The Force Awakens BTS — Kylo Ren’s Table of Ashes Explained

Thanks to Entertainment Weekly’s five days of coverage for Star Wars: The Force Awakens on HD Digital and Blu-ray, we learn what the table of ashes in Kylo Ren’s interrogation chamber meant… 

Our pals at Entertainment Weekly sat down with The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams and talked to him about the behind-the-scenes secrets from one of the most popular films in the world. One of those mysteries was the table of ashes that Kylo Ren places his helmet on, when removes it, and during his interrogation of Rey. Just what was that ash? Many fans (myself included) thought it was the ashes of his grandfather, Darth Vader…boy were we wrong.

"“The backstory is, that that table has the ashes of the enemies he’s killed,”"

Umm, what? If there were ever a chance that Kylo Ren had to be brought back to the Light Side of the Force, it just flew out the window, with the ashes of the people he’s incinerated. Oh my god, what kind of sick person collects the ashes of his victims and keeps them in a box, then places his mask in those ashes, and then later wears that mask? I mean, at least use use some wet wipes and clean the ash off, ya freak!

Next: Star Wars Rebels: Did Ahsoka Tano Die?

According to EW, that table of ash was originally in Ren’s private quarters. And the fact that he incinerates and preserves the remains of his foes adds a new, eerie dimension to his Dark Side nostalgia — and hoarding tendencies. So, you know…just another normal day in the life of a guy who would kill his father, worships a melted mask of his grandfather, and places his mask in the ashes of defeated foes…no biggie. Kylo Ren needs some therapy…or a hug.