Star Wars Desperately Needs a Kylo Ren Comic Book Series
Kylo Ren was the dark star at the heart of the Sequel Trilogy, and his story could re-energize the modern era of Star Wars.
The Star Wars franchise is still going strong after almost half a century, but in recent years most fans’ attention has been centered on the franchise’s many television outings. The last film trilogy was met with mixed reactions from fans, and Star Wars needs to find a way to reverse this trend and get fans excited for the films again. Fortunately, the sequel trilogy has all the ingredients it needs for a stellar comic series that could stoke new interest in the Rise of the First Order era.
Star Wars has shown no signs of slowing down since George Lucas’ departure. However, Disney’s decision to decanonize the expanded universe was controversial to say the least. The sequel trilogy experienced a degree of success, but audience reception was not as warm as it could have been. Fortunately, there were a few shining stars among the criticism, with Kylo Ren being one of the most well-received characters of the entire trilogy. Adam Driver’s brooding intensity and believable acting made the character stand out while others felt flat in comparison. Furthermore, Kylo Ren’s troubled younger years, fall to the Dark Side, and emotional challenges served as a powerful center for the rest of the saga. A comic book series exploring the years of his Jedi training could expose the raw and spectacular emotions of the sequel trilogy and reignite fan interest in the era.
Star Wars Needs To Embrace Its Dark Side
Jacen Solo besides Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren from Star Wars.
Luke Skywalker’s Most Infamous Line Made Him a Tragic Hero
The Star Wars franchise has always been a place of magic and wonder. The presence of characters like Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine doesn’t hamper this overall tone. However, it is time for the franchise to fully embrace the power of the Dark Side. Recent events, like the Dark Droids saga and its screeching left turn into body horror, have shown the potential of Star Wars stories that stray into new territory. The sequel trilogy had a few dark moments, but the series often puts these moments to one side in favor of intergalactic hi-jinks and cartoonish villainy. Ben Solo’s troubled training encapsulates the darker corners of Star Wars that ultimately serve an important role for the franchise as a whole. Just as the galaxy needs the Dark Side to balance the Light, Star Wars needs stories like this in order for the lighter ones to shine.
George Lucas’ original vision was deeply relevant to its times. Many fans fail to pick up on the politically charged messages of the original trilogy, despite how central these elements were to the plot. But great storytelling can communicate an important message without coming off as overbearing. The sequel trilogy’s message was somewhat two-dimensional, as it told a simple story about good versus evil. The original trilogy managed to tell a simple story while also being a warning about dictatorships and oppression.
Ben Solo’s story contains elements that are still relevant today. His journey is a subtle yet powerful statement that resonates with the current generation of fans. Ben’s transformation into Kylo Ren reflects the isolation many people experience in their teenage years. It also explores how isolated people can be vulnerable to radicalization. A series that explores this timely and potent issue would give the sequel era a message every bit as powerful as the sagas that came before it.
Luke Skywalker Deserved More From The Sequel Trilogy
Star Wars the Last Jedi Luke Skywalker Kylo Ren
The Return of the Mortis Gods Could Involve a Controversial Star Wars Figure
Some fans complained that the Luke Skywalker they knew and loved was not the same one seen in the sequel trilogy. Characters can change, but the story should justify this. There are those who feel the new movies changed Luke Skywalker just to serve the vision of the filmmakers. The hero of the original trilogy became a grumpy, distrustful old man, and the sequel trilogy undid years of character growth off-screen. A comic book series offers an opportunity to make the changes to Luke’s character more gradual.
Luke’s moment of weakness in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is an example of a moment from the sequel trilogy that could have been spectacular. Unfortunately, the film did not take time to fully explore Luke’s reasons for his attempted murder of Ben Solo, making the action feel forced and unnatural, robbing the moment of its potential impact.
A comic series would present the opportunity to more fully explore the relationship between Ben and Luke, and explore the former’s transition from innocent child to terrifying teen. This perspective would help ground Luke’s moment of weakness and better explain why he felt it was necessary, answering the question that really lies at the center of the sequel trilogy.
Star Wars Has the Perfect Enemy for Rey Skywalker’s Return
Supreme Leader Snoke was one of the most talked about characters in modern Star Wars history, and his surprise death in Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi was an effective subversion of audience expectations. But it failed to pay off the mystery the character had engendered. This aspect of the story could be better explored while uncovering Ben Solo’s fall to the Dark Side. Every other trilogy in the Star Wars franchise introduced a number of iconic villains, but the sequel trilogy had few great antagonists to offer outside of Kylo Ren. This is largely due to the trilogy neglecting the character development necessary to make figures like Supreme Leader Snoke stand out. A Kylo Ren story could remedy this for Snoke, uncovering more about his personality and the methods he used to lure Solo to the Dark Side, making him a far more effective villain.
Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke’s stories are deeply connected with the story of Darth Sidious. Kylo appeared to fans as the dark apprentice of a new era. He was a terrifying figure held at the mercy of mysterious and powerful forces. Unfortunately, these masters were not active enough in the plot to carry the story. Ben Solo became Kylo Ren because of the machinations of Darth Sidious, and to a lesser degree, Snoke. The sequel trilogy underutilized both of these compelling manipulators, and an exploration of their roles in creating Kylo Ren would help enhance their presences in the films. Snoke and Darth Sidious’ relationship also holds promise. A story that explored this further would add a powerful source of complexity and conflict while establishing them further as major villains.
Current Star Wars Comics Prove That Sequel Series Can be Successful
Leia, Chewbacca, Luke, and Lando in a cover art collage of the 2020 Star Wars comic series.
Star Wars Director Shawn Levy Avoids Question About Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren Appearing in His Movie
Star Wars: The Rise Of Kylo Ren #1 (by Charles Soule, Will Sliney, Guru-eFX and VC’s Travis Lanham) provided the best glimpses fans have had yet of the sequel trilogy era. It picks up just after Ben destroyed the new Jedi Temple. It is brimming with seething resentment, and captures the best of the new era’s mythology. There is a tension in Star Wars: The Rise Of Kylo Ren that is often absent in the films. Fans knew the heroes would destroy Starkiller Base, and no one believed that Emperor Palpatine was going to succeed. But Charles Soule’s comic feeds readers hope that the New Jedi Order might survive, and as a result, every step against them feels devastating. But even this series leaves much of Kylo Ren’s story untold.
Kylo Ren is in many ways the core of the Star Wars story. He is the dark heart whose fall precipitates galaxy changing events. The prequel series once did for Darth Vader what the comics have the chance to do for Kylo. The Star Wars franchise has proven it can come back from periods of dormancy stronger than ever, and it is pat time it used its best modern creation to find that magic once more.
