Posted by Well this is going to be a fun post as this will be a pure fanboy rant. I am going to throw out the most off the wall theory and see if it sticks. Before we get started, you should check out my previous topics from this week long Star Wars post. The can be found by clicking the following links:
Star Wars The Force Awakens – My Thoughts
Star Wars The Force Awakens – Who Is Rey?
Star Wars The Force Awakens – Who Is Snoke?
Now that you are caught up, lets get started….
In the fantastic film by JJ Abrams, we are introduced to Kylo Ren. We learn as the movie progresses that Kylo Ren is the leader of a group called the Knights of Ren. We also learn that Kylo Ren used to be Ben Solo, son of Han Solo and Leia Organa. Ben was training to become a Jedi by his uncle, Luke Skywalker, before he was seduced to the Dark Side by Supreme Leader Snoke.
In my previous article, I discuss the idea of Snoke being the character Darth Plageius. In that article, I toy with the idea of Plageius not wanting to follow the Sith rule of Two and leaving the order after his destruction at the hands of his pupil, Darth Sidious. Plageius is strong in the Dark Side of the Force. Now that the Sith have been destroyed, with the last two being Vader and Sidious, could Plageius have denounced his ‘Darth’ moniker and started a new organization called The Knights of Ren?
All we know of this group is what we learned about Kylo and what we can try to make out from Rey’s flashback scene. The Knights don’t all appear to be force users. At least we don’t see them all with sabers. Most members have some sort of gun with Kylo standing fore front with his saber blazing.
So, we have the leader Kylo and his followers the Knights, so how did he get promoted to the highest position in Snoke’s new group? He lied…
Again, I want to reiterate that this is purely a fan post. I started to question Kylo Ren’s actions on my second viewing of this film I didn’t believe he was potentially a hero until after I read this post on Tumblr.
What am I saying Kylo Ren lied about you ask? He lied about taking out the Jedi at Luke’s new temple. It was all a ruse t0 get Snoke to take notice of him.
There is this awesome post by Emma Lord on the website Bustle.com that talks about Kylo knowing Ren. In the post, she presents the idea that Kylo did not have any intentions on hurting Rey. There is even several moments in the film that shows Kylo knows who she is.
In Rey’s vision, we see one of the Knights leaning down to kill Rey. Before that happens, however, Kylo plunges his saber into that Knight’s chest as he was protecting her.
This scene appears to be the same setting as when we see the Knights surrounded by bodies. Why would Kylo, the leader of the Knights, turn on one of his own to defend a light side follower? He is not the bad guy. I believe Kylo/Ben is infiltrating the Knights of Ren to get closer to Snoke.
Wait, if Kylo is not the bad guy then why did he kill his father? Snoke tells Kylo that he must kill his father in order to become free of the pull of the light side. Look at what Kylo Ren tells Han in this scene.
“I’m being torn apart. I want to be free of this pain. I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?”
-Kylo Ren
Kylo/Ben is asking his father for help. Han knows that Kylo is being watched by Snoke and agrees to sacrifice himself to allow Kylo/Ben to get closer to Snoke!
Look at some of the other clues that were given to us in the film. One such clue is Kylo’s disdain for General Hux. These two guys do not like each other one bit. Is it possible that Hux knows that Kylo is up to something? Another little clue is during the final fight, he had opportunities to kill both Finn and Rey but he didn’t. He even tried to convince Rey to allow him to train her. Maybe as a way to have someone on his side when he finally decides to strike.
There is another clue that leads me to believe that he is not a bad guy. During the scene when Snoke and Hux decides to use the Starkiller weapon, but Kylo objects. Is it possible he was objecting because he knew his mother could have been on one of those planets? He knows that his mother is the resistance leader.
The scene that got me thinking about the possibility of Kylo being a hero in disguise was when he was having a conversation with Vader’s helmet.
“Forgive me. Â I feel it again. Â The pull to the light. Â Supreme Leader senses it. Â Show me again, the power of the darkness, and I will let nothing stand in our way. Â Show me, Grandfather, and I will finish what you started.”
-Kylo Ren
What did Vader start in the Prequel trilogy, he massacred a bunch of Jedi and helped turn the galaxy into a dictatorship under the rule of Palpatine. But in this scene, it is like he is asking for help to hide the light. And he is calling him grandfather, which is a term of endearment, something I don’t believe a dark lord would call another being. As Anakin Skywalker, he defeated the Sith and brought balance to the Force. Could he be pleading to show him the ways of the darkside so he can vanquish evil?
I know it might be a stretch, but it would’t be Star Wars without a curveball being thrown at you during the second act! I believe that Kylo Ren might be the hero of the new trilogy! Of course Rey is the hero now, but Kylo may be that tragic hero.
We have 17 months until Episode 8, so all we have right now is speculation. What do you think of this theory? Is it possible that Kylo Ren is going to be portrayed as tragic hero? I want to hear your thoughts. You can let me know what you think by leaving a comment below and stay tuned to tomorrow for my final 5 part post on Star Wars!
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