“Reylo” was a thing and the movies prove it
By Nik Edlund
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The Rise of Skywalker
The final film of the Skywalker Saga is where Rey and Kylo Ren’s relationship is brought together unfortunately to a sad ending. Before the tragic end, there are plenty of examples in the film that show these two have strong romantic feelings for each other.
At the very beginning of the film, Kylo seeks out the Emperor. The Emperor tells him he can give him his new Empire if he brings Rey to her. Instead of following through on this he instead tries to convince Rey to join him (again) and together they can overthrow the Emperor and take their seats together on the throne that rules the galaxy.
Later in the movie, they get into a lightsaber battle in the wreckage of the Second Death Star. Rey wins this battle and stabs Kylo with his own lightsaber. Instead of letting him die, she tells him that she did want to take his hand, Ben’s hand. This is basically her flat out stating her love for him and this declaration helps bring Ben back from the dark. Rey proves her love by healing the now redeemed Ben Solo, before leaving him on the wreckage to have a talk with his ghost Dad.
Finally, at the end of the film, the star-crossed lovers join forces to fight Grandpa Sheev. The battle kills Rey, but Ben returns the life force favor giving all of his life energy to save her. She comes out of her coma and gives him a very passionate kiss.
What is more telling than the actual kiss is the look of pure happiness in her eyes and all over her face. She isn’t happy to see a friend, it’s the love of her life that brought her back from the dead, even if it was at the sacrifice of his own.
The sequels are chock full of moments that prove “Reylo” is definitely a thing, and if they were thought out from start to finish, perhaps this is a story thread that would’ve became more evident and really the entire heart and soul of the Sequel Trilogy. Instead, like too much of the sequels, things are left to be inferred and interpreted in different ways, instead of giving us fans concrete and absolute answers.
What other moments in the Sequel Trilogy prove that “Reylo” was a thing?