Ben Solo aka Kylo Ren is one of the many iconic characters from the universe of Star Wars. The misguided son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, he turns to the Dark Side and serves as an amusing anti-hero in the new Star Wars trilogy heralded by director JJ Abrams. While he's originally a character developed for just these films, there's a lot to his personality, psyche, and powers that the franchise's associated media like novelizations, comics, and behind-the-scenes videos reveal.
From his ambiguous kiss with Rey to the origin of his name, here are ten things that you might not know about Kylo Ren from just the movies.
Knights Of Ren
A Templar-like organization, the Knights of Ren is a collective of skilled warriors serving the Sith side under Snoke, having been introduced vaguely in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Even though their origin remains unclear, it's established that Kylo Ren serves as their leader. This might make viewers think that he founded this group of warriors and named them after himself.
This was disproved by The Rise of Kylo Ren, the four-shot comic series by Marvel which solely focused on Ben Solo's transformation to becoming Kylo Ren. It's revealed that in one of his missions with his uncle and teacher Luke Skywalker, he encounters the Knights of Ren who are under the leadership of an ominous warrior known as Ren. Luke fights the Knights in a fight that ends at a stalemate but it gives Ren enough time to sprout the seeds of discontent in young Ben's mind. "You sure this is the life for you?" Ren says while leaving.
Jedi Killer
When shooting commenced for Episode VII, Kylo Ren was initially just referred to as Jedi Killer. However, not only the name seemed a bit tacky, but it also made him sound like he's a bounty hunter who just feeds off the souls of Jedi. Even the early drafts for his costume design referred to him as Jedi Killer.
However, Kylo Ren is much more than that. Actor Adam Driver himself never saw the character as essentially a bad guy. “He is someone who doesn't think of himself as evil, but thinks of himself as right,” he says.
Not A Sith Lord
Kylo might seem like a Jedi killer but by no means does that make him a Sith Lord either. The Marvel comics series and the novel Star Wars: Bloodline emphasized his upbringing and morals, and how he was well on his way to becoming a Jedi himself.
Even though he's fashioned after Darth Vader and shares an apprentice-like relationship with Sith lords, Kylo Ren never completely turns towards the dark side. JJ Abrams himself said that despite fan speculations, Kylo works in alliance with the First Order but not as a Sith.
He Could Have Been A Planet's Crown Prince
The aforementioned novel Star Wars: Bloodline by Claudia Grey tells us about an interesting opportunity that Kylo could have had, one that would have probably changed his fate. It's described that there lies a planet in the Star Wars universe called Birren that functions on a monarchical system (even though the monarch is just a figurative head).
When the monarchs pass away, the throne needs to pass on the closest living relative that happens to be none another than Leia. However, she plans on rebuilding the galaxy and passes on the opportunity not even suggesting Kylo's name as she feels Kylo will be too engrossed in his Jedi studies with his uncle Luke.
The Meaning Behind Kylo's Kiss
There seemed to be a lot of repressed romance between Rey and Kylo Ren ever since they met even though both act like sworn enemies. Finally, viewers get to witness some of this romance in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker when Rey kisses a dying Kylo.
Even though fans had been shipping the two characters together, the kiss does seem to come off as a little sudden. The novelization of the film adds a different meaning to it as it describes the moment as friendlier than romantic. "A kiss of gratitude," these are the words used in the book. So what exactly can be interpreted from this gratitude-filled lip-locking?
Snoke Is Kylo's Biggest Stalker
Supreme Leader Snoke was always after Kylo Ren to become one with the dark side as he was genetically related to not just embodiments of hope like Luke and Leia but also the fascist leader Darth Vader. The novelization of Episode VII gives a creepier backstory to Snoke's toxic obsession with Kylo.
He wished to manipulate Kylo right from the time when he was in Leia's womb. He engages in a telepathic attempt to communicate with Leia's child, a dark Force which Leia eventually senses. "He knew our child would be strong with the Force. That he was born with equal potential for good or evil."
His Name's Origin
A fan theory that was circulating speculates that Kylo wanted to continue both Luke Skywalker and Han Solo's legacy by combining "ky" and "lo" from their names, leading to the amalgamation called Kylo. That theory however seems hardly true as even the Marvel comic origin story shows that Ben Solo wished to stay away from the shadows of his glorious father and uncle's legacy. Snoke urges him to take an identity of his own then, a thought that's also pushed around by Ren, the leader of the Knights of Ren.
While again, the meaning behind the name Kylo isn't revealed, it becomes clear that Ben Solo chose the name to adopt a new persona altogether. The "Ren" in his name evidently comes from Kylo's mentor-like acquaintance Ren who's mentioned above.
Rey Used The Force So That Kylo Could Wield Luke's Lightsaber
In the novelization of The Rise of Skywalker, it's revealed that Rey can deliberately use the Force to manipulate reality like moving physical objects, something which Leia and Luke engaged in back in their fighting days. When Kylo ditches his red lightsaber as a sign of defiance Rey quickly passes on Luke's lightsaber to Kylo even though both are hardly in close proximity.
This fast-paced scene from the film is given more background in Rae Carson's book in which she writes that both characters share a "connection" of compassion and empathy. It's explained that Rey indeed used the Force to transport the lightsaber to Kylo who also mentally feels this connection as he grips the blue-colored weapon.
Early Samurai-Inspired Costume
A Star Wars art book for The Force Awakens offered a behind-the-scenes look at early concept designs for Kylo's costume. Instead of a minimalistic black look and the iconic helmet, the costume was supposed to look heavier and was vastly influenced by Japanese samurai armors.
Committed Star Wars fans might even see a slight resemblance to the costume donned by Darth Revan, the Sith Lord who serves as the protagonist of the acclaimed video game Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic.
Kylo's Last Words To Rey
In his last film appearance, Kylo dies without any dramatic sighs or monologues after the intriguing kiss with Rey. Rae Carson's novelization adds a heartwarming and melodramatic flair to it as it's written that his final words before breathing his last were "I will always be with you".
To this, Rey replies the same words that Luke Skywalker has said in the past, "No one's ever really gone." A hauntingly beautiful scene from the book, it's a shame that we couldn't get to see this moment on the big screen.