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Kylo Ren And Rey A Forceful Couple

This "Dyad In The Force" Very Different From Han Solo And Leia

By Christina St-JeanPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
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In writing this, there could be The Rise Of Skywalker spoilers, so please, consider yourself warned.

Onward.

I've been a fan of the Star Wars saga since I was a kid. The film that started it all bowed in 1977 when I was just four years old, and I've been hooked ever since, with it being the series I turn to when I need something to bring me comfort and peace of mind.

When news came that there would be a new trilogy, and that Episode IX would bring the entire Skywalker saga to an end, I was excited. I wasn't so much excited for the end of a four-decade long trip, but I was looking forward to a new trilogy of Star Wars films, particularly when I heard that they were bringing back the old cast to tie it all together. Like the rest of the universe, I took Carrie Fisher's death hard, but given she died just prior to the release of The Last Jedi, I was curious to see how her death would be handled and prayed that she would be done justice.

Strangely, in spite of my reluctance to like Kylo Ren as a character, I was oddly excited to see what they would do with the characters of Kylo Ren and Rey, portrayed by Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley respectively. I respected that the new trilogy needed a new villain, but a child of two of the most heroic individuals in the Star Wars galaxy should at the very least not have come across as such a petulant child, which is what Kylo Ren frequently reminded me of. He's a grown man, for heaven's sake - come on! Enough with the temper tantrums already.

On the other hand, I absolutely loved Rey. Sure, she was troubled, largely because she had been abandoned at a very young age and had powers that she didn't understand and frightened her to one extent or another, but she fought to control them and do what was right by the universe, not just by her own instincts. Her character arc across the new trilogy was pretty well constructed, and I was looking forward to seeing what came next.

In spite of my distaste for Kylo Ren, though, I rather liked the arc of Kylo Ren's and Rey's relationship. Getting a taste for the different nuances of the Force was a great addition to the trilogy, and watching both characters try to understand this link they somehow had allowed both of them to grow in their understanding of each other. It allowed them to see the other side of the story, in many respects, that they hadn't previously been exposed to or hadn't quite understood before. I knew, ultimately - or at least, I hoped - that Rey would be Kylo Ren's salvation, and I appreciated that for once, it would be about the woman rescuing the man instead of the other way around.

An unintended side benefit of this relationship was that, even though the two barely interacted in the same room, we caught glimpses of them being so close symbolically that they grew in their understanding of each other. Sure, Kylo Ren figured that he could easily manipulate Rey through this bond, but once they each figured out that the bond could work for their mutual benefit, that's when the audience was treated to true fireworks between the two characters.

Kylo Ren and Rey were a couple unlike the previous Star Wars supercouple, Han and Leia. Han and Leia were about chemistry and grace under fire; in their case, the fire was frequently literal as many people were often shooting at them throughout the battles that they would get embroiled in. They really couldn't have been more different, but they each taught each other to embrace the parts of themselves they weren't necessarily familiar with previously. Leia helped Han grow into the noble side of himself - the one that could lead a Rebellion into battle and inspire others to greatness - while Han inspired Leia to get comfortable with her more mischievous side.

In Kylo Ren's and Rey's case, Rey literally and figuratively heals Kylo Ren. Sure, there was some help from Leia, but it's Rey who helps awaken Kylo Ren to the light that still existed within him. The darkness within Rey frightened her too much to reach out further than she had done with Kylo Ren, but it's Rey who is the strongest component of the Kylo Ren-Rey formula.

I don't know if it's because of the ongoing interplay between light and dark that exists throughout Star Wars canon that the relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren worked so well, or simply because Rey learned to grow into his strength while Kylo Ren eventually realized he didn't need a full armada to be strong. Regardless, it's clear that it's because Rey and Kylo Ren are so very different that they became such a potent couple in this latest Star Wars trilogy.

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About the Creator

Christina St-Jean

I'm a high school English and French teacher who trains in the martial arts and works towards continuous self-improvement.

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