How did Kylo Ren get the scar on his face and why exactly did it switch places in between Star Wars films? The wound Ren suffered in Star Wars: The Force Awakens was in a different spot than the scar he’s seen sporting in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Those involved behind-the-scenes of Star Wars movies are usually highly concerned about continuity, so eagle-eyed fans were left confused by what appeared to be a wandering wound.
Portrayed by Adam Driver, Kylo Ren was introduced as a new Big Bad in The Force Awakens. Born Ben Solo, he was the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa. His uncle, Luke Skywalker, trained him in the ways of the Jedi, but felt a rising darkness within the boy that he couldn’t ignore. The Jedi master was consumed by his fear and almost took his nephew’s life. Ben retaliated by laying waste to the temple and killing his fellow students. Developing an obsession to become as powerful as his grandfather, Darth Vader, Ben found a new identity as Kylo Ren and a new master in Supreme Leader Snoke.
Kylo Ren was injured during his duel with Rey towards the end of The Force Awakens. After witnessing the emergence of her powers, Ren offered to instruct her in the ways of the Force. Of course, Rey declined his invitation. Harnessing the power of the Force herself, she won the fight, landing a slashing blow to his face with Luke’s lightsaber. This deep wound, across Kylo's forehead and down his right cheek, left the villain disfigured, but when he returned in The Last Jedi (set just a day later), it was both less severe and in a different position. The reason is simple: director Rian Johnson thought that the scar looked “goofy” running across the bridge of Ren’s nose and opted to slightly alter its location. Basically, he moved the scar to make Kylo Ren look cooler.
The Last Jedi saw Kylo Ren team up with Rey to defeat Snoke. However, rather than joining Team Jedi, he only continued his descent further into the Dark Side. Fans may be anxiously waiting to see how Ren’s journey will conclude when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters later this year, but according to Adam Driver, the actor knew the broad strokes of Ben Solo's character arc from the beginning. Little was shown of him in the teaser trailer, but it seems safe to say that Kylo Ren's scar will not move again.
Of course, the shifting of Kylo Ren's scar has been read by some fans to represent Star Wars: The Last Jedi's adjusting of canon. While the movie was lauded by critics and many fans, there was also a very vocal group of detractors who did not appreciate the liberties that the director took with Star Wars mythology. Ren's scar is far from the biggest, but it could be taken as emblematic to that approach. Hopefully, The Rise of Skywalker will deliver a satisfying conclusion to a story that means so much to so many.
