Star Wars Resistance has just made a big connection to the larger Star Wars canon - Kylo Ren. The infamous betrayer of Luke Skywalker's new Jedi Order and murderer of Han Solo doesn't actually appear in the episode, but he is mentioned in a most ominous context.
Star Wars Resistance is an animated series set just prior to the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, so it isn't all too surprising that the series includes several connections to Episode VII. Characters like Poe Dameron and Captain Phasma appear and are actually voiced by the actors who portray them in the films. The series premiere even ends on a big reveal of Starkiller Base - the earliest appearance of the superweapon chronologically. Now Star Wars Resistance has gone one step further and made reference to the sequel trilogy's big villain.
Related: Star Wars Resistance Voice Cast & Character Guide
Kylo Ren's name comes up in "The Children of Tehar" when the two children on whom the First Order have placed a bounty explain their sad backstory to Kaz and Neeku. Turns out, the two kids are the only survivors of an attack Kylo Ren led on their planet, during which he personally killed their family and destroyed their village. The First Order wants them found to ensure the Resistance never learns of Tehar - a planet in the Unknown Regions - or what happened there. Of course, Kaz informs the Resistance all about what happened on Tehar, including the involvement of this bad guy called Kylo Ren - information that Ello Asty (Kaz's temporary contact while Poe is on a mission) says General Organa will find very interesting.
Considering when Resistance falls in the Star Wars timeline, it makes sense for Kylo Ren to already be an active and high-ranking member of the First Order. And obviously, Leia will find this information interesting not only because it's new intel about the First Order's plans, but because it's also an update on her son. In fact, since there's no exact year for when Ben turns the dark side, this could very well be the first Leia has heard about her son since his betrayal and attack on the Jedi Temple.
This news that Kylo Ren is leading the First Order military also lines up nicely with how he's introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In that film, Kylo comes to Jakku in pursuit of Lor San Tekka - the man who gives Poe the final piece of the map to find Luke Skywalker - and while Captain Phasma is in command of the stormtroopers, it's pretty clear Kylo is the ranking officer. It's possible, then, that during the time of Resistance, Kylo is already searching for any clues to Luke Skywalker's whereabouts, with Tehar coming up on a list of possible locations. Either that or the First Order is just cementing their hold over planets in the Unknown Regions, and this attack on Tehar is one of many massacres Kylo Ren has overseen in order to do so.
Most of all, this name-dropping of Kylo Ren makes it all the more likely he'll be appearing in Star Wars Resistance proper before the season is out. Clearly, the First Order is already amassing their forces in the Unknown Regions while trying to stay under the Resistance's radar, and with only six months to go before Starkiller Base destroys the New Republic, it won't be long before skirmishes between the two sides begin in earnest. Could we see Kylo Ren leading an attack this season? It's certainly possible, and now that Kaz has proven himself a valuable member of the Resistance, he could very well find himself at the heart of that battle.
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Star Wars Resistance continues next Sunday, November 11th with "Signal From Sector Six" at 10:00pm/9c on Disney XD.