Adam Driver’s recent revelation about Kylo Ren’s original Star Wars arc would have made the sequels so much better. Presented as the primary antagonist in the sequel trilogy, Kylo Ren ends up being redeemed from the dark side of the Force, just like his grandfather Anakin Skywalker. However, it’s since been revealed that a mirrored redemption wasn’t originally in the cards for Ben Solo aka Kylo Ren.
In a recent interview, Adam Driver revealed that Ben Solo’s redemption wasn’t a part of the original plan when he was first cast. Instead, it seems the redemption came just ahead of The Rise of Skywalker, a result of Lucasfilm not having a concrete narrative plan for the final trilogy. As it stands, Kylo Ren was seduced by the dark side, killed his father Han Solo in The Force Awakens, killed his master and became the First Order’s Supreme Leader in The Last Jedi, and was subsequently redeemed in The Rise of Skywalker thanks to the efforts of Rey. However, Kylo Ren’s arc could have been far more compelling.
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Adam Driver Has Revealed Kylo Ren Was Never Meant To Be Redeemed
Ben Solo Wasn’t The Original Endpoint
The idea that Ben Solo’s redemption wasn’t the original ending for Kylo Ren is fascinating. As seen in The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine’s survival was revealed to the new Supreme Leader as well as Rey’s true bloodline. However, Rey’s defeat and subsequent healing of Kylo Ren along with his mother’s death (Leia) kickstarted Ben Solo’s redemption, motivating him to help Rey take on the Knights of Ren he once commanded before facing Palpatine himself during the Battle of Exegol. Giving his life to save Rey, Ben Solo’s final act was one of redemption, just like his grandfather Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader.
However, Adam Driver’s new reveal proves that something more dynamic could have happened for Kylo Ren rather than retreading what had already been seen in the original trilogy of films. Rather than being brought back to the light, Kylo Ren could have committed to the darkness. It certainly would have been a more surprising direction rather than the more predictable ending seen in The Rise of Skywalker.
The Original Kylo Ren Arc Would Have Made Him The Anti-Anakin
Kylo Ren Was Meant To Be A Reversal of Darth Vader’s Redemption
Had Kylo Ren continued to commit to his darkness in the sequel trilogy, he would have effectively become the anti-Anakin in the Star Wars timeline. As explained by Driver, Kylo Ren begins his journey in the sequels unsure of himself and weaker in the dark side, as was seen in The Force Awakens before he decided to kill his father. He’d then continue to grow in the dark side as seen in The Last Jedi, culminating in his defeat of Snoke and doing what Vader never could by killing his master (while still being fueled by the dark side).
This would have been the inverse of Anakin who began strong in the dark side as Darth Vader before he ultimately wavered and was redeemed back to the light by his son Luke in Return of the Jedi. However, Kylo Ren’s evolution in the dark side was stunted by the addition of his own redemption. Rather than becoming stronger in the dark side and surpassing his grandfather’s dark legacy as the reverse, he simply mirrored Anakin’s redemption before facing Palpatine, something audiences had already seen before rather than providing anything new.
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Rise Of Skywalker’s Most Interesting Idea Would Have Still Fit
The Dyad Could Have Still Worked
While it wasn’t explored or fleshed out as well as it could have, the idea of a Force dyad was one of The Rise of Skywalker’s best concepts. To that end, it still could have worked had Kylo Ren remained in the dark as originally intended. It could even be argued that the idea of a dyad and its overall connection to balance in the Force would have been made stronger, seeing as how Rey would have been predominantly in the light while Kylo would have been of the dark. Balance would have been the key to defeating Palpatine, rather than Rey becoming “all the Jedi”.
Kylo Ren would have had more agency by remaining in the dark while still agreeing to unite with Rey. With the greater understanding that Palpatine represented an unnatural evil in the galaxy that needed to be defeated, it’s fascinating to imagine a scenario where Kylo could have been convinced to combine his darkness with Rey’s light. It would have been an incredible way to end the Skywalker saga, a restoration of balance Palpatine had disrupted while also fulfilling the legacy of Anakin Skywalker himself as the prophesied Chosen One.
Kylo Ren Would Have Been Vader’s Heir, While Rey Would Have Been Anakin’s
The Darkness and the Light Of The Chosen One’s Legacy
Kylo Ren remaining in the dark would also have allowed for the Chosen One’s legacy to be better utilized in The Rise of Skywalker. As an unknown child from the desert inheriting a greater role and power in the Force, Rey is essentially the successor of Anakin Skywalker’s legacy, a truth that is further cemented not only by Anakin’s voice on Exegol encouraging Rey to bring back balance as he once did but also by Rey herself taking his name by the film’s end.
However, Kylo Ren could have also been Darth Vader’s successor simultaneously. By remaining in the dark, Kylo could have indeed finished what Vader started while also surpassing the Dark Lord’s legacy in the galaxy far, far away. Furthermore, Kylo living and remaining in his darkness would have also created an intriguing launch point for the future of the Star Wars galaxy. After all, what does it look like when darkness and light are truly in balance?
A Truly Evil Kylo Ren Would Have Made The Sequels Much More Satisfying
A Far More Compelling Rise of Skywalker
All in all, it certainly would have been quite dynamic had Kylo Ren’s arc remained as it was originally envisioned when Adam Driver was first cast. At the very least, it would have been a fresher and newer direction rather than trying to play the old nostalgic hits with new characters and unsatisfying endings. As such, it can certainly be argued that an arc that maintains Kylo Ren’s growing darkness in the Star Wars sequels would have been far better than what was actually given by Disney and Lucasfilm after they changed directions.
Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker
This is the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and serves as the culmination of the Skywalker saga. The film sees Rey (Daisy Ridley), Poe (Oscar Isaac), and Finn (John Boyega) team up to put an end to the First Order after Palpatine mysteriously returns. Jurassic World helmsman Colin Trevorrow was originally named director back in 2015 when the film first entered development, but he parted ways with Lucasfilm due to creative differences over the script. In September 2017, Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams signed on to finish what he started.
- Release Date
- December 20, 2019
- Director
- J.J. Abrams
- Cast
- Carrie Fisher , Oscar Isaac , Anthony Daniels , Joonas Suotamo , Mark Hamill , Adam Driver , Ian McDiarmid , Kelly Marie Tran , Billie Lourd , Keri Russell , Richard E. Grant , Daisy Ridley , Lupita Nyong’o , Dominic Monaghan , John Boyega , Domhnall Gleeson , Billy Dee Williams , Naomi Ackie
- Rating
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 142 minutes
- Genres
- Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Sci-Fi
- Writers
- Chris Terrio , J.J. Abrams
- Budget
- $275 million
- Studio(s)
- Lucasfilm
- Distributor(s)
- Disney
- prequel(s)
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace , Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones , Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith , Solo: A Star Wars Story , Rogue One: A Star Wars Story , Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope , Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back , Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi , Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens , Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
