows herself to feel feelings, and outwardly show them. She wasn't hard or intense; she was tender.

3. She's compassionate

This kind of ties in with my second point, but like before, often times authors or directors make their female heroes so hard and emotionless, that they aren't compassionate. Often times they are too selfish. Or they are so cold that they could care less about the people or creatures around them. But within the first half of the movie, we see Rey's compassion. We see how much she cares for Finn and how she tries to help him, and how she adores Chewie and Han. But mostly, I love the scene where she saves BB-8 and then lets him stay with her and decides not to sell him for more money. She's compassionate towards him, even though he's just a droid.

4. Her costume isn't sexy

I am getting a bit exhausted seeing all these female heroines that have to be in sexy costumes. They're dressed with all of their leg exposed, breasts busting out from the top, or midriffs exposed as if to say hello to the world. Those types of get-ups wouldn't keep you protected from a sunburn, let alone from an evil villain! And yes, seeing a girl kick butt in a dress is pretty epic, but how often do we as females wear dresses? Probably not very often, because our normal attire is most likely leggings or jeans. I appreciate Rey because she dresses relatively normal; no sexy getup and no constricting apparel. Her attire is plain; normal; reasonable.

5. She's totally independent

Most often times with female heroes in books or movies, we find that as soon as we meet them, we meet their sidekick. This isn't the case with Rey. She has lived the majority of her life alone, fighting for herself and being totally independent. She doesn't have a guy best friend like Katniss, or a funny comedian friend like Mushu (although I love all of those characters), nor does she have a dashing prince who is confident and sure of himself. She is on her own, and she keeps herself alive using her independence and wit.

6. She's confident

I'm sure Rey has some insecurities, just like we all do, but for the most part, she's very confident. She's confident when mentally battling Kylo Ren - she didn't know she could use the Force, but she had confidence in herself and her abilities. She's confident when flying the Millennium Falcon; she didn't know how to pilot that ship! And yet, she figured it out and was confident about it. Finally, she was confident when using the lightsaber. She had never used a lightsaber before, but she was quick to snatch it off the ground and start fighting Kylo Ren with it.

7. She keeps fighting

Rey continues to keep fighting, even after she's been captured by Kylo Ren and even after she has seen her own hero (Han Solo) die and thinks Finn might be dying as well. She never stops fighting, and that's what I appreciate about her. Even when things are tough and looking dim, she continues to press on and keep fighting. She doesn't give up, and she doesn't let her circumstances get the best of her.

8. She never stops believing in the power to do and be good

Often times with female heroines, they change their moral standing. They stop seeing good and evil as black and white, and aren't afraid to blur the lines in order to save themselves and their friends. Something I found particularly interesting with Rey, is that she doesn't do this. She sees good and she does it. Not only that, but the good she is seeking and the way she acts, makes Kylo Ren start to question his own dark side.

9. She cares deeply

I get so exhausted seeing all these female characters that don't care for their fellow friends or family. I see so much friendzoning happening, that I can't truly appreciate the bond between the characters. But, not with Rey. When I watched Episode VII, I loved seeing the friendship between Rey and Finn, but also between Rey and BB-8. She cared deeply for a Storm Trooper (even though he lied to her), Han Solo and Chewie (who she barely knew), and a droid. How cool is that? She doesn't discriminate against them; she cares deeply for all of them.