Reimagining The Force Awakens: Kylo Ren’s identity is a secret
Over the past few years, I have shared rewrites of The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, with versions of those films I wish we saw. I wrote within their structures to enhance certain themes, incorporate new twists, and build upon character motivations, while changing their core stories. However, I had reimagined both sequels on the premises established by The Force Awakens. Now that the Sequel Trilogy has put itself out of its own misery, I thought it might be a good opportunity to reverse-engineer my reimagining of the sequels, and rewrite Episode VII.
In all honesty, I thought Force Awakens was a blast. I saw it three times in theaters, and had a lot of fun with it. I thought it set up solid potential for an intriguing sequel. In fact, the reason I was so let down by both followups was largely because I enjoyed the first installment. However, there are still plenty of issues with the messy story mechanics of Episode VII. On a more basic level, characters are underdeveloped and often come across as one-dimensional.
For instance, Rey’s passivity and plainness as a protagonist sticks out as a major flaw. As the audience, it’s challenging to connect with characters who don’t deal with much struggle themselves — at least, not when these hardships are poorly presented. Although Rey tells us multiple times she doesn’t have a family, citing that is the reason she stays on Jakku, we don’t feel the angst she should probably be experiencing. She doesn’t seek to improve her situation. Instead, she simply stays in one place, waiting for something to happen to her. It’s difficult to empathize and root for a character who is content with their lackluster circumstances.
Partly due to the fact that she is alone, we don’t get the opportunity to hear her voice any aspirations she might have to others. Both her backstory and perceived self-identity are purposely kept vague. We can see she enjoys playing with old Rebellion ships, but we lack context for what these remnants of the franchise mean to her personally. The audience is given the heavy lifting to fill in the gaps that the story should be speaking into.
Rey’s setup contrasts with Luke in A New Hope, who we can see is held back from a life beyond the moisture farm on Tatooine by his Uncle Owen. Luke strives for freedom from his sand planet, but Rey seems fine remaining aimless and alone on hers. In the grand scope of the Sequel Trilogy’s narrative, this can actually work to its benefit, but not much is done to develop Rey’s arc from start to finish.
Throughout this rewrite, I will be altering the motivations of characters, building upon the foundation of The Force Awakens’ structure, and deepening themes that come across as shallow and underdeveloped. This time, I also have the opportunity to make the trilogy more coherent within its own storyline. For the purposes of this rewrite, this new take is titled, “Ways of the Force.”
In both previous reimaginings, I have allowed room for you, the reader, to decide whether or not a story takes place in continuity with the actual films, if any of them, or remains only a part of my reimagined trilogy. Even for this one, that remains somewhat true, as there are no major contradictions to the rest of the actual trilogy in this outline. I hope you enjoy this brand new take on Episode VII.
A Revised Story
Instead of the opening scene taking place on Jakku, stormtroopers are dispatched to the desert planet Jedha, which we know from Rogue One as a sacred world associated with the Force. Obviously at the time of Episode VII, “Jedha” hadn’t been created. However, unlike Jakku, Jedha provides several story opportunities which will present themselves throughout the first act, tying into the film’s themes.
As the troop carrier ships approach the planet, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron meets with a man in a village. Unlike the film, this man isn’t an old friend of Leia’s, or a former member of the Rebellion. Instead, he is a wannabe Jedi, seeking the Force on Jedha. It is also through the Force that he has conjured up this final piece of the map leading to the ancient Jedi Temple, citing old texts found exclusively in the holy city. Sensing that the First Order is on their way, he gives Poe the thumb-drive, which he then gives to his droid BB-8. Before leaving the hut, the man tells him, “May the Force be with you.” Poe smiles, not believing in such mysticism, but playing along anyway.
