‘The Rise of Skywalker’: 1 Subtle and Heartwarming Ben Solo Moment Fans Can’t Unsee
The sequel trilogy of Star Wars is still fresh in some people’s minds. Similar to the prequels, the sequels have divided the fanbase. Complaints spiked when Star Wars: The Last Jedi got released. The criticism continued with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Despite the hate, the franchise continues to be successful. There are fans who found aspects about the films to love. One of them is a short and subtle moment with former villain Ben Solo.
From the Villainous Kylo Ren to Ben Solo
Ben is the son of Han and Leia, and Luke helped train him to be a Jedi. After seeing his uncle almost strike him down, Ben gave in to the dark side of the force. He soon destroyed the Jedi temple. He left to join the First Order and be an apprentice under Supreme Leader Snoke.
The character became a commander and a master of the Knights of Ren. Ben changed his name to Kylo Ren and crafted the iconic red lightsaber with a crossguard. Kylo is a major antagonist for most of the trilogy. He idolizes his grandfather, Darth Vader, and desires to finish what the Sith started.
However, Kylo is not a Sith Lord. Fans determined that the force wielder never claimed to be one. Kylo is someone who is trapped by a complicated family legacy. Perhaps, that is why Kylo can become Ben Solo again.
Newly trained Jedi Rey helps Ben find his way back to the light side of the force. He stands by her side for a bit to fight Emperor Palpatine. Instead of a red lightsaber, he wields a blue one.
Ben Solo had little screen time before his death
Plenty of fans were happy to see Ben’s redemption come to fruition. Unfortunately, they did not get to enjoy it for long. At the end of The Rise of Skywalker, Ben resurrects Rey at the cost of his own life. His body fades away, and his soul presumably joins the other Jedi in the afterlife.
Opinions about the redeemed character’s death vary. Some fans felt it was the best route for Ben. They pointed out that he committed numerous crimes while living as Kylo Ren. It would be the hard task to make Ben facing justice for his alter ego’s actions.
Other fans would have liked to see Ben live regardless and save the day with Rey. They acknowledged that proper reconciliation would take more screen time, which Ben only had a few scenes. The lack of moments featuring him left fans wanting more of the character.
Fans cannot unsee the reference in a Ben Solo moment
The sequel trilogy of Star Wars contains several Easter eggs that reference the previous films. In The Last Jedi, there is a reference to Han’s death in The Force Awakens. Viewers may have difficulty seeing it the first time, but someone pointed out that a bomb in the opening has the smuggler’s name on it.
There is another instance where the trilogy references Han Solo. However, it is much more subtle, but fans picked up on it. In The Rise of Skywalker, Ben Solo gives a small shrug before attacking the Knights of Ren. On a Reddit thread, one user made a post comparing Ben Solo’s pose to Han Solo’s posture in Return of the Jedi.
The reference is not too surprising for people since Ben is Han’s son. Fans also saw similarities between Ben’s and Leia’s attitudes at that moment. Some felt that it was a heartwarming touch to the character.
“I like this comparison, it’s fun seeing all the Han and Leia in Ben,” one user commented.
