Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the next chapter of Kylo Ren's arc and here's how it concludes. Audiences were first introduced to Adam Driver's Star Wars character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, where he was the clear villain of this new film and trilogy. The son of Han Solo and Leia Organa had turned his back on his family to follow the dark side and serve Supreme Leader Snoke. Still, he felt the pull to the light side and that conflict inside of Kylo is what made him such a fascinating character to follow for audiences.
When Star Wars: The Last Jedi then continued Kylo's story, it leaned into the mixed emotions that he felt. He wasn't able to pull the trigger that would kill Leia (even after killing Han in the prior film) but was eager to eliminate and usurp Snoke. But, his motivations for killing Snoke were not based around freeing the galaxy from him and the First Order. In traditional dark side fashion, Kylo viewed himself as the better leader, making what Rey thought was his turn to the light simply a power play. His Force connection with Rey though left many fans to wonder what Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker would do with Kylo.
Now that The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters, those same viewers can now witness what director J.J. Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio decided to do. Kylo's arc is ultimately one of redemption, and The Rise of Skywalker uses his past to make this change possible. His previous actions and relationships are shown in a new light, with even the origin of Kylo's dark side turn and constant reinforcements of this decision being altered to fit the story at hand.
Palpatine Turned Kylo Ren, Not Snoke Or Luke
Right from the beginning of The Rise of Skywalker, the movie establishes that a lot has changed for Kylo since the end of The Last Jedi. He's still the Supreme Leader of the First Order, but instead of focusing on galactic conquest, his attention has turned to vanquishing what remains of Palpatine. This brings him to Exegol, where he comes face to face with The Emperor for the first time. But, The Rise of Skywalker reveals that Palpatine has had a larger role in Kylo's life than he (and the audience) previously realized. Thanks to a variety of techniques, the movie confirms that Palpatine is the one who turned Kylo to the dark side in the first place.
In the previous films, this was not shown to be the case. The Force Awakens revealed that Snoke was the one who turned Kylo to the dark side, but The Rise of Skywalker confirms that Palpatine created Snoke. His followers on Exegol have vats with multiple versions of Snoke, showing his cloning technology allowed him to create the Supreme Leader. His disguise as Snoke wasn't all Palpatine did though, as he was also the voice Kylo heard over the years that he thought was Darth Vader. Instead of his grandfather speaking to him through his burnt mask, it turns out that this was, indeed, Palpatine all along.
This reveal also clears up that Luke Skywalker was not responsible for Ben Solo falling to the dark side. His fearful thought of striking down his nephew may have pushed him away to some degree, but the reveals in The Rise of Skywalker show just how firm of a grip Palpatine had on Ben/Kylo. One way or another, Palpatine was going to turn Ben.
Leia & Rey Defeat Kylo Ren
Kylo's encounter with Palpatine sends him down the path to find Rey. Kylo agreed to kill Rey for Palpatine so he could go from Supreme Leader of the First Order to ruling the galaxy. In reality, Kylo wanted her help to defeat him. Kylo and Rey encounter one another at a distance on Pasaana and have a lightsaber battle through their Force connection, but it is in the wreckage of the second Death Star that they are truly reunited. The duo partakes in a spectacular lightsaber fight, which serves as the location for Kylo's defeat. Even though he is the one who overpowers Rey, a timely interaction with Leia sets up his turn.
Kylo hears Leia say his birth name through the Force, stopping his attack. He drops his lightsaber, which allows Rey to pick it up and stab him with it. The strike would've been the end for Kylo if Rey didn't do anything, but in an act of compassion after also sensing the passing of Leia, Rey uses her Force healing abilities to bring Kylo back to full strength. After previously telling Rey that he knows she wanted to take his hand before, she says that this is true, but only if it was Ben's hand she was taking. Rey then leaves Kylo on the wreckage of the Death Star to contemplate the choices he's made up to this point.
Han's Memory Brings Ben Solo Back
Left alone and to his thoughts, it is the memory of Han Solo that comes to the forefront of Kylo mind. He sees his father standing before him as clear as day, but Han is not still alive and isn't a Force ghost either. Kylo killed him to try and cement his dark side mindset, but the truth is that he was never able to shake the memory of that moment and his dad. Just as he did on Starkiller Base, Kylo tells Han that his son is dead. Han refutes this statement though, saying that Kylo is the one who has died. This signals the beginning of the turn back to the light for Ben Solo.
Paralleling their final scene together in The Force Awakens, Kylo tells Han that he knows what he has to do but doesn't know if he has the strength to do it. Han once again places his hand on his son's face and knows that he can do it. Welling up with tears, Ben calls Han "dad" and before he can say what would've come next, his father interjects to say, "I know." With the memory of Han now successfully helping bring Ben Solo back, the son turns away and throws his lightsaber into the water. Through this sequence, not only is Ben redeemed, but Han also accomplishes his mission from The Force Awakens to turn his son back to the light side.
Ben Solo Sacrifices Himself To Save Rey (& The Galaxy)
The return of Ben Solo propels him to try and do the right thing for the first time in a while: save Rey. After she hijacks his ship, he knows that she will travel to Exegol to take on Palpatine by herself. As the one who told Rey that The Emperor is her grandfather and that he saw a future where Rey turned evil, Ben knows that he needs to help make sure that this does not happen. He travels to Palpatine's base on Exegol and races to help Rey. Their Force connection proves to be beneficial in this attempt, as it allows Rey to sense that he is nearby and give him a lightsaber so he can defeat the Knights of Ren.
Once he comes to Rey's aid though, their rare connection is powerful enough for Palpatine to fully return. Already being rejected by Rey, Palpatine's plan changes at that moment to heal his body instead of allowing his spirit to transfer to Rey's if she killed him. Palpatine uses the Force to capture Rey and Ben and begins to drain their life forces to restore his own. Palpatine retakes his place on the Sith throne and lets Rey and Ben fall to the ground. Barely hanging on to his own life, Ben rises from the ground to face Palpatine but is thrown down a nearby hole.
When he re-emerges, Ben has missed the ultimate showdown between Rey and Palpatine, but his importance in saving the galaxy is still felt. He was able to delay The Emperor long enough for Rey to regain her strength and connect with Jedi of the past. It takes everything that she has to defeat Palpatine. But, Ben's inability to help Rey at that moment results in him finding her dead on the ground. Just as she saved his life on the second Death Star wreckage, Ben knows that he must do the same for Rey. He uses his life force to bring Rey back, but they don't get to spend their lives together after this act and their kiss.
Ben sacrificed the rest of his life so that Rey could live on and help protect the galaxy. It's the ultimate redemptive end for Ben Solo in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and a definitive one as his body vanishes and no Force ghost form is shown after. After years of trying to do something that secures his path down the dark side, the clear mind of Ben allows him to go out as a hero.
