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The Biggest Mistake of the Star Wars Sequels Was the Most Easily Avoidable

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He Star Wars The sequels brought many beautiful aspects to the beloved franchise. From honoring historical figures like Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Luke, to creating incredible new characters like Rey and Finn. Star Wars Fans have a lot to thank the sequels for, but there were a couple of major mistakes. One of the biggest mistakes involved the series’ best character. Star Wars sequels, Kylo Ren. Kylo was destined to be not only the perfect villain for the sequels, but one of the best villains in the entire franchise. The Rise of Skywalker cutting that trip short at the knees was a mistake that was very easy to avoid.




Kylo Ren, also known as Ben Solo, was the son of Leia and Han who was powerful in the Force. Luke saw this power and took him to his temple to train him in the ways of the Jedi, as Obi-Wan and Yoda did for him. As Luke says in The Last Jedi, He saw the Skywalker legacy in Ben and believed he could be powerful. He ignored the signs of the growing darkness in his nephew until it was too late. Snoke took over Ben and created Kylo. Kylo Ren had all the makings of a villain to rival Darth Vader, but his redemption arc was a mistake that damaged the longevity of his legacy.


Kylo Ren was created to rule the galaxy


Kylo Ren meets Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

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Star Wars Sequel movies

IMDb Rating

The Force Awakens

7.8

The Last Jedi

6.9

The Rise of Skywalker

6.4

In The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren perfectly fulfilled the role of the Sith apprentice. Very similar to Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace, Kylo was sent on missions for his Master, not only to prove his strength but also his dedication to the dark side. Darth Vader acted as Palaptine’s enforcer to the Empire at large, and Kylo acted as Supreme Leader Snoke’s right-hand man, helping to keep the First Order and its commanders in line. While Vader wielded power absolutely, especially after Tarkin’s death, Kylo had to fight for power and respect. This was the perfect role for him in The Force Awakens as it established his character and gave him plenty of room to grow in authority and fear.


The Last Jedi perfectly capitalized on the growth of The Force Awakens By pushing Kylo into a more dominant role within the First Order, Kylo is given more to do within the First Order and it all culminates in the Throne Room aboard Snoke’s command ship. As Snoke prepares to kill Rey, Kylo turns the tables and shocks the audience by killing Snoke. Kylo was tired of being pushed around and fully embraced the ways of the Sith and killed his Master to take control. Kylo wanted to rule the galaxy with Rey at his side, but that immediately changed when The Rise of Skywalker It started. Kylo’s ambitions changed completely and with that, his character lost something special.

Palpatine’s return forced Kylo’s redemption


2:35

Palpatine smiles menacingly next to Luke Skywalker

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Kylo wanted to rule the galaxy with Rey at his side, but that changed immediately when
The Rise of Skywalker

began.

With Palpatine returning as the main villain of the sequels, there was no more room left for Kylo and his evil ambitions. Kylo was unable to compete with Palpatine and was forced back into a subservient role after having fought so hard to break away from that role with Snoke. Kylo was left with no other path than to die rebelling against Palpatine or follow the path of redemption and return to Ben Solo. Palpatine is the greatest evil to ever plague the galaxy and every other villain from the sequels was buried under his presence. Hux became a punchline, rather than an actual character, and the Final Order felt like he was simply present just to have a visual aid on screen. Palpatine is impossible to stand up to and made Kylo’s character suffer.


Kylo could no longer become the ruler of the galaxy because Palpatine had been controlling him the entire time. There’s something to be said about making Palpatine the villain of all three trilogies. His presence is undeniable and seeing him control the galaxy for nearly 100 years is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Kylo became absorbed into Rey’s story and her fight against the First Order rather than remaining a strong individual character, he became a linchpin for the Resistance and a plot device for Rey. This type of storytelling feels a little dated, especially when both Kylo and Rey were so strong as a Force dyad and individual characters.

Kylo Ren needed to be a villain, not a hero


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  • Early concept art dubbed Kylo Ren “The Grave Robber,” implying that he had robbed Darth Vader’s tomb in order to obtain his helmet.
  • Darth Vader’s identity was hidden from Ben Solo, he only found out thanks to a political smear campaign against Leia.
  • Killing Snoke was the perfect opportunity for Kylo to step up, but Palpatine’s emergence pushed him back down.


Ben Solo is an okay character, but Kylo Ren is amazing. Ben Solo is a much more compelling character as a villain than he is as a hero. Darth Vader’s redemption worked because he saw his son being tortured and the love his son had for him brought out the best part of him. It seemed like a natural conclusion for both Vader and Palpatine. Kylo had an incredible screen presence. He was powerful and deadly, and his crossguard saber became a symbol of his fearsome strength. Ben Solo had some charisma, but he lacked the presence that Kylo Ren had. If Kylo Ren had been allowed to become the true Supreme Leader, then he could have been truly dominant and a terrifying character on screen. His redemption arc felt unsatisfying, especially when he didn’t appear alongside Luke and Leia at the end of the film.

Kylo Ren is considered to be the best part of the sequel trilogy. Adam Driver created an incredible villain and the first two films allowed him to develop his true potential with the character. The Rise of Skywalker They put Kylo Ren in a box and his character suffered for it. Kylo deserved to be the main villain of the sequels and his redemption arc only weakened his character, not strengthened him.


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