Kylo Ren was one of the newly introduced masked villains in the Star Wars franchise. He was mighty, but on the Darker side, he displayed a reckless character. Ren’s out-of-control actions caused him to have violent emotional outbursts. His Supreme Leader Snoke chose him to replace the ways of Darth Vader and, this time, introducing a new face mask. It’s only later that we realize the mask was a complementing helmet to conceal his identity. Though he had destroyed the helmet as portrayed in The Last Jedi Trailer, he seems to have worn it again in The Rise of Skywalker. In addition, the Kylo Ren villain role in the Star Wars trilogy was cast by Adam Driver. However, he received some critical compliments for his performance. So, many fans still doubted his inclusion as a new masked villain in the Star Wars saga. Even more, The Force Awakens sequel received criticism for being like the first Star Wars film. The main reason was the resemblances between Kylo Ren and Darth Vader that showed them having similar masks. Well, let’s explore further reasons behind Kylo Ren’s new, notable mask.
The Mask Concealed His Identity
If you are an original Star Wars fan, you probably know the main reason Darth Vader wears a mask is to help him breathe. However, Kylo Ren’s mask appears to be a fashionable accessory rather than a requirement. But a significant reason for Ren’s mask in The Force Awakens film is to conceal his real identity and insecurities. According to The Force Awakens storyline, Kylo Ren was born as Ben Solo, meaning his parent’s names were General Leia Organa and Han Solo. So, the disclosure of his birth parents in The Force Awakens film was a key aim in the plot.
The Mask Acted as His Grandfather Darth Vader Respect
The director and Star Wars team designed Ren’s mask, including his costume, as a sign of respect for Darth Vader. There was a great connection between the two Dark Side fighters now that Ren’s mask resembled his grandfather’s helmet. Ren also believed that remodeling his mask similar to his grandfather would ensure his spirit strengthened him. However, according to the film’s setting, we see he wore it to honor his late grandfather’s legacy. It also served as one of Ren’s sacred properties.
Ren Began Using the Mask after Joining Knights of Ren
Apart from honoring his grandfather and keeping his identity secretive, Ren also initially wore the mask to signify his association with the Knights of Ren. The Knights of Ren was an alliance of masked warriors fighting under the villain Supreme Leader Snoke.
Supreme Leader Snoke Disapproved of The Mask
Ren’s commander and Supreme Leader Snoke made fun of his mask since he knew his intentions for wearing it. He mocked him by saying the mask concealed his identity as Ben Solo and portrayed his acts of cowardice. Alternatively, Snoke also considered it as a weak effort to mimic Darth Vader instead of expressing a deep homage for him. Snoke also taunted Ren as “A child in a mask” in The Last Jedi. Snoke’s widespread ridicule provoked Ren into anger and hatred linked with the power from his Dark Side.
He Smashed and Rebuilt His Mask
In The Last Jedi, Ren’s disagreement with Snoke, including his ridiculous remarks, caused him intense anger that made him even destroy his mask. One of Snoke’s remarks implied Ren would disappoint his grandfather since he was also considerate like his parents. The unkind nature of Snoke mockery confirms the reason Ren destroyed his mask. However, he later rebuilt it, as seen in The Rise of Skywalker movie.
The Verdict to Break the Mask Was Contentious
It appears there was more controversial information behind the cameras, especially in the Last Jedi, about the verdict to destroy the mask. According to director Rian Johnson, the mask symbolized crucial features in the series. So, Rian experienced tough decisions about whether to remove it from the scene. Additionally, the mask’s designer for the earlier film was not happy following its destruction. Besides, more controversies emerged during the final trilogy when J.J. Abrams restored the mask. One debate was whether Abrams was deliberately reversing Johnson’s decision from the earlier movie. However, Abrams supported the verdict by clarifying that the rebuilt mask had a powerful symbol of Kylo’s development. So, it wasn’t restored to make him appear more intimidating only.
The Mask Was Rebuilt and Strengthened with Sarrassian Iron
In The Rise of Skywalker, we see Ren’s mask marked across with reds streaks. The red stripes comprise Sarrassian iron, whose purpose is to restore and strengthen the mask after Ren destroyed it. This new material ensured the broken mask was much more robust than ever. Abrams associated the mask with traditional Japanese ceramic, where mending broken pottery represents new and better-quality artwork. In addition, Abrams believed the process was part of an appropriate metaphor for Ren’s journey.
Kylo Ren Resumes His Role as Ben Solo After Abandoning the Mask
According to comicbook, Kylo Ken reclaimed his personality as Ben Solo after using the mask. Additionally, at the final of The Rise of Skywalker film, Ren’s role in the dark aspects also ended. It means the mask that concealed him as Ren was no longer needed at now until something else comes up in the future.
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