While there are several disappointments connected to Star Wars' sequel trilogy, one of the biggest was the death of Ben Solo. While it mirrored the death of Anakin Skywalker in the original trilogy of films, the question has been raised as to why both characters had to die immediately after they were redeemed from their respective paths as villains in the galaxy far, far away. The overall execution of Ben Solo's demise was less than desirable, making the question of why he had to die in the first place even bigger.
As seen in the original trilogy of Star Wars films, Luke Skywalker brought his father back to the light in Return of the Jedi. Having been Darth Vader for over two decades, Anakin Skywalker was redeemed as the Chosen One by defeating Emperor Palpatine, throwing him down the reactor shaft of the second Death Star, effectively saving his son who had chosen to follow in his footsteps as a Jedi. However, the Emperor's Force lightning proved lethal for Anakin, resulting in his death shortly after his redemption. Likewise, Ben Solo's redemption from his darkness as Kylo Ren was very similar in the sequel trilogy's Rise of Skywalker. Following Rey's defeat of the resurrected Emperor, Ben used the last of his essence and power in the Force to bring Rey back from the brink of death, an act that cost him his own life.
While both grandfather and grandson were redeemed from the dark side of the Force, both of them lost their lives shortly after. As such, said redemptions were relegated to single acts of sacrifice. Here's why Anakin Skywalker and Ben Solo ultimately had to die in the Skywalker saga.
Did Disney Make A Mistake In Killing Ben Solo?
Following their duel amidst the remains of the second Death Star, Rey gave some of her life force to heal Kylo's wounds. Combined with the death of his mother Leia and a conversation with a vision of his father Han, Ben Solo renounced his darkness and chose to help Rey defeat the resurrected Emperor Palpatine. Connected through the Force as a powerful dyad, Ben saved Rey by giving his own life once the battle was won.
However, it's hard not to feel cheated by Ben's quick death using Force abilities that had never been seen or referenced before The Rise of Skywalker. Had he lived, Ben could have continued his redemption as an ongoing journey of healing and reconciliation. Armed with the lightsaber of the Chosen One that once belonged to his uncle and grandfather before him, Ben Solo could have become Jedi he was always meant to be had he not been manipulated by Palpatine through his pawn Snoke. While it matches Anakin's death, killing Ben Solo right after his redemption takes away all the potential future he could have had (which would have been quite compelling had Disney/Lucasfilm chosen to invest more into the character).
Why Anakin Skywalker & Ben Solo Had To Die In Star Wars
Looking at the other side, one can easily argue that Anakin Skywalker and Ben Solo's deaths were necessary. Darth Vader and Kylo Ren were both agents of the dark side who committed countless atrocities, murdering multitudes and subjugating the galaxy through all manner of horrendous deeds. To that end, a redemptive act of sacrifice is the single most powerful thing either of them could have done to make up for their respective pasts. Had either of them been allowed to live, Anakin and Ben would have had long roads ahead of them to pay for what they'd done as Darth Vader and Kylo Ren, needing to prove to the galaxy that they'd changed assuming their loved ones could keep them from being imprisoned. That being said, defeating the Emperor (in both cases) would have likely earned them some notable goodwill.
At any rate, Anakin Skywalker and Ben Solo both required significant acts of sacrifice to fully redeem their equally dark actions. After all, Kylo Ren idolized his grandfather (for all the wrong reasons), patterning himself after Darth Vader as he led the First Order in service to Supreme Leader Snoke. While there was certainly lost potential, It's ultimately poetic that Ben Solo was redeemed and died in such a similar manner to Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars, tapping into the idea of "rhyming and repeated stanzas" George Lucas considered to be the core foundation of the Skywalker saga's overall story.