joepinetree

Someone in the Sepinwal comments section made the perfect comparison:
Chris Carter is the George Lucas of the x files world. He clearly created the universe, but the story itself was always handled better by other people.

Luke, that makes no sense.
First, Anderson made less money even as they were shooting the first run. You know, when Anderson was being voted sexiest woman alive and inspiring haircuts, etc.
Second, Duchovny's later hollywood career wasn't that great (and certainly couldn't explain why the difference before that), and Anderson specifically decided to take time off after the x files to live in London and do theater, so I wouldn't take that as a sign of demand.

Finally, even if you think the first two points are without merit, there is no question that, right now, Anderson is the more in demand actor. Duchovny's only other recent job is a summer mini-series. Anderson was in Hannibal, is in the Fall,  is in the production of War and Peace, and has a BBC movie coming up, all while being in the broadway production of a streetcar named desire.

Rey isn't a Mary Sue, and the whole argument is ridiculous. First, the trope of Mary Sue isn't defined just by being hyper- competent. Mary Sue as a trope is an author self-insert that is not only hyper-competent, but also beloved, popular and selfless.

Second, the entire star wars series is a story of hyper-competent people. Why weren't people yelling "Mary Sue" at the 8 year old Anakin who built droids, pod racers, was the only human who could win in pod-racing, and single handedly destroyed the trade federation's droid ship? Why weren't people yelling Mary Sue at Luke destroying the death star without computer support? (the Mary Sue as a trope has been discussed at least since 1976). What Rey does in this movie is nothing compared to 8 year old Anakin or 18 year old Luke.