Evidently, the Rey-Finn-Poe situation won’t be the only relationship trio causing consternation when Star Wars: The Last Jedi arrives in theatres next month, as it seems the tension between Supreme Leader Snoke, Kylo Ren and General Hux will also be ratcheting up to new levels.
In a new interview in Empire Magazine, actor Domhnall Gleeson explained that his Hux and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren will be digging even deeper into their sibling-like rivalry, as they vie for the attentions of the mysterious leader of the First Order.
“Because of what happened in the first film, he’s been pushed to a place where his position is in real jeopardy, and people make really bad decisions when they get desperate. Hux and Kylo Ren are vying for power and for Snoke’s attention. They’re both contenders for the throne and Hux is hoping Ren explodes, so that he can take up the mantle. He knows it will be a battle otherwise, one he may very well lose.”
While the prospect of Hux and Ren pushing each other closer to the edge than ever before – in pursuit of absolute power – is exciting to say the least, the key thing here is what such a plot thread requires of the performers in question. While the introduction of Kylo Ren, Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron was met with great fanfare and pageantry, Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux was a creeping revelation. The actor steeped his character in layer upon layer of seething rage, and garnished it with a subtle dash of festering entitlement – all of which created a truly standout depiction of a desperately ambitious ‘company man.’
Indeed, there were few sights more arresting in Star Wars: The Force Awakens than that of General Hux, standing atop a First Order shrine, shrieking a Hitler-esque monologue at the assembled troops. His clipped tones and expectant authority was perfectly juxtaposed with Kylo Ren’s less disciplined, more emotional approach to the pursuit of his goals – but we learned in their first appearance that Ren is Snoke’s clear favourite.
So, if these two men are competing for the favour of Supreme Leader Snoke, it stands to reason that they will each use every advantage available to them to achieve their goal. It’s easy to suspect, by watching the trailer, that Kylo Ren’s advantage might take the form of the increasingly powerful Rey – which begs the question, what effect will that have on General Hux? All will be revealed when Star Wars: The Last Jedi arrives on December 15th.
