SPECULATION Ben's Redemption

It was creepy because there's no context to it. There is no reason given as to why Kylo Ren is behaving that way- why he's gentler with Rey than he's been seen with anyone else, why he keeps looking at her lips and eyes and smiling.


Why he reaches in so close to her person.




This isn't normal if a complete stranger does it but there have been repeated allusions to the fact they might not be strangers. That they're connected in a mysterious way.

There's a reason behind the difference in the way Kylo Ren reacted to Finn getting a hold of Anakin's lightsaber and Rey getting a hold of it.

Finn




Rey




There's also the fact that neither of them has been able to kill each other when the chance presented itself.



I mean, she's just walking towards him. She could have easily pressed her advantage and taken him out.




Kylo Ren is just laying on the ground there.

Rey hears "an amorphous voice" telling her to kill him and she chooses not to. Mostly because she knows she's on the precipice of the dark side but in all her anger and rage and hate, she's still unable to do it.

There's a reason why they gave Rey such a resounding victory in the script. There's a reason that Kylo lost. He might have been injured but he took Finn out, all the same, a person who arguably has had more training that Rey. If you watch the duel closely, you can see how Ren is trying very very hard NOT to kill her. There's a really good video on it that you can watch here.

There's a reason why they set up their relationship this way. There's a reason why Kylo Ren and Rey have a sexual undercurrent that is very obviously placed there. It's not a mistake made by the director or the scriptwriter or the actor. People who saw this, in the beginning, were written off as nothing more than fanciful fangirls but I feel like more people are seeing it as time goes on.

It won't be creepy once we get the full picture.

 

That's a shame.

In all seriousness though, I get people saying that Rey isn't attracted to him - though I think there are indications that she is or could be.
But the point really is about Kylo. He does has a connection to her. He does feel compassion. He does get awfully close. He shows signs of sexual interest.
And why wouldn't he? He's a nearly 30 yr old dude, lonely as fooz, with only a frog eyed zombie and a (ahem) helmet as a companion. Suddenly this hot, Force powerful girl shows up - it would be weird for him not to fancy her.

And so, for those out there that say it's a dangerous game as a) He could be related to Rey and b) He "tortures" her - sorry, but the sexual attraction is there regardless. Just like Luke fancied Leia. It's perfectly natural.

 

i'm kind of amazed that people find his behavior unnervingly creepy to the point of labeling him a stalker/rapist type.
yes, he's awkward and leery, but so are a lot of men, frankly.
once you've been stared at and/or pawed by generally harmless, but overeager men, Kylo Ren seems downright restrained (even a bit repressed).

i dunno ~ maybe that lends to this alleged creepy factor too ~ hahaha

 

What I would like to see, because the redemption thing is predictable and has been done with Vader, but I highly doubt it would ever happen is to see Kylo quasi redeemed. Meaning, he turns on the FO, but never fully embraces the light and is sort of an unpredictable character going forward. At the end of EP 9 he can sort of ride off into the sunset and away from everyone like the original ending for ROTJ with Luke.

Also, It would be good to explore someone like that in the future trilogy (if and when it happens) where you have this powerful being that is neither fully good, nor fully bad. He would have moments of evil and moments of good. He'd be just unpredictable, troubled, and flawed. Plus then you could just copy TFA for Episode 10, lol

 

The body language is about power. In most scenes he played with her. The looks he gives her if sexual ( I can't call them romantic) are predatory not attraction.

I can imagine him redeemed.

I can't imagine that after being in bondage, feeling those looks and feeling the helplessness that Kylo seemed to enjoy so thoroughly that Rey would become entangled with him romantically even if she saw his return to the light.

 

Ehehehehehehe.


That's hot.

 

aaaaand like that, all credibility goes right out the window ~ hahahaha

 

Hey, I'm a vocal Reylo fan. I came in with a credibility handicap. No shame, my guy. No shame.

 

I think it's admiration.
He's admiring her will and potential in the force.

He was likely never challenged at Luke's academy, being superior to all but Luke. So when he meets someone who is possibly a worthy foe...he admires her...then when she actually shows off her potential it startles him. He is not used to this.

 

that's what i think. he's attracted to her Force power ~ he is lonely and has never had a peer. so of course he's a bit ogly.
frankly, she's a bit ogly too. she totally checks him out when he goes to put his helmet down and schools her face when he comes back.

which is not to say she has the hots for him (or even him for her). they are mutually curious about one another.
i don't know why that is such a bad/threatening thing.

 

Different perspective. She seems angry and repulsed surprised when he takes off the mask. He seems to be about control and domination I don't see any admiration.

I would think of the scene as very asexual because when the idea of a future relationship between them is added on that scene strikes me as bondage fetish, or rape fantasy. Now I don't think any romance is connected to those 2. So I am not suggesting that is what they were going for just that when you add a romantic relationship to what I get from the scene that's the only way it seems to go. To the point that if there is a future relationship my opinion of Driver's acting will be reduced.

 

well i wouldn't (and didn't) categorize it as admiration. and i specifically said (or meant to say by my words) that if there is anything sexual going on it's completely unbeknownst to them.

their "attraction" in the scene is curiosity. which i think both play very well. she is revolted and curious and he is fascinated and curious.
where people extrapolate anything so specific as rape and/or hearts and flowers on either end eludes me.

could it lead into desire or love or whatever? sure. but we're a long way from tipperary yet, folks.

 

When did the Force Awaken? Was it the moment Rey had her first Vision?

 

Agreed.
They're sizing each other up. Kylo doesn't look at her like he wants to boink her, he's looking at her like he's got a new play toy. Someone who can challenge him.

She looks puzzled and taken aback. That the monster under the mask is truly nothing but a man...or a boy

 

The murderer of Han Solo should not be redeemed.

His choice mirrored Luke's choice in the end of ROTJ. It should cement him more into darkness.

Surprised at how many fans are calling for Kylo to be redeemed or to enter a romantic relationship with Rey. There are countless other character arcs that would be much more interesting.

 

Agree. If Ben is to ever be redeemed, it cannot be this trilogy. Not enough time has passed.

 

exactly. the overture is: hey, will you be my friend??? and she's like: what a weirdo, who in the world do you think you are???

later, in the snow, she's reminded of his humanity when she looks at the blood he's pounding out of his side. then she just as quickly recovers her anger and attacks him. but again, there's that brief second of fascination and horror for not being able to comprehend this very screwed up child who is threatening them.

 

This is my reading too.

But I think if you are going to read rape into that scene, then you have to read emasculation into the end of the duel on Starkiller Base. Kylo Ren and Rey are yin-yang, foils, opposite sides of the same coin. Many are willing to see Rey as a victim but unwilling to see her as one who pays back in kind. With this reading you find two people who have found the most vulnerable weakness of the other and exploited it...now where does it go from there?

 

Yep.
I think the romantic tension really only exists there with fans because we have come to associate love stories within the saga films and look for them.

Personally, I think ReyLo would be too on the nose and too Capulets and Montegues

 

amen! Rey is no victim. she beats him at every turn. and yes, he was asking for it.
i call it even at this point. he kidnapped her, scared her, invaded her mind.
she invaded his mind, bested him for the coveted lightsaber, and then whipped him silly.

at no point, even if there is future romance, does this suggest to me that little girls will learn some kind of "roll over for your abuse boyfriend" lesson.
bizarre, to say the least.