When the fleet of stormtroopers arrive with Kylo Ren, they rampage the village in search of the map. Kylo senses a Force user nearby, the stormtroopers soon finding him and Poe. “I am not afraid of you. I am a Jedi!” “You’re no Jedi,” Kylo retorts, igniting his saber and slashing the guy. Whereas the rebel informant in the actual film has dialogue hinting at Kylo Ren’s lineage, this interaction with the Resistance ally hints at Kylo’s specific background. Of course, we know that Kylo had trained to be a Jedi, and would feel superior to such amateurs claiming that title. This is a common thread throughout the changes in my outline, as the film offered a few hints at Kylo Ren’s true identity, but only in relation to his family of origin, and not specific parts of his backstory.
When Poe is brought aboard the Star Destroyer, he isn’t only interrogated about the map. Kylo also asks Poe where “Solo” has gone, to which he doesn’t have an answer. “He is the pilot who trained you, isn’t he?” Kylo asks. Years earlier, Poe learned from Han how to be the pilot he is today, taking on a son-like role. Currently, Kylo searches for his father in pursuit to kill him and prove himself, but Han’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Elsewhere on Jedha, a young scavenger named Rey goes about her daily routine, waking up inside a hollowed out AT-AT, and trekking into the village. There, she meets with local soothsayers and self-declared mystics who claim to be familiar with the Force. They sell kyber crystals and superstitious ornaments. She is on a quest to learn about her purpose, who she really is, and where her family has gone. Today, she hears about some new gypsy in town who might offer a fresh perspective in her search. When Rey meets her, it’s no help. The old woman tells Rey that she needs to tap into the Force, and that soothsayers can’t do it for her. Rey is offended, as the gypsy blames her for not being able to locate her parents, citing a lack of faith. This investigation into her family is what keeps her on Jedha, as we learn from her other interactions with the locals she has grown up with. Unlike the film, she doesn’t passively wait for her family to return. Rather, she is active while stranded, seeking answers to her lifelong mystery.
But, she has only ever comes to dead ends. Following yet another lead, she takes a psychic’s advice and finds the ruins of an old ship out in the desert. As she approaches, she hears some kind of movement coming from inside… Unlocking the hatch, she finds BB-8, who has somehow managed to get stuck in the scraps. The droid is thankful to be set free and begins to follow Rey around. This alteration from how they originally meet in the film shows us both Rey’s drive toward finding answers, as well as her compassion for others.
Meanwhile aboard a Star Destroyer, Finn is conducting his escape with Poe from the First Order. It ends with their Tie Fighter crashing on Jedha. In the actual film, this is the point when the characters are separated. At the time, this was meant to indicate Poe’s abrupt death, who was later written to return during the third act.
In this iteration after they crash in the desert of Jedha, they decide to go in two separate directions. Poe is bent on returning to the village that was slaughtered by the First Order, even though Finn assures him nothing is there anymore. “They’ll find you if you go!” Finn shouts. “I’m sorry — I have to do this,” Poe tells him. Feeling desperate and guilt ridden for the massacre, Poe ignores rationality and goes anyway in search of his droid, BB-8. He thinks he has cost the Resistance the whole war by potentially losing the map to Skywalker. Poe leaves his jacket with Finn as a ‘thank you’ for aiding in their escape. This leaves Finn to fend for himself, now desperate while he walks toward the city alone.
As Finn finally approaches the town square, he searches frantically for water and food, stealing a piece of fruit from a vendor. Tie Fighters approach overhead, following up on Poe’s breakout. As Finn panics, running through the streets seeking shelter, BB-8 notices him and recognizes his jacket. The droid scurries away from Rey and starts to chase Finn. She is forced into running after BB-8, tracking behind the ex-stormtrooper. He looks back over his shoulder, wishing they wouldn’t attract attention.
Eventually, Finn finds an alley where he can hide, but the droid inevitably catches up with him, followed by Rey. “Look, it was just a piece of fruit!” Finn shouts. “It’s the droid, it ran off for you,” Rey tells him. BB-8 informs her that the jacket worn by Finn belongs to its owner. “Is that true? You’re a thief?” “Well, not until — no! I’m not a thief! What are you talking about?” The same exchange as the film plays out, as they go onto run from the First Order while stormtroopers raid the streets. Rey is excited to be a part of a supposed Resistance mission.
