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Not every beloved character starts out the same way, and this can indeed be said of Kylo Ren from the galaxy far, far away.
Credit: Lucasfilm
Kylo Ren actor Adam Driver recently came forward about the villainous story arc Disney axed for his character. Some might not know that this original direction might have permanently altered the entirety of the studio’s Star Wars trilogy.
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Variety recently shared an interview with Driver, who revealed how the Supreme Leader of the First Order fans saw in the films was vastly different from the one originally in J.J. Abram’s. During his appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the actor expressed just how much of the character was lost from Disney’s original drafts.
The Untold Saga of Kylo Ren
Credit: Lucasfilm
According to Variety, Adam Driver received a first-hand reveal from Star Wars director J.J. Abrams that pushed Kylo Ren into a better, more villainous direction. According to the actor, the character would have ventured down a path that rivaled his
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Driver stated,
“I had an overall arc that in mind that [JJ Abrams] wanted to do… His idea was that [Kylo’s] journey was the opposite journey of Vader, where Vader starts the most confident and the most committed to the dark side. And then by the last movie, he’s the most vulnerable and weak. He wanted to start with the opposite. This character was the most confused and vulnerable, and by the end of the three movies, he would be the most committed to the dark side. I tried to keep that arc in mind, regardless if that wound up not being the journey anyway, because it changed while shooting. But I was still focused on that.”
The actor isn’t exaggerating when he talks about just how committed to the dark side Kylo Ren could have and should have been. The extended canon of the Star Wars universe shares more than the movies did, and it lifts the character from being the series’ resident emo kid into a genuine threat against the Jedi.
Credit: Christian Alzmann
Originally conceived as the ultimate Jedi Killer, Kylo Ren was more than just a Darth Vader stand-in. While the films might not have pushed him to his full potential, the extended universe more than makes up for it with storylines that dive much deeper into the legends and lore of Ben Solo.
YouTini is an excellent resource for fans looking to dive into the series’ lore when they just can’t get enough of their favorite characters, Kylo Ren included. The site makes this statement regarding the character and his collection.
The magic of what makes Kylo Ren work is exactly this dilemma and so much more. When he was introduced to fans in the months leading up to Episode VII, reactions varied. Some complained about the crackling crimson cross-hilt lightsaber. Others marveled. Some said the mask was derivative of Darth Revan. Resoundingly, it was hard not to think the obvious: it’s a cool character design, but how will he compare to the single most legendary villain in the history of pop culture, Darth Vader?… For Kylo Ren himself, this represents his single greatest doubt… Kylo dreads being a pretender. He wants to establish himself as a true dark side powerhouse, but standing in the way is the Resistance, Rey, his own inner doubts, his parents, and his master, and even his own legacy.
Credit: Marvel Comics
The collection features many novels and comics that expand upon the character in a way the films just didn’t. While it doesn’t atone for the under-baked ideas that made it into the films, The Rise of Kylo Ren and the Resistance series by Marvel Comics act as supplementary storylines that give the character more depth. Additionally, the novelizations of The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019) add further background and perspective for most of the main characters involved, apart from Kylo.
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These stories from the extended universe peel off the mask and provide the audience more of an understanding about who Kylo is and what kind of villain the movies truly deserved. After turning from the light side of the Force, leading the Knights of Ren, and rising to the title of Supreme Leader, he truly is one of the series most fascinating entities.
How would you have improved Kylo Ren?
This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.
