ST Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) in Episode VII

It hides his insecurities.

 

i personally love kylo ren. and he might never be redeemed and maybe too many fans will hate him for killing han. but it doesn't change that there is actually still an essence of good in him, even if it is never realized and dies completely. i really think to hate this character is to hate oneself because in some ways he is the embodiment of human weakness. that which is vulnerable, sensitive and small can always be turned towards the most terrible means. this is why children are the easiest to recruit into causes of hate. if one loves what is weak, they must love kylo ren. to hate his character is to be what he is. he despises weakness and hates himself. he projected this self-loathing on han and killed him for it.

and i saw in some thread somewhere that some might think him a sociopath/psychopath, but he's not since he is capable of compassion (as snoke chastises him for in the novelization). these stories aren't about sociopaths primarily (the emperor might have always been one, i don't know) but about the choices you make and the feelings behind them and what that will lead you to.\

and let us not forget he seems to think *han* is weak. he kills people for being weak, when he is more weak than so many others (as a person). to hate him for weakness is once again to hate humanity.

 

I think Kylo's mask is more of a strategy. It pays homage to Vader, but it also gives him more of a dividing line from the man he was as Ben Solo. Alot of emphasis is put on a human's face to their identity, and by wearing a mask Ben hides that part of him and establishes the identity of Kylo Ren; aspiring Sith Lord.

There's also a more menacing feel when dealing with someone wearing a mask, and it makes a person less personable, as we see Rey demand he remove it when speaking to her. Obviously, not many other people could make that same demand and not end up with a lightsaber to the chest, or the Force gripping around their neck. The whole Sith's attire of all black is a tactic in itself, in Hockey, as an example, there's been proof that teams with darker jerseys actually tend to intimidate the opposing team often, and usually hold a larger win status, even if by a small percentage.

 

Has it been confirmed that his mask was Darth Revan's mask?

 

I don't think so, I'm not even sure the KOTOR storyline is still considered cannon, unfortunately.

There are some pretty noticeable differences in the mask aswell. Revan's mask is a different shape, size, colour and has different patterns as the design.

 

revan's mask is so much more awesome.

 

I like Revan's mask, but think Kylo Ren's is a much better design. The difference between a game and a film designer shows through.

 

For sure. If a mask/helmet isn't necessary (non-life support), all of the psychological reasons come back to this. I love how Ben even incorporates a useless mechanical apparatus to presumably suspend disbelief to himself that it's a necessary part of his identity.

As an aside, does anyone know if there's any mythology behind the ornate design of the helmet? All of the silver "circuit-board" piping, I wondered if it's supposed to represent something.

 

i also like how people are always complaining about his mask such that it's actually kind of a source of annoyance for him.

 

It struck me as interesting that after all of the emotional trauma surrounding the Solo family, and likely all of the thought that went into "What would I say if I could see him/them again", Han's first words to Ben are "Take off that mask".

I get the intention; the notion of "That's not who you REALLY are", and in fact Han even says as much, that he wants to see the face of his son. But, being that I personally subscribe to the notion that there is MUCH animosity here, the gruff father speaking down to his grown son, can't have gone over well emotionally for Ben. Yet, Ben seems to submit to Han's "dominance" in this scene - never more evident than when Ben recoils ever so slightly as Han approaches him. Han has this moment, if he wants it. But Ben needed the dominant, fatherly tone to manifest itself into action when Han held Ben's fate (his saber) in his hands...which didn't come - or at least, didn't come quickly enough. Maybe it never came, even when Ben was a boy.

Han got Ben to submit, to indeed "Take off that mask" and rid himself of that identity...but just couldn't close the deal.

As always, IMHO (particularly when it pertains to Ben).

 

yes, everyone is telling him he *isn't* kylo ren. it's once again a fascinating opposite to darth vader, as what he and obi-wan say about vader is that anakin skywalker is dead (destroyed by vader). ben/kylo tries to tell han this and han doesn't buy it. leia doesn't buy it either. lor san tekka doesn't buy it. even poe has his reaction (though i don't think poe knows who kylo ren is? i mean i doubt leia and han let everyone know about him?). it's also an interesting contrast in the beginning when kylo is trying to intimidate hux; and then the later scene where they are both meeting with snoke and kylo is caught with the mask off and is embarrassed about it apparently.

i saw this as sort of more signs of narcissism as ben is acting as though han is a threat to him. han is not the real threat of the two of them. i thought his recoiling was recoiling from his own more tender feelings towards han, and from someone he's villainized in his mind ("you abandoned me"). there also seemed to be tension between craving han's attention and rejecting/shunning him. and ofc it's interesting how he's referred to han as weak when han is much stronger than he is: han knows who he is and isn't insecure in his own identity. han doesn't need to hide.

the whole scene did feel like it was "too late" in a lot of ways... like a reconciliation was needed in the past and now that time is over.

han did try to take the saber, but kylo wouldn't let go of it. i suppose after that han showed uncertainty--doubt that he could win ben over, of his son accepting him, of being able to reach him, doubt of himself as a father. it is kind of like how if one approaches a predator and shows no fear the predator may not attack, but once fear is present it's detected and the predator goes for the kill. that the predator can be vulnerable makes it no less dangerous (in fact it makes it in a way, more dangerous).

 

Didn't Ben present the saber open-palmed? I interpreted that as something poignant to consider - that it was indeed an unthreatening gesture/concession (albeit with a short shelf-life).

I will have to look at it again - I'm very prone to perhaps cutting that boy a few too many breaks. <3

Thanks for indulging my pro-Ben stance; I've found a few on here that hate me for it.

 

Just a question: why did Kylo Ren use the Force to stop Poe Dameron's blaster strike but yet he didn't use the Force to halt Chewbacca's bowcaster shot on Starkiller Base?

 

He was distracted by just killing his father and all the surprising emotions he felt.

Without Han's death, Chewie's shot would have been blocked easily.

 

I will give Kylo this he is very committed flying to Endor to get what was left of Vader's mask. We know he would be wearing the rest of the outfit had it not burned up lol.

 

I know he was born on Chandrila but did he live there during his childhood or was he being moved around a lot?

 

Merged threads.