“I know a way out,” she tells him. Rey pulls Finn by the arm and hurries to a landing bay around the corner. “Which one is yours?” he asks. She gives him a look — he doesn’t understand her plan. As they run out onto the bay, they’re exposed to the Tie Fighters above. The First Order immediately sees Finn, and shoots at the ground. BB-8 scurries off toward a ship as they race toward another one. The two of them ignore the droid, until the Fighter blows up the shiny new vessel Rey was planning on breaking into. They look back at BB-8, who has located the Millennium Falcon. It is familiar with the ship as it’s been involved with the Resistance throughout the years.
As the Falcon soars into the sky, a cloaked creature standing near a vendor takes notice, looking up. Wearing a disguise, Chewbacca shouts at Han Solo nearby. “Yeah, yeah, I know the First Order is here — ” Just then, Han realizes that their ship has been stolen, in the process of being chased by Tie Fighters. “Hey! So much for undercover. Come on, Chewie.” Han and Chewie had come to Jedha in search for BB-8 and the map to Luke Skywalker it carries.
In this version of the story, Han hasn’t left Leia or the New Republic to return to his old days of smuggling. His character hasn’t regressed from the arc that developed him during the Original Trilogy. However, he has still become somewhat reclusive, helping the Resistance from a distance while he carries out missions on his own. He hasn’t returned to the state he was in before A New Hope, but is motivated by his quest to take down the First Order and ultimately find his son, Ben. This has become a point of tension between him and Leia, as their main objectives as leaders have clashed.
While Rey pilots the Falcon away from the Tie Fighters, she struggles to fly it well. She realizes she needs to hone in on the Force, the mystical energy she grew up around on Jedha. Rey “lets go” and closes her eyes, taking a moment to focus, allowing her to avoid the blasts of the Fighters and lose them along the way. Before Rey and Finn leave the atmosphere, he tells her they need to go back to the desert. “They’ll find us if we stay much longer,” Rey tells him. Finn is anxious about Poe’s whereabouts, but doesn’t want to cause suspicion from his new friend. He is conflicted as he chooses to keep his First Order background a secret.
As the Falcon heads into space, it’s followed by a mysterious worn-down ship. Soon, it latches onto the roof, causing Finn and Rey to rush and hide beneath the floor panels. It’s not long before Han finds them. Upon realizing the two of them have found BB-8, Han and Chewie take control of the ship and fly to the Resistance base.
When they land, Han has a moment alone with Finn before they exit the ship. He tells Finn that he knows he’s lying about who he is, and that he would know if he was a part of the Resistance. “Why? Why would you know?” Finn asks, confused. As they get off the Falcon, Finn realizes how small an operation this rumored Resistance actually is. He’s shocked, wondering if he made the wrong choice in leaving the enemy. Surely the First Order will beat this ragtag group of rebels. He wonders if he should run away, again. Finn’s inclination to take off is more articulated in this version than the film, as he loses hope that the Resistance can win the war.
Kylo Ren’s Secret Identity and Han’s Motivation
Aboard a Star Destroyer, Kylo Ren is given the news that the Falcon was spotted leaving Jedha, along with BB-8, the runaway stormtrooper, and a scavenger girl. It’s the perfect mix of a First Order nightmare. Following a training duel between Kylo and his Knights of Ren, he speaks with a hologram transmission of Supreme Leader Snoke.
Although Kylo was previously enraged by this development, his master views it as an opportunity. “If it is her, and she possesses the Force, then you might be a fitting teacher, my apprentice.” Snoke references the lies of Skywalker which once confined Kylo Ren, keeping him from the dark side of the Force. From this line, we learn that Kylo was once Luke’s student. “You can pass on the knowledge I have bestowed upon you, ensuring that the true ways of the Force live on… And the false doctrine of what has become of the Jedi Order fades from the galaxy.”
As Rey becomes acquainted with the Resistance, Han is reunited with his wife, General Leia. This is the point in which we learn that somewhere along the way, the First Order took their son, Ben. However, no one is aware that he has in fact become Kylo Ren. Instead, they think their son is being held as a prisoner.
