Anakin Skywalker is the central figure of Star Wars, but his grandson Ben Solo actually succeed where Anakin failed. Kylo Ren once muttered “I will finish… what you started” to the burned helmet of his grandfather Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The fallen Jedi idolized his grandfather, seeking to take his place as a dark ruler of the galaxy. Kylo Ren always aspired to be Darth Vader, but what he eventually became was somehow more Anakin and less Vader.
Ben Solo was the child of Leia Organa and Han Solo, Leia descended from Anakin Skywalker, and Han a common smuggler from Corellia. He was strong in the Force at a very young age, but unbeknownst to his family, began to feel the darkness just as early. Ben began training as his uncle Luke Skywalker’s first student, living at Luke’s Jedi Temple on Ossus for many years. This was before the fall, and before Ben knew the truth about who his grandfather was – and even further before he would truly finish what Anakin started.
Kylo Ren Was Committed To Darth Vader’s “Mission”… But He Never Explained What It Was
As shown in The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren had the utmost admiration for his grandfather Darth Vader. Ben looked at Vader and saw something true to aspire to, and that’s visible in many elements of his character. His helmet is intentionally reminiscent of Vader’s, along with the rest of his imposing costume. Ben even leaves behind his real name to take the name “Kylo Ren,” intending to finish what Vader started. But what exactly did Vader start?
Vader was guided by Palpatine and didn’t really start too much on his own, other than being a powerful dark side enforcer. While he was a very complex and multifaceted character, Vader did not start anything that Kylo Ren could reasonably or easily follow. But Darth Vader is not just the mechanical suit that contains him; he is also Anakin Skywalker, a fallen Jedi Knight, and even more complicated man.
Ben Solo Fulfilled Anakin Skywalker’s True Mission In Rise Of Skywalker
Ben Solo/Kylo Ren developed significantly over the course of the sequel trilogy, but as the films go on Kylo becomes very different from Darth Vader. This fully manifests itself in Ben returning to the light side, giving up everything he has to save Rey, whom Ben had developed feelings for. Rey had just died fighting the reborn Emperor Palpatine, and Ben gave all of his life force to save her. This makes it abundantly clear that Kylo Ren did not finish what Darth Vader started, but Ben Solo finished what Anakin Skywalker did.
Anakin Skywalker’s central desire and reason for turning to the dark side was to gain the ability to stop his secret wife Padmé from dying. Anakin had visions of her impending death and would give anything for them to stay together. This led him to the dark, and eventually Padmé did indeed die. Fast-forward to Ben Solo, who manages to save the life of the woman he loves in a selfless way. Palpatine brought Anakin to the dark side with the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise, a Sith legend that Sidious actually lived. This involved Palpatine’s former master’s search for the secret to immortality, which Ben Solo twists completely.
Why Ben Solo Succeeded Where Anakin Skywalker Failed
Anakin Skywalker had personal and possessive reasons for wanting Padmé to live. He was attached to her in a fearful and negative way; she was something for him to protect, rather than somebody for him to love. Ben Solo, however, was absolutely selfless after seeing the error in his ways and returning to the light. Ben used the ancient technique of Force-healing to give his life force to Rey. She had used it earlier, healing a wound she dealt him, and also in selflessly healing an injured sand serpent. In this way, Force-healing is not an act of protecting, but an act of giving.
Giving oneself away has been a core facet of George Lucas’s ideology for years. Ben Solo was completely selfless, not caring about anything except bringing Rey back from the dead. He didn’t care if he wouldn’t be there with her, he just knew the galaxy needed her alive. This is in stark contrast to Anakin, who wanted Padmé to rule at his side. Ben Solo succeeds because he gives selflessly. Even if Anakin had the ability to Force-heal, he wouldn’t have had the selfless motivations for it to work in the perfect way it did for Ben. Ben Solo exemplifies the core values of Star Wars in finally succeeding where Anakin Skywalker failed.
