Let’s open our minds back to when Kylo Ren obsessed over his grandfather’s mangled helmet in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We never learned how he got the mask and helmet. With Episode IX fresh on everyone’s minds, let’s explore how that might have happened.
It’s no secret fans believe Darth Vader’s grandson, Ben Solo found the Sith Lord’s charred helmet on Endor. While there is not a definitive canon explanation, what if Star Wars: Episode IX reveals Kylo Ren didn’t find the mask the home planet of the Ewoks?
In the first trailer for The Rise of Skywalker, we see Rey, Finn, Poe, C-3PO, R2-D2, BB-8 and new droid D-O looking over an ocean at the ruins of the Death Star. Our suspicions say the second one. Again, it’s only a guess.
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Endor
We’ve all seen Vader’s funeral scene in Return of the Jedi. We’ve also learned Luke only burned his father’s armor. Not his body. The only explanation we have is his corpse disappeared. Again, this explanation is canon.
We also recall what remained of the helmet was taken from the funeral pyre. It’s not explored how it came to be in Kylo’s possession and who took it from the ash on Endor between the end of ROTJ and TFA.
How Kylo comes into the theory
Let’s focus our attention to Kylo and how he comes into the theory. What if when he discovered who his grandfather was, he researched what happened to the Death Star?
Now, we don’t know if anyone told Ben his uncle burned Vader’s armor in this scenario. He contacts Snoke and tells him what he’s learned about the ruins he’s found. His master tells him he must get to the wreckage and retrieve his grandfather’s helmet.
How Kylo retrieves the helmet
Talking to Snoke, Kylo gets told to work out his own problem. Kylo dives into the water and uses his Jedi training to get to the ruins. The Master of the Knights of Ren enters and finds the wreckage.
He takes his lightsaber from his belt in case he gets attacked. Kylo makes his way through and finds the Emperor’s throne.
The moment Ren steps forward, he enters a voice vision where he sees a young version of his uncle being hit with Force Lightning. Ben’s vision swaps perspectives to Vader as he watches his son in pain. The Sith Lord surges forward and grabs the Emperor, getting hit with the darkness. He then throws the Emperor to his death down the reactor.
Pulling out of the vision, Kylo collapses to his knees as he feels the light side inside him. Letting out a screech, the young Solo unleashes his rage. While his outcry isn’t as powerful as he expected, he causes minimal damage to the ruins.
Kylo receives a pull through the Force when he sees a flash in his vision. He soon realizes part of the throne has given way in his fit of rage. Using the Force, he breaks the throne apart and finds a melted helmet that belonged to his grandfather inside.
Kylo’s Reaction
Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in STAR WARS: EPISODE IX
Upon seeing the helmet, Kylo thinks it’s a fake and almost flies into a rage again. He pauses and closes his eyes. He listens again and soon has the sound of Vader’s mechanical breathing in his ears. He looks down at the melted helmet and realizes it did belong to his grandfather.
He talks to the helmet for a moment like it’s a breathing individual and vows to finish what his grandfather started all those years ago. He makes his way through the ocean with his grandfather’s helmet and back to his ship.
Kylo returns to his quarters within in the First Order and places melted mask and helmet on a pedestal and worships it like it’s a god.
All of the above is just a theory — and a potential scene that could happen. None of this has or is considered a rumor.
What’s your thoughts on this theory? Tell us below!