Movies

‘Star Wars’: What Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley Actually Think About Reylo

This is what Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley actually think about Reylo in the 'Star Wars' franchise.

by Eryn Murphy

Published on December 31, 2019

3 min read

Rey and Ben Solo were bonded through the force

A frequent complaint about Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is that the movie tried to please every type of Star Wars fan. At the end of the movie, a newly-redeemed Ben Solo and Rey share a kiss right before Ben dies, effectively making Reylo canon and pleasing a faction of fans.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker gave some insight to Ben and Rey’s relationship. They are a Force Dyad, an abstract power that essentially makes them Force soulmates. They are two parts of a very powerful whole, but the movie barely explains what that means, or how it affects them when one dies.

“I really feel like this was changed at the last minute because Rey’s emotions afterward make absolutely no sense. Imagine half of your soul dying and being completely okay with it,” a Reddit user wrote.

Some fans like the inclusion of Reylo, while others do not

While a portion of fans were rooting for Kylo Ren and Rey to have a romantic connection, critics of the pairing point out that the relationship was filled with abuse and manipulation.

“Families and young children will go to watch the film, and young people, boys and girls alike, will consume the messages Disney is sending: that abuse makes romance sexy and fulfilling, that an abuser can be cured with love, and that young girls should strive to ‘fix’ an abusive man, as if it is her only role as a heroine to do so,” wrote a fan for Star Wars Shadow Council.

However, fans of Reylo choose to not view the relationship as abusive.

“Regarding ‘her abuser’–they were two people fighting a war but from opposite sides. Warfare isn’t pretty. People abuse each other. Everyone is willing to kill to win. She fought back every time so I don’t see him as her abuser but her adversary,” a Reddit user wrote.

What Adam Driver thinks of Reylo

In an interview with EW, Driver said that the relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren is complex. To Driver, the relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren is very nuanced and complicated.

“I don’t think it’s all one thing,” Driver said. “Part of the fun of playing it is the boundaries of it keep changing. At times it’s more intimate, sometimes less intimate. Sometimes it’s codependent. And then it’s, obviously, adversarial.”

In another interview, Driver said he did not think his character is someone who could be considered a good boyfriend when it comes to a romantic relationship.

“I mean, of course, I’m sympathetic to [Kylo] and I understand… But I can see on the outside, if I analyzed it, which I don’t, that someone who’s killed his class doesn’t really seem to be good boyfriend material,” he said.

What Daisy Ridley thinks of Reylo

In April 2019, Ridley was asked about her feelings for Reylo at Star Wars Celebration.

“I do know about Reylo. I don’t know how I feel about it because everyone’s talking about the toxic thing of a relationship when it’s essentially emotional [abuse]. It’s a tricky road,” she said.

Ridley continued, “I do feel like, deep down, Kylo thinks what he’s doing is right and he doesn’t think he’s wrong, but he has also killed so many people. So I can’t really get behind in that, in a personal way. Maybe there’s redemption. Who knows? Maybe we explore that in the film.”