Leia hasn’t been clued in on such events by Luke, as he has gone off into exile. Since we are aware of what has become of Luke in The Last Jedi, we can assume that he felt too ashamed and burdened with failure to relay the news of Ben’s fall to his sister. The continued search for Ben Solo motivates Han throughout this version of the story. This also becomes the fuel for Rey’s mission going forward. She can empathize and connect with Han’s search for his missing family. This foreshadows a revelation in my version of Last Jedi, as Rey’s parents also aren’t who she wished they were.
It should be noted that since characters are no longer aware of Kylo Ren’s true identity and neither is the audience, he no longer refers to Vader as “grandfather.” Kylo Ren also doesn’t remove his mask throughout the film until the third act, when his identity is no longer a secret.
Meanwhile, now that BB-8 is back with the Resistance, they have the piece of the map leading to the alleged first Jedi Temple, where Luke supposedly went. However, the rest of the puzzle remains in R2-D2’s memory banks, which were scrambled years earlier following the destruction of the Jedi Academy. This is why R2 hasn’t been useful in explaining what’s happened to Luke, or Ben. Resistance engineers are hurrying to fix R2 so they can assemble the full map, but they have been short-staffed.
Luke’s Green Lightsaber
Elsewhere in the base, Rey is led by distant voices down a stairway, into a hidden storage area. “I can’t kill my own father… I am Jedi, like my father before me… I will not fight you… You have that power too. In time you’ll learn to use it as I have.”
She had never realized the innate closeness she had with the Force, being so used to it her whole life on Jedha… But now, she starts to understand how in tune with this mystical energy she really is. Feeling called to a secret room, Rey discovers an old wooden case. Inside, she finds the lightsaber that Luke had constructed many years earlier.
Just then, Leia approaches from down the hall, noticing the saber in Rey’s hands. She tells Rey that Luke had left it behind, before he went off searching for the ancient Jedi Temple. “Why would he leave his lightsaber?” Rey asks. “He never said… But I always assumed it’s because after he felt the time was right for his return, he wouldn’t need it anymore… And that someday, it might go to someone else worthy of carrying it.” “Ben?” Rey asks. “At one time, it would’ve been his. But now…” Leia hands her the lightsaber. Rey takes a few steps back and runs off. She knows that accepting this mission means she has to end the pursuit of her family and join the war.
This alternate scene, in which now Rey finds Luke’s green lightsaber rather than the blue one that had belonged to Anakin achieves several things simultaneously. First of all, we no longer wonder why Maz Kanata owns the lightsaber that was lost in Empire Strikes Back. It is not a mystery that lingers over the rest of the film, or the trilogy, only to later be answered in a comic book tie-in. Now, it makes sense as to why Leia would have this particular lightsaber. It also raises a question which will be addressed later, as to why Luke would leave his Jedi weapon behind.
This rewrite also gives reason as to why Kylo Ren might angrily claim, “That lightsaber belongs to me!” in his fight against Rey during the final act. It was never fully explained why Kylo delivers this line in the film, but now it makes sense. Rey represents the Jedi apprentice that he should have been, alongside his uncle Luke. Lastly, this change allows room for us to ease into the passing of the torch. It doesn’t feel random, as Leia gives away a family heirloom. In this exchange, we see her evidently coming to terms with the idea that her son will never return to take up the mantle, assuming his demise.
The Search for Ben Solo
When Han asks about updates in regards to the Resistance’s search to find Ben, Leia mentions that First Order informants have been traced back to Maz Kanata’s Castle. Han is frustrated that they haven’t pursued any of these leads, not considering the desperate state they are in. There is a clear disconnect between Han and Leia, as she has lost hope that her son might still be alive. He takes off to Maz’s Castle against her orders. Rey and Finn leave with Han and Chewie, BB-8 following close behind.
Unlike the film, Han is seeking personal answers from Maz, if she is aware of anyone in her club with connections to the First Order. “Impossible to tell. This is a galaxy where every man is out for himself. You were once one of those men, Han, you should know.” She goes onto bring up how Han’s search for his missing family has held him back all these years from embracing those he still has. We watch Rey’s face change expression as she relates to these words which echo her own story. Instead of being directly confronted by Maz, this is how she comes to realize that she must accept the call to action.
