The new Star Wars comic series that focuses on Ben Solo’s journey reveals how the last Skywalker came to embrace his Kylo Ren persona through the brutality of the Knights of Ren.
In many ways, Ben’s journey mirrors that of his grandfather’s; the Jedi Knight who fell from grace but ultimately found redemption through a loved one. But the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa had a much more humble beginning. In fact, when The Force Awakens officially began a new era of a galaxy far, far away, Kylo Ren seemed more like an angsty teen who was looking for attention than a menacing Sith Lord. By the end of the Sequel Trilogy, though, the Dark Side warrior became the Supreme Leader of the First Order and the Master of the Knights of Ren, not to mention the story’s most compelling character.
Now, the new comic series that centers around him, titled Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren, has given fans many intimate moments with Ben’s conflicted feelings. After running away to Snoke, tagging along with the Knights of Ren, and accidentally killing one of his former Jedi friends, the final issue of the comic will give Ben his ultimate test as a villain by making him confront the rest of Luke’s students to prove his strength to Snoke.
As seen in the preview pages above, Ben will go with the Knights of Ren on a mission to retrieve an ancient artifact, but seemingly objects to their brutal methods. Snoke tells him that the Knights will do as they please though, which lends them fluidity. Ren, the leader of the Knights, then orders Ben to go with the Knights and help them kill the rest of the guards, but things get complicated for the young Solo when two of his Jedi friends show up. As Ren wonders who they are, Kylo ignites his lightsaber and says, “the past.”
It appears that this final trial will cement Ben Solo’s turn to the dark side then, but we’ll have to wait and see for ourselves when the next issue of the new Star Wars comic arrives on March 11th.
