Kylo Ren, portrayed by Adam Driver, was a key figure in the Star Wars saga, shaping the galaxy through his choices, inner conflict, and ultimate redemption. Born Ben Solo, the only child of Leia Organa and Han Solo, Kylo’s story was tied to the powerful legacy of the Skywalker bloodline. His journey from a Jedi apprentice to a dark enforcer of the First Order was marked by the transformation of his lightsaber, from the blue blade of a Jedi to the crimson crossguard saber of a dark-side warrior. Kylo Ren’s role in the galaxy spanned destruction, redemption, and the eventual balance of the Force.
The Beginning: Ben Solo and His Blue Lightsaber
As a young Jedi, Ben Solo was trained by Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi Master. Under Luke’s guidance, Ben learned the ways of the Force and constructed a blue lightsaber, the weapon of a Jedi Guardian. This blue-bladed lightsaber represented Ben’s connection to the light side. It also showed his potential to continue his family’s heroic legacy.
Luke sensed extraordinary strength in Ben, the descendant of both Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. However, this immense power also made Ben vulnerable to manipulation. Supreme Leader Snoke, a puppet of Emperor Palpatine, began corrupting Ben’s mind. Through whispers of doubt and promises of greatness, Snoke planted seeds of anger and fear, drawing Ben closer to the dark side.
The turning point came when Ben misinterpreted Luke’s hesitation during a moment of crisis. Believing his uncle intended to kill him, Ben lashed out in fear and rage. The blue lightsaber, once a symbol of protection and peace, was abandoned as Ben destroyed Luke’s Jedi Temple. This act of betrayal marked the end of Ben Solo’s time as a Jedi and the beginning of his descent into darkness.
The Creation of the Crossguard Lightsaber
After turning to the dark side, Ben Solo adopted the name Kylo Ren and constructed a new lightsaber to reflect his transformation. This weapon, a crossguard lightsaber, was powered by a fractured crimson kyber crystal. The crystal’s instability caused the blade to emit a violent, crackling energy. To vent the excess energy, two smaller blades extended from the sides of the hilt, creating the crossguard design.
The crimson crossguard saber became a physical manifestation of Kylo Ren’s volatile emotions and fractured identity. The weapon’s raw, unstable energy symbolized his rejection of the Jedi path and his full embrace of the dark side. Its chaotic design contrasted sharply with the elegant simplicity of the blue lightsaber Kylo once wielded as a Jedi.
Kylo Ren’s Rise in the First Order
Kylo Ren quickly became a feared enforcer for the First Order, a regime rising from the ashes of the Galactic Empire. Supreme Leader Snoke used Kylo as a weapon to crush the Resistance and eliminate the last traces of the Jedi. Wielding the crimson crossguard saber, Kylo fought with a brutal and aggressive combat style, rooted in Form V: Djem So. This lightsaber technique emphasized raw strength and overpowering strikes, mirroring Kylo’s unrestrained anger and ambition.
During The Force Awakens, Kylo’s mission to destroy the Resistance and locate Luke Skywalker defined his role in the galaxy. The pursuit of the map to Luke brought him to Jakku, where he encountered Rey, a scavenger with a mysterious connection to the Force. This meeting marked the beginning of a unique bond between the two, one that would shape the destinies of both the First Order and the Resistance.
A confrontation with Han Solo on Starkiller Base became a defining moment in Kylo Ren’s life. Torn between his lingering love for his father and his commitment to the dark side, Kylo chose to kill Han, believing it would solidify his place in the darkness. The act of patricide deepened Kylo’s inner turmoil, intensifying the conflict between the remnants of Ben Solo and the dark persona of Kylo Ren.
The Force Dyad: Kylo Ren and Rey
Kylo Ren’s connection with Rey became one of the most significant aspects of his role in the galaxy. The bond between them, later revealed to be a rare Force dyad, linked their minds and powers in ways never seen before. A Force dyad represented two individuals intrinsically connected through the Force, able to share thoughts, emotions, and even physical objects across great distances.
In The Last Jedi, this bond deepened as Kylo and Rey began to see into each other’s inner struggles and desires. Kylo saw Rey as someone who could understand his pain and loneliness. After killing Snoke, Kylo seized control of the First Order and offered Rey a chance to join him in ruling the galaxy. Rey rejected his offer, reaffirming her commitment to the light side.
Their connection, however, persisted. Their lightsaber duels became battles not just of skill but of ideals and identity. Kylo’s aggressive strikes with the unstable crossguard saber clashed with Rey’s adaptive, acrobatic fighting style. Each duel revealed the tension between Kylo’s ambition and his buried desire for redemption.
Supreme Leader and the Rise of Palpatine
Following Snoke’s death, Kylo Ren assumed the mantle of Supreme Leader of the First Order. This new role gave Kylo the authority to shape the galaxy according to his vision. Unlike Snoke or Palpatine, Kylo sought to destroy both the Jedi and the Sith, believing that their ancient conflict was the source of the galaxy’s suffering.
The return of Emperor Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker complicated Kylo’s plans. Discovering that Palpatine had been orchestrating events from the shadows, Kylo initially aligned with the Sith Lord to further his own goals. The quest for the Sith Wayfinder led Kylo to Mustafar and Exegol, where he encountered Palpatine’s Sith Eternal forces.
The final confrontation with Rey on the ruins of the Death Star II became a turning point for Kylo Ren. During their duel, Rey mortally wounded Kylo but healed him using the Force. Leia’s sacrifice and a vision of Han Solo inspired Kylo to abandon the dark side. Casting aside the crimson crossguard lightsaber, Kylo renounced the name Kylo Ren and reclaimed his identity as Ben Solo.
Redemption of Ben Solo
Ben Solo’s return to the light marked the end of Kylo Ren’s destructive reign. No longer wielding the unstable crimson lightsaber, Ben stood alongside Rey in the final battle against Emperor Palpatine on Exegol. The connection between them as a Force dyad allowed Rey to draw upon Ben’s strength in the fight against the Sith Eternal.
After Palpatine’s defeat, Rey fell unconscious from the effort. In an act of ultimate sacrifice, Ben used the Force to transfer his life energy to heal Rey. This act cost Ben his life but ensured the survival of the Jedi and the restoration of balance to the Force.
The Legacy of Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren’s journey from the wielder of a noble blue lightsaber to the chaotic crimson crossguard saber and, finally, to redemption as Ben Solo shaped the galaxy’s fate. The blue lightsaber symbolized his potential as a Jedi, while the crimson crossguard blade reflected his descent into the dark side and the turmoil within.
Kylo Ren’s choices influenced the rise of the First Order, the survival of the Resistance, and the ultimate defeat of the Sith. From enforcer of darkness to a redeemed hero, Kylo Ren’s role in the galaxy stands as one of transformation, sacrifice, and the enduring struggle between light and darkness.
