Anakin and Padmé. Han and Leia. Rey and Kylo Ren (or Ben Solo, depending on the timeline). Relationships in Star Wars have always been complicated, and some romances have been more clearly defined than others. “Reylo” is a complex pairing that involves a rare Force connection and an ending with mixed reactions.
Did Rey and Kylo Ren’s relationship develop in the movies? Here’s what actually happened at the end of the sequel trilogy.
Rey and Kylo Ren’s relationship
At the beginning of the sequel trilogy, Rey and Kylo Ren were enemies. He was a leader in the First Order, and Rey thought she had been traveling back to the Resistance with Finn before her capture. The two engage in battle, and she defeats him at the end of The Force Awakens. She then narrowly escapes his capture again at the end of The Last Jedi.
In The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo reveals that he and Rey are a dyad in the Force, which explained why they were able to see each other and seemingly occupy the same space from a great distance without the power of Force projection. They weren’t related by blood or involved romantically, but they did share a connection unique to the two of them.
Do Rey and Kylo Ren get together?
Though the two shared this unique bond throughout the sequel movies, they weren’t officially a couple on-screen.
Near the end of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey and Ben Solo — after Leia brought him back from the Dark Side and Kylo Ren was essentially no more — did share a brief kiss just before he became one with the Force.
The kiss they share happens in the final moments of Ben’s life, and the movie ends shortly thereafter and focuses on Rey’s future. Her feelings about Ben’s death aren’t explored.
Ben Solo’s sacrifice
Ben’s ability to bring Rey back to life wasn’t without consequence. The same way Leia gave her life to save Ben, he, in turn, sacrificed himself to save her.
Outside the films, Ben and Rey’s relationship beyond what’s depicted on-screen has yet to be explored. Throughout the sequels, she did get to know both of his parents — Han for a brief time, and Leia as her mentor in the Force — which likely helped her empathize with Kylo Ren when he was still with the First Order.
Without Ben, Rey would have died at the hands of Palpatine. Without Rey, Ben may have never gotten the push he needed to turn back to the light. From beginning to end, the two lived and worked in balance, as any dyad would.
Who’s your favorite Star Wars couple? Let us know in the comments.