Kylo Ren

• 1. Designing The Mask

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  In March 2014, the production team for Star Wars: The Force Awakens knew their main antagonist only as Jedi Killer. That name hid a character who had gone through numerous unapproved design attempts before anyone settled on a final look. One of those early designs was eventually reused for Captain Phasma, while others became templates for the Knights of Ren. Glyn Dillon's costume design finally received approval that same month after months of iteration. Director J.J. Abrams wanted the mask to be memorable to a child and stated it was meant to be a nod to the Vader mask. Concept designer Doug Chiang explained that the character takes on the persona of Vader to haunt Luke Skywalker. Costume designer Michael Kaplan oversaw the physical construction of the suit that would define the role.

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• 2. Driver Method Acting

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  Adam Driver's casting in the film as an unnamed role was first announced on the 29th of April 2014. Kylo Ren appeared from behind in the 88-second teaser trailer released by Lucasfilm on the 28th of November 2014, wielding a jagged red lightsaber with a crossguard. The name Kylo Ren and the character's design were revealed by Entertainment Weekly in a Lucasfilm-designed Topps-style trading card mock-up on the 11th of December 2014. A May 2015 Vanity Fair photo shoot by Annie Leibovitz confirmed that Driver would portray Kylo. Other cast members noted that Driver is a method actor who sometimes stayed in character on set as Ren and left his mask on between scenes. He explained that his goal was to forget you're in Star Wars and treat it like any other job filled with moments and problems. From the perspective of characters living within the film universe, Darth Vader is real.

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• 3. The Fall Of Ben Solo

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  As a child, Ben Solo trained as a Jedi alongside fellow students Voe, Hennix, and Tai under Luke Skywalker. Voe grew jealous of Ben for his superior Force capability and Luke's perceived favoritism. On a mission to the planet Elphrona to investigate an ancient Jedi outpost, Ben telepathically communicated with Snoke. Upon arriving on the planet, the trio encountered a group of Force-wielding mercenaries known as the Knights of Ren. After Ren agreed to retreat, he unmasks and places his mask on the ground, offering Ben an open invitation to join if he ever desires. Several years later, Luke apparently tries to kill Ben in his sleep. Ben fights back and is terrified when a bolt of lightning strikes the Jedi Temple, destroying it. Later that night, Voe, Hennix, and Tai return from off-planet to find Ben before the burning temple. Ben confesses his belief that he has killed Luke and states that he intends to leave the planet. Believing Ben responsible for the destruction, Voe attacks him, leading to Hennix being injured in the melee. Ben leaves the planet on a nearby shuttle while the trio pursues in close order.

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• 4. A Dyad In The Force

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  In The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo Ren and Rey are revealed to be a dyad in the Force. Chris Terrio described this connection as soulmates in the Force and twins of fate or twins of destiny. Their relationship was also described as a romance by both Abrams and Johnson during production. Abrams explained that during the making of The Force Awakens, he perceived them having as much as a brother-sister thing as a romantic thing due to their spiritual connection. Johnson explains the intimacy developed between the two characters through their interactions during the Force connections. Ren continues corresponding with Rey through the Force to discern her location eventually. He informs Rey that they share a powerful potential when joined together. He also reveals that she is Palpatine's granddaughter and urges her to join him in overthrowing the Sith Lord. After Rey refuses, Ren follows her to Kef Bir, the location of a second wayfinder. During their battle, Leia reaches out to Ren through the Force, which distracts him long enough for Rey to impale him.

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• 5. The Final Sacrifice

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  Ben rushes to help Rey defeat Palpatine on Exegol. She senses his presence and uses their Force connection to give him Luke's lightsaber. Ben uses the weapon to slay the Knights of Ren. Palpatine senses Rey and Ben's dyad connection and absorbs their life energy to restore his full power before casting Ben into an abyss. Rey manages to kill Palpatine but then collapses, seemingly dead. Ben returns and transfers his life essence into her, successfully reviving her while sacrificing his own life in the process. They share a kiss before Ben dies in Rey's arms. His body and the body of Leia simultaneously fade away into the Force. Earlier in the film, after Rey heals him, he converses with a memory of his father who urges him to renounce the dark side. Following their brief conversation, Ren tosses away his lightsaber and becomes Ben Solo once again. He destroys his room in anger during a time-travel sequence in The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special.

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• 6. Backstory In Comics

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  Marvel Comics' The Rise of Kylo Ren depicts how Ben Solo fell to the dark side from December 2019 to March 2020. As a child, he trained as a Jedi by Luke Skywalker alongside fellow students Voe, Hennix, and Tai. On a mission to the planet Elphrona, Ben telepathically communicates with Snoke. After arriving on the planet, they encounter a group of Force-wielding mercenaries known as the Knights of Ren. Several years later, Luke apparently tries to kill Ben in his sleep. Ben fights back and is terrified when a bolt of lightning strikes the Jedi Temple, destroying it. Later that night, Voe, Hennix, and Tai return from off-planet to find Ben before the burning temple. Ben confesses his belief that he has killed Luke and states that he intends to leave the planet. Believing Ben responsible for the destruction, Voe attacks him, leading to Hennix being injured in the melee. Ben leaves the planet on a nearby shuttle while the trio pursues in close order. Ben defends himself from Voe's attacks and uses the Force to catch her after she falls off a building. Hennix throws his lightsaber at Ben; in deflecting it, Hennix is bisected. Leaving, Ben collapses the bedrock around Voe and Tai and leaves the planet.

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• 7. Critical Acclaim And Awards

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  Adam Driver received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Kylo Ren throughout the sequel trilogy. He won the 2016 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Force Awakens. This made him the first Star Wars actor since Alec Guinness to win the award. Driver received a second nomination in the same category for his performance in The Rise of Skywalker. In January 2018, Ren was voted seventh greatest movie villain of all time by readers of Empire. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian praised the character and the actor alike, calling him gorgeously cruel, spiteful, and capricious. Terri Schwartz of IGN called Driver's performance spectacular, noting that his performance adds great depth to a character who could have come off as one-dimensional. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph wrote that describing Kylo Ren as this film's Vader would be accurate but undersells the deep ingenuity with which Abrams, Kasdan, and Arndt crafted the character. Melissa Leon of The Daily Beast called Ren a living battleground between darkness and light, making him a far more resonant and familiar portrayal than ever seen before.

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