Photo Credit: Lucasfilm
With the revival of the Star Wars franchise following the premiere of The Force Awakens, fans were introduced to an array of new and beloved characters to behold on the big screen.
Of course, fans of the franchise were given the pure joy of seeing classic characters from the original trilogy return — Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Leia among others. While seeing Han and Chewie fight side by side, blaster and bowcaster blazing, the new era of Star Wars characters ushered in, proved to be just as captivating and entertaining as their predecessors.
The Force Awakens introduced three new faces, including Rey, Finn, and Poe, to step in as the trio of protagonists, just as Luke, Han, and Leia served as the trio of heroes in the original trilogy. While all three heroes played their respective roles beautifully, contributing to what was a great film, one character who stole the spotlight was the film’s villain, Kylo Ren.
Star Wars has offered many characters over the years, some who have been around for as many as forty years, yet there are few who can claim to be as complex as Kylo Ren. Even with only appearing in one film thus far, Ren’s revealed past and present issues have made it evident he is a character who not only is currently struggling with his own demons, but the issue will likely persist and remain a recurring theme throughout the rest of the trilogy.
During The Force Awakens, Ren is visibly struggling to remain true to the Dark Side of the Force, a problem which is a direct result of his past life when he was known as Ben Solo.