Finn remains cynical about the Resistance’s ability to fight, aware of the unlimited resources that the enemy has. He rightly assumes they’re being watched by the informants that Han came here to find. Once again, Finn is given opportunity to ditch the mission, and nearly does after explaining to Rey who he really is, a runaway stormtrooper. Just then, they are interrupted as the walls start to rattle. Everyone hurries outside, watching the sky in horror as Starkiller obliterates an entire system of planets with a red beam. Tie Fighters fly into the atmosphere, following up on a report from someone in Maz’s Castle. Stormtroopers raid the planet in search of the heroes.
Just when it seems like there is no hope, a fleet of ships are heard in the distance… A dozen X-Wings fly overhead. Finn witnesses the Resistance firsthand in battle. They’re better than he imagined. Following the fight, Poe lands his X-Wing among the rubble. He sees Finn and runs to him. Poe can’t believe he’s joined the Resistance. “What happened to you?!” Finn shouts. It turns out he was wrong about there being nothing left in the town that had been decimated. When Poe returned to the ruins, he recovered a binary beacon he had left behind, allowing the Resistance to track him down.
No longer burdened with Poe’s death, Finn sees a way forward for himself: a life with the Resistance, using his training as a stormtrooper for a good cause. Poe takes Luke’s old lightsaber from his satchel, telling Finn that General Leia said it is meant for someone he knows. In this moment, they realize that Rey has vanished.
In the forest, Rey blasts down stormtroopers and faces Kylo Ren. He interrogates her about the droid, causing her to provoke him. “They already have the map. You’ve lost!” Aware that the Resistance is winning this battle, Kylo Ren retreats with the rest of his forces and takes Rey along in his ship as prisoner.
When the heroes reconvene with the Resistance, Finn sees everything in a new light now that he has a mission. He can’t let Rey die, like he thought he had caused Poe to die earlier. It’s time for Finn to embrace his new allegiance. As General Leia conducts an urgent meeting regarding the threat of Starkiller, Finn offers up his knowledge of the enemy base.
Whereas the actual film includes Han and Chewie going to Starkiller Base simply to rescue Rey because it’s the right thing to do, this version of events finds characters split in motivations. Just as Finn goes to find his friend, Han is focused on locating his son. In contrast, Leia hopes that Rey can be saved, sensing her to be the rightful heir of Luke’s old lightsaber. She still lacks conviction that Ben might be alive. Before everyone takes off, Leia shares a final moment with Han, revealing the emotions she had hidden away for years. Deep down, she wants to be wrong, hoping that her husband does find their child and bring him home.
Surprising the Audience and Characters
Meanwhile on Starkiller Base, Rey is restrained on a metal slab. She speaks with a stormtrooper guarding the door, trying to pull a Jedi mind trick on him. But, she can’t figure it out. Before we can see her try the trick again, we return to Han, Chewie, and Finn walking through the halls. They eventually find the cell where Rey is supposed to be… But it’s empty. Finn starts to fear the worst.
Although events play out similarly to The Force Awakens, we no longer feel like we’re ahead of the characters. Instead, we can connect with their ongoing experiences and be surprised whenever they’re surprised. The new secret of Kylo Ren’s true identity is meant to achieve this effect.
Han and Chewie observe Kylo Ren from a distance, as he walks onto a bridge on his own, seeking solitude. Finn watches from a higher platform, wishing Han wasn’t doing what he’s about to do. Kylo senses the presence of someone nearby, possibly someone he hasn’t sensed in a long time… Han walks out of the shadows, confronting the man he believes took his son away years ago. The newly integrated foreshadowing of Kylo’s past is about to culminate in a reveal echoing Luke’s revelation in Empire.
