A young boy gives in to the chorus of dark thoughts that tell him he is the heir apparent to Lord Vader, he murders his own father seeking solace from the conflict within. A young girl waits patiently for parents long dead to return for her, masking her own trauma with a hope that is not easily shaken.
In a New York Times interview, The Last Jedi writer and director Rian Johnson called Rey and Kylo Ren “[...] Almost two halves of our protagonist,” in regards to the sequel trilogy. For better or for worse, Rey and Kylo are connected in ways no one else in their lives can imagine (literally since they share a rare bond with the Force) — as Palpatine warns in the final The Rise of Skywalker trailer, their coming together will be their undoing...or will it? We list ten reasons why Rey and Kylo Ren (or “Reylo” as it's better known as) should happen.
The Promotion
Lucasfilm hasn't shied away from the topic of Reylo during the Rise of Skywalker press tour. From coy jokes at the Celebration panel earlier this year to Adam Driver describing what Kylo would be like as a husband on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and, perhaps most brazenly, Daisy Ridley's rapped recap of the films included the comment that Kylo is “a bit of a flirt” on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Reylo has been one of the biggest topics talked about by the creators in the lead-up to the final Skywalker film.
Despite there being a lot of unanswered questions and mysteries surrounding the film, Lucasfilm has taken a more direct approach to promoting it by being open with Dark!Rey, Palpatine, and now Reylo — we don't know how Rey and Kylo may end their will-they-won't-they dynamic, but Lucasfilm is certainly pushing for the general audience to know it's a thing.
Balance Within The Force
Balance is one of the key objectives in the Star Wars universe, with Anakin being the apparent Chosen One that could restore balance within the Force. However, with recent mythology additions such as the intriguing “Mortis Trilogy” in The Clone Wars may prove that bringing balance to the Force was never about wiping out the Sith — but uniting the Dark and the Light in a middle ground.
Rey and Kylo have been shown to be equals within the Force from their second scene together: Kylo attempts to navigate Rey's mind in an interrogation to learn the location of Luke, but she quickly turns the tables and uses the same power on Kylo: tapping into a deep-rooted fear of his. Moreover, Rey is drawn to the Dark as much as Kylo is to the Light — meaning their union could very well represent the balance the galaxy so desperately needs.
Belonging for Rey
Rey grew up alone and without a family who truly cared for her, a trauma that is the core of her character: belonging and a family is what Rey ultimately desires, and from what we've seen from the Rise of Skywalker, Rey still feels alone with the Resistance, which she claims doesn't understand her — but Kylo does.
It would be a disservice to Rey's character to have her wind up alone, and it would undermine the development and foreshadowing toward Rey and Kylo's romantic future. With this being the last Skywalker Saga film, we can't imagine Lucasfilm ending a nine-movie journey on such a desolate ending as these two lonely souls not finding the belonging and understanding they seek.
Their Chemistry
The Force Awakens barely scratched the surface of Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley’s chemistry, something which was quickly rectified in the Last Jedi. Due to the bond they shared, Rey and Kylo were able to see and communicate with each other from across the galaxy, forcing both of them to open up emotionally with the other.
The chemistry between Rey and Kylo is electric whenever they share the same space, so much so that sometimes it feels like we, the audience, are intruding on a private moment between the two. One such scene is when Rey and Kylo touch hands through the Force — a powerful enough scene that Gifs of it have even brought in new Star Wars fans.
Thematic Closure
George Lucas once said that Star Wars was like poetry — it rhymes. The same can be said for the new films, and Reylo in particular. The parallels between Kylo and Rey and Anakin and Padmé that it has sparked the fan theory that Rey and Kylo are “Reverse Anidala, ” and that their story is meant to bring closure on the relationship that ended in tragedy in Revenge of the Sith.
Similarly, Solo: A Star Wars Story included several thematic parallels with The Last Jedi, including a visual focus on Han’s lucky dice. In a mirror to Kylo and Rey separating due to Kylo's decision to become the Supreme Leader, Han and Qi'ra separate when Qi'ra goes on to take control of the Crimson Dawn, working under Darth Maul. Just like with Anidala, Reylo could bring some much-needed closure for Han and Qi'ra as well.
Redemption
Redemption is what Star Wars is about at its core. Redemption and hope go hand in hand because what isn't more hopeful than being told that even in your worst moments, you can do better, you can strive to be a better person. Recently, a narrative has arrived in fiction that if you've done anything morally gray, then you must die to truly atone for whatever you've done. Working tirelessly for the trust of comrades, protecting people isn't enough for media anymore: redemption, apparently, lies in death.
Kylo Ren is a conflicted soul, drawn to the Light, but constantly pulled to the Dark by a voice in his head clouding his judgment. Like Anakin, Kylo could redeem himself out of love: his love for Rey, his love for Leia. A truly hopeful message for the ending of the Skywalker Saga would be that Kylo lives, heals, and becomes the heir not to Vader, but to the good that is in the very veins of his bloodline.
Finally, A Happy Ending
For whatever reason, in this day and age, happy endings are a thing of the past — tragedy is how most things typically end and Star Wars is well known for its tragedy.
Most importantly, there's a distinct lack of romantic relationships in a galaxy far, far away which don't end in tragedy — Anakin and Padmé were tragically star-crossed lovers, Han and Leia eventually separated, and even in Star Wars Rebels, Kanan and Hera couldn't get a happy ending. A happy ending would be a welcome change for the saga.
It Honors the Skywalker Legacy
So many Skywalkers have died out of hope for a better tomorrow, have been isolated for most of their lives — it only makes sense to give the surviving Skywalkers an ending of hope with a promising future ahead. It started with a woman raising a child alone in an unforgiving and cruel land and a boy that wanted to see every star.
The Skywalkers have fought the same battles for over forty years, they've fallen and been beaten and lost so many people over the films, it should be their time to rise, to finally bring balance, to restore peace, and to have their own happily ever after.
Allusions To Other Stories
Many fans have noted that several key Reylo scenes have directly mirrored several other popular romances — one scene in the final The Rise of Skywalker trailer appears to be a visual callback to the climax of 2005's Pride & Prejudice, where Darcy walks across a field to Lizzie, not to mention all the Disney callbacks.
Reylo is also exemplary of many tropes in women's media, such as the heroine falling in love with a monster/her enemy, who eventually changes their ways to become a better partner for her.
Original Storytelling
Fans complained that The Force Awakens was similar to A New Hope, so it doesn't make sense to us to have The Rise of Skywalker follow a similar ending to Return of the Jedi.
It would show a lot of originality to have a redemption for Kylo that isn't immediately followed with death, and even more original to have a hero and villain end up together, closing out a saga that's been around for forty years. Star Wars is a fairytale, and it should end like one.