Obi-Wan Kenobi Explains Why Kylo Ren Was Named Ben Solo

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The Obi-Wan Kenobi series finally provides a great explanation to why Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is named Ben Solo. Lucasfilm's latest Disney+ show sees Ewan McGregor back as the beloved Jedi Master. Set 10 years after Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith — a point in the franchise that has been barely explored, Obi-Wan Kenobi follows Obi-Wan in his darkest days hiding on Tatooine.

A decade after the rise of Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the Galactic Empire is still on the hunt for surviving Jedi from Order 66, including Obi-Wan. The ongoing Disney+ series effectively shows how much Obi-Wan has lost as he is forced to lay low and do everything to survive as he secretly keeps an eye on young Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely) on Tatooine. His rather uneventful and monotonous life is disrupted by the kidnapping of young Leia Organa (Vivien Lyra Blair), however, forcing him to leave the sand planet and embark on a mission to rescue the Alderaan princess. It's an unexpected turn of events for Obi-Wan, but aside from sending the Jedi on a new mission, it also effectively explains a key part of Kylo Ren's (Adam Driver) identity in the sequel trilogy.

Despite his initial hesitation to get involved in Bail (Jimmy Smits) and Breha Organa's (Simone Kessell) problem, Obi-Wan is ultimately compelled to risk himself to find Leia. Much of Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 2 focuses on the rescue mission and their attempt to get off Daiyu. During this time, Leia knows him first as Ben and not Obi-Wan. Throughout their brief team-up thus far, the pair has already established a good dynamic, and despite a misunderstanding about Obi-Wan's real identity, Leia is ultimately convinced that he is an ally. It's during this experience that Obi-Wan really makes an impact on Leia's life. So, even when she eventually learns his real name, Leia always associated the Jedi Master with Ben rather than Obi-Wan. Inspired by this, it makes sense that she decided to name her son Ben Solo — after Ben Kenobi.

Prior to this revelation in Obi-Wan Kenobi, Leia and Obi-Wan barely have any known interactions in the space opera. The Jedi Master had to sacrifice himself for Star Wars legacy characters Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and Leia (Carrie Fisher) to escape the Empire in A New Hope. That being said, it's worth noting that Leia noticeably reacted more to the name Ben Kenobi than Obi-Wan Kenobi. Its stands to reason that after Leia is returned to Alderaan safely, she learns more about Obi-Wan and his days as a noble Jedi. Knowing this, she starts associating the name "Ben" with "hope," not just concerning her personal experience with him but also with what he stood for - explaining why she turns to him via a hologram message once again in A New Hope.

Aside from this indirect explanation as to why Kylo Ren was named Ben Solo, Leia and Obi-Wan's experience in Obi-Wan Kenobi makes her plea for help in Star Wars more meaningful. Thanks to their past, Leia was confident that Ben would not fail her when she sent C-3PO and R2-D2 to recruit him against the burgeoning fight against the Galactic Empire. In this way, Leia naming her only son after the man who essentially saved her life twice makes perfect sense.

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