“Han Solo, you have joined us in time for our victory,” he says through the muffled voice-modulated mask. “What have you done with him? Where is my son?” Han shouts, pointing his blaster. “You foolish old man…”
For the first time, Kylo Ren takes off his mask and reveals who he is, both to the characters and the audience. “I was Ben Solo. But he was weak and foolish, like his father.” Han is in disbelief, not buying any of this for a second. He assumes his son has somehow been tricked, possibly in a Force trance by the actual Kylo Ren.
He uses his father’s naivety to his advantage. As Han begs for Ben to come back with him, Kylo starts to open up. “I’m being torn apart,” he says, dropping his helmet and handing over his lightsaber. Suddenly, he ignites it, piercing his father with the blade. Han falls back, into the endless void. Witnessing events unfold from a distance, Finn is shocked. From another level of the platform, Chewie growls, pointing his crossbow and blasting Kylo Ren in the stomach. In the Resistance base, Leia senses her husband’s death, putting her hand to her chest.
As the X-Wing mission led by Poe is underway, Kylo Ren limps outside to the snowy forest, a remnant of the planet that had been terraformed. He bleeds, clearly weak from the crossbow blast. Behind Kylo, Finn ignites the green lightsaber that once belonged to Luke Skywalker. He lunges at Kylo, swinging the saber as if it’s a bat. Just like in the beginning, Kylo has no patience for someone who thinks they know the Jedi way. After an intense struggle, he slashes at Finn’s back and knocks him unconscious.
Kylo reaches out, grasping for the lightsaber stuck in the snow. It slowly starts to move. The saber flies in the air toward Kylo, and then behind him — into the hands of Rey! To both the surprise of the characters and the audience, she joins the fight, finally accepting the destiny she had ignored her whole life.
“What have you done?!” she shouts angrily, assuming that Finn is dead. She remains unsure what has happened to Han and Chewie, but imagines the worst. He goes onto provoke her, telling her that he killed Han Solo, citing it as her own fault for not taking up the lightsaber earlier.
In contrast to the wannabe Jedi that Kylo felt superior to on Jedha, he feels differently about Rey. He recognizes her potential. It’s a fair duel, as he struggles to fight through his pain. But still, she is distracted by her anger, caught up in what has happened to her friends. She is worn down by Kylo, too skilled for her even in his current state.
“You need a teacher! I can show you the ways of the Force…” Once again, she’s reminded that she can hone in on the Force at anytime. She remembers where she came from and the spiritual culture of Jedha. This lonely place she lived, full of heartache, has become her greatest strength. The Force flows through her. Instead of a clear victor, both of them feel a sense of defeat as the duel comes to an end.
Unlike the film, the ground doesn’t open up beneath them and put a pause on their fight. Kylo collapses, holding his stomach. Rey looks back as the Falcon hovers overhead, flown by Chewie. She hurries to carry Finn while Kylo succumbs to his wounds from earlier. Rey leaves Kylo to presumably die on the planet.
Returning to the Resistance base, Chewie embraces Leia, mourning their shared loss. Rey watches as Finn is taken by nurses, assisted by a medical droid. Now that the mission to destroy Starkiller has concluded, the engineers have been able to unlock the hologram map that had been lost within R2’s memory. Combining it with the new projection obtained earlier by Poe, they now have a complete guide to the first Jedi Temple where Luke is believed to have gone.
Rey takes the lightsaber, joined by Chewie and R2 on a mission. As they fly off in the Falcon, Leia looks into the distance, sensing something in the Force about Rey’s origins. She realizes that the situation might not be as ideal as she thought. Meanwhile, Rey now operates out of her newfound identity, finding belonging in the Resistance. Instead of searching for her lost family, she pursues a different mission with a promising lead: Luke Skywalker.
Continued in “The Prime Jedi” and concludes in “The Heirs of Skywalker!”
The Reimagined Sequel Trilogy
Throughout this reimagined trilogy, there is a shared theme which is meant to create a more coherent narrative. One string runs through all three stories, relating to the ancient Force. In “Ways of the Force,” we begin on Jedha, known to be a sacred mystical spot, pivotal in the history of the Jedi.
