Adam Driver On Signing to Play Kylo Ren Before Ben Solos Redemption Was Planned: 'That Was Never a Part of It'

After TROS, this doesn't surprise me one bit. Looking back at TFA you can see very plainly that the entire sequel trilogy was simply a way of getting rid of the Skywalkers and replacing them with someone else. It honestly leaves me baffled as to why DLF would buy Lucas's space opera only to erase the legacy family. It also explains why they had Kylo/Ben kill Han - he was meant to be hated, and what better way to do it by having him kill off the OT's most loved character?

I like and respect Johnson even more, because he obviously was the only director/writer chosen who truly 'got' SW - that at its heart was a message of hope. I'm so sorry that both a talented man like him and a great actor like Driver were wasted on the drivel Disney churned out.
At least it is going to save this former passionate SW fan money, as I will never watch or purchase anything to do with SW again. Especially if Boyega returns as his comments on social media post TROS turned my stomach. He also said some pretty unpleasant things about Kelly Marie Tran.
RIP Star Wars. It's been nice knowing you.

 

I guess I don't understand why you're signalling out Johnson here since he was committed to making Kylo Ren the ultimate villain and does that very well by the end of The Last Jedi. For whatever reason during the the making of TROS Disney/Lucasfilm changed course.

He did not.

Good-bye again!

 

I find it weird that Reylos still hate JJ, he gave them their 'Ben' moment, pouting Kylo was all Rian. I dunno, I think it all comes down to folk just wanting Adam Driver to be the lead and main hero and they never got it. Rey was always the protagonist, the trilogy was always about the rise of a female jedi which we got. I listened to a certain youtuber / spoiler leaker (he who can't be named). His co-presenter exclaiming that JJ had an obsession with Ridley / Rey. Well duh, she's his character, the sequel trilogy main character. Cry, more Ben and the films. Ben was never meant to be the 'Black Diamond' nor about the arcs 'Return of The King style' 'Kylo's Broken Soul', pout more. JJ caved, he gave in with the redemption arc but this proves the trilogy was never about 'Ben Solo'. JJ gave you the 'dyad'. Rian never gave it a name.

As I say the hate that JJ gets given is just perplexing

I get that folk like the character that's fine but to me I never got him and I feel like the hero role of Finn became secondary importance, poor John. Hearing the news of the 'plan' changing makes me more angry about 'Finn's' story more than anything else.

God, 2017, 2018, and the run up to 2019 was bloody painful. It's done and I am bloody happy.

 

I never got the impression that JJ intended for Kylo to become more dedicated to the dark side. Or that Anakin was ideologically committed to the dark side when he turned. It was a means to an end when he was tempted and feared being killed by the Jedi in retaliation for impulsively and inadvertently helping to kill Mace Windu.

In TFA Kylo is trying so hard to prove he intends to do it right this time. But when it comes to the crunch, he's clearly torn about confronting his father. But he's been promised power by overcoming this test, which he only passes in a cowardly fashion avd5 soon realises this promise was an empty one unless it meant acquiring more shame, self loathing, guilt and fear.

TLJ is set in the days immediately following TFA so it's not surprising that RJ didn't stray too far from what JJ had left off with. He gets his revenge on Snoke and therefore doesn't need to prove himself or his dark side credentials to anyone except his enemies. Some of which are his surviving family. He fails to seduce Rey by reducing her to "Nobody cares about you but me". He's denied the dubious prize of destroying his old master and uncle with the miracle that Luke performs to meet his inevitable destiny. So the one thing that likely could have sent him completely and irretrievably to the dark side was off the table.

I don't think JJ tried to change this at all in TROS. Sidious is clearly contemptuous of Kylo as the possible heir to his evil spirit.

The point is that everything Kylo did was his way of avoiding facing up to what happened with Luke and how he reacted thereafter. The only way I can see Kylo fully turning is by accident or folly. Not through any genuine commitment.

Anakin had nothing left after the events of ROTS. Ben still had his mother father and uncle etc. It's no wonder that he got no further than Vader did. Even if he rose to the position of "Supreme Leader". Another hollow crown.

You notice that Ben and Luke adopt two diametrically opposed philosophies as a response to the seemingly chaotic circumstances they find themselves in. Kylo fearing loss of control of his destiny becomes revolutionary, activist. Luke fearing the same but because of his own perceived inadequacies chooses. "Don't just do something. Sit there."

Like, literally, in his final moments.

 

JJ once said he intended Kylo Ren to be the Anti Luke Skywalker. Meaning: Kylo Ren is Luke Skywalker who accepted Vader's/Sidious' offer to join the dark side.

I always found that idea interesting. Would I have made Kylo Ren full villain? I don't know, I'm torn about this.
But I like the idea of Kylo Ren becoming the ultimate villain, but losing everything.
I once even had the idea of Kylo Ren staying evil, but surviving the ST. It would end with a defeated First Order and only it's leader Kylo Ren being left. What would he do next?

Ah Kylo, the most interesting aspect about the Sequel Trilogy. At least for me.

 

Me too....

--- Double Post Merged, Dec 15, 2023, Original Post Date: Dec 15, 2023 ---

We wanted Ben Solo to live.
In fact, for this fan it was more important than reylo being 'canon'.