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Why We Think Kylo Ren Will Be Redeemed in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker


On Oct. 21, Disney and Lucasfilm released the final trailer for the closing salvo of the nine-chapter Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and with this new footage, it’s looking more and more likely that Kylo Ren will make a face turn.

Of course, this isn’t to say that we necessarily want that to happen, or even that we don’t want it to happen. It’s simply to point out the evidence that suggests the former Ben Solo will be redeemed, at least in the eyes of the Force.

So, with that in mind, here’s why we think Kylo Ren will be redeemed in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker:

  1. The Knights of Ren

    The Knights of Ren were first teased in The Force Awakens and were conspicuous by their absence in The Last Jedi. However, in the first teaser trailer for The Rise of Skywalker, we see Kylo Ren drive the cross guard of his lightsaber into what certainly looks like one of the Knights of Ren.

    Granted, this scene is devoid of any real context and Kylo Ren is also flanked by First Order Stormtroopers. Still, why would he seemingly kill one of his allies unless he (or perhaps the Knights of Ren) had a change of heart? Or, could this just be another power move like when he killed Supreme Leader Snoke?

  2. Rey

    In The Last Jedi, Snoke used the Force to connect the minds of Kylo Ren and Rey, and while that connection was seemingly broken by the end of the film, it’s clear from the most recent trailer that some sort of bond still exists between the two.

    “People keep telling me they know me… No one does,” Rey says, to which Kylo Ren responds, “But I do.”

    Despite clashing with Rey throughout the trailer, his feelings toward her could very well be what pulls him to the light. And speaking of lightsaber clashes…

  3. The Darth Vader Shrine

    One of the many breathtaking shots from the latest trailer sees Kylo Ren and Rey dueling in front of the former’s shrine to his grandfather, Darth Vader, only for it to be destroyed. Could this be a sign of Kylo Ren abandoning the dark side?

    Possibly.

    Even if you watch the shot closely, it’s hard to tell if both Kylo Ren and Rey are smashing the shrine in unison, if Rey is smashing it while Kylo Ren tries to prevent it, or if it’s simply the casualty of a deflected lightsaber strike.

    In any case, it certainly feels symbolic – more so than Kylo Ren destroying his own mask in The Last Jedi.

  4. Palpatine’s Words

    In the new trailer, we hear Emperor Palpatine say, “Long have I waited, and now you're coming together is your undoing.”

    Based on the context and the shots that accompany his voiceover, it certainly seems as though Palpatine is referring to the coming together of Kylo Ren and Rey. But whose “undoing” is he talking about?

    While it’s easy to say he’s talking about Rey, he very well could be referring to Kylo Ren. Will the two of them be forced to unite in order to take down the shared threat of Palpatine, thus facilitating Kylo Ren’s redemption? We’ll find out when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on Dec. 20.

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