In “The Prime Jedi,” it’s revealed that Ben Solo, along with Rey’s parents, pursued truths about the Force that their teacher Luke had kept hidden. They encountered Snoke, claiming to be the Prime Jedi who founded the Jedi Order, and became his students. It’s revealed that the First Order is actually meant to embody the First Jedi Order. However, Kylo Ren soon discovers that just like Luke, his new master has been a fraud all along. He kills Snoke, avenging Rey’s parents in a sudden turn of events, and vows to continue his pursuit in the authentic Force.
Everything culminates in “The Heirs of Skywalker,” as Rey discovers the original Force users went by a different name, calling themselves the council of Ren. They are the warriors who Kylo and the Knights of Ren have modeled themselves after. Finally, the Knights locate the legendary gateway to the World Between Worlds which had been lost with time. As Kylo seeks to rid the galaxy of any record about the Force, hoping to keep it to himself, the Resistance spreads stories about Luke and the Clone Wars.
It seems fitting that if we are to close out this epic saga, the films should look backwards before they look forwards. The actual Sequel Trilogy does a poor job building upon each installment, consistently ignoring setup. A good sequel should always “yes, and” the previous film.
In this version of events, we find Rey as a lonely orphan on Jedha, trying to get answers as to what happened to her family. She goes onto become a member of a new family by embracing the thing that was always around her, but always ignored: the Force. Soon, Rey is challenged by a heavy conflict of interest, when she learns her parents were Luke’s students who betrayed him, and died at his hand. This twist reframes her perception of events, and our perspective of the trilogy. Her choice to forgive Luke puts her on a renewed path of selflessness and heroism. She ends her journey by becoming a teacher, motivated to pass on the same gift of belonging that she found in the Resistance. Rey takes on the mantle left by Luke as she restarts the Jedi Order.
Finn goes from being a stormtrooper pawn to a Resistance leader. His journey is intertwined with Poe, who goes from being a well-revered X-Wing pilot, to learning how to take orders from his friend. Along the way, Poe teaches Finn how to fly a ship, expanding on how they first met flying a Tie Fighter. Together, they take down the First Order by turning their army against them.
Kylo Ren embarks on a journey of radical self-discovery, ultimately to his own detriment. As he tears down the old organized religions of Jedi and Sith in his pursuit for authentic truth, he endures a sort of spiritual deconstruction. He rebels from his teachers of Luke and Snoke, choosing to only trust himself. Eventually, Kylo Ren realizes that he is on a trajectory of becoming a calloused tyrant like Darth Vader, ensuring his downfall. He comes to the end of himself, caught in his lies as General Hux learns that it was Kylo who murdered Snoke, not Rey. No longer desiring to rid the galaxy of the Force, he realizes he needs to protect the gateway to the World Between Worlds from the First Order at all costs. With his Knights of Ren, he joins the ancient form of Jedi Knights, becoming guardians of the legendary Force dimension.
As we reunite with old heroes like Leia, Luke, Han, and Chewie, they don’t feel disrespected by the narrative. Han doesn’t revert back to smuggling, and Leia isn’t repulsed by him again. Unlike the films, the legacy characters’ strengths become their weaknesses. The things we like about them cause new problems. Leia’s leadership as a general creates distance between her and Han. Meanwhile, Han’s only interest is in getting back his son. The loyalty to family that he learned by Return of the Jedi seals his fate. Likewise, Luke looks to his ideals of the Jedi Order and rewrites teachings based on his perceived experience. After inheriting the old texts, he sought to revise doctrine, telling stories about how anyone could be redeemed. Luke’s naive hope causes his failure, as Rey’s parents and Ben turn against him.
Rather than just a nostalgia vehicle with the veneer of Star Wars, this reimagined take is meant to propel characters forward, while expanding on George Lucas’ mythology. We needed to see more than familiar ship designs, or Vader’s seared helmet, or the Lars’ homestead on Tatooine. There were several missed opportunities throughout all three films, but I hope to have presented a more fully realized narrative with characters to match. Hopefully, when a galaxy far, far away returns to theaters someday, it won’t rhyme with the faults of the Sequel Trilogy.
