‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’: J.J. Abrams Discusses Why Kylo Ren Idolizes Darth Vader

Nothing will stand in our way… I will finish what you started. For almost a year, those chilling words from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer left fans in awe, wondering who Kylo Ren was, what his motivations were, and above all, what ties he had to Darth Vader.

In a recent interview with IGN, Star Wars Director J.J.Abrams finally revealed why Kylo Ren Idolizes Darth Vader, and why he feels he will succeed where Vader failed.

For those who know your Star Wars lore, Darth Vader was Anakin Skywalker. He married Padmé Amidala, and they had two children. The Skywalker line was born. Those children being Luke and Leia were raised in hiding and kept secret from Darth Vader. As the original trilogy progressed, the knowledge and love for his children eventually caused him to turn back to the light and betray his Master the Emperor. Now according to J.J. Abrams, this turn is a key to why Kylo Ren believes he will succeed.

“Kylo Ren idolizes Darth Vader, not Anakin Skywalker. He idolizes what Vader represents and what Vader was trying to do. And the idea that Vader didn’t succeed, if you look at it from Ren’s point of view, he was seduced by the enemy and failed because of that seduction. So the idea is that Ren wants to complete the thing that Vader started.”

Following the reveal that Kylo Ren is the child of Han Solo and Leia Organa, and that his real name is Ben Solo, fans quickly learned that the only aspect of his family that he didn’t reject was the realization that Darth Vader was his Grandfather.

J.J. Abrams also touches on how the immense power of Ben Solo was manipulated and turned to the Dark side by Supreme Leader Snoke.

“An incredible power, an incredible force, and incredible potential that was, like many young people, sort of misguided and unclear. And the story for him is one of conflict, not just internal conflict but external conflict. And it’s what makes him a rather interesting villain.”

Following the heart-wrenching scene where Kylo Ren murders his father Han Solo, fans can clearly see that he now sees himself as superior to Darth Vader, and will stop at nothing to succeed where he failed, not even his newfound enemy Rey.

STAR WARS: The Force Awaken is currently in theaters and breaking box-office records worldwide.

Source: IGN