Introduction
Star Wars is always a hot topic especially when a new movie comes out. People always have conflicting and very passionate opinions about every little thing. Recently, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi came out sparking lots more controversy over so many subjects; the main one being if it was actually good or if it was trash. However, that is not what this essay is about. Instead, I am going to delve into one of the other hot topics of controversy: Reylo (also known as Rey and Kylo Ren).
Despite the new information that has been given in The Last Jedi, there is still some controversy over the future of these two characters. Through this contemplative essay, I intend to get to the bottom of this dispute; what is the future relationship going to be between Rey and Kylo Ren? Specifically, are they related or are they future romantic partners? Personally, I believe all the evidence leans towards romance and allow me to explain why. There are so many more reasons and much more evidence for why this is the case than simply “I want this to be so.” I have taken a close look at The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi for proof to back up my theory.
Yin/Yang
“yinyang- a process of harmonization ensuring a constant, dynamic balance of all things.”
Yin/Yang is a Chinese philosophy that describes how seemingly opposite forces might actually be complementary or interconnected, even dependent on each other (such as dark/light, water/fire, etc.).
From their very first meeting in The Force Awakens, it has been apparent that Rey and Kylo Ren have a connection akin to the Yin/Yang philosophy. They are both equals in the Force (Luke comments on Rey’s abilities, referring to Kylo: “I’ve seen this raw strength only once before”, and later while Rey and Kylo are fighting over Anakin/Luke’s lightsaber, it breaks while they are both exerting their Force strength upon it because neither can pull it from the other). Despite this fact, they are on different sides. Snoke even blatantly says to Kylo that as he grows stronger with the Dark Side, his equal would rise in the Light.
Allow me to further explain the evidence leaning towards their future as romantic partners rather than family: as I said above, there is an obvious connection between them even in The Force Awakens. At that point it is nothing romantic, but it is a clear link. Kylo is unable to Force-read her mind and she is able to look into his. It is a very tense scene with a lot of vibes going around. It is the moment when they realize they are both strong with the Force. From that moment on, they are connected. This is why I question Snoke claiming to have created the bond between them in The Last Jedi. Did he really create it? Or did he just manipulate it? I believe that there was always a connection from the moment they met; Snoke merely discovered it and attempted to use it to his advantage. Even if Snoke did create it as he claimed, their bond was so strong that they remained connected even after Snoke’s death (they still had a “Force-Skype” moment as fans are calling it right at the end after Snoke was gone).
Bringing Balance
Something the Jedi failed to understand was that in order to fully understand the Force and completely utilize it, one must sort of embrace both sides of it. I am not claiming that the Dark Side is good or anything, but think about it. In Return of the Jedi, Luke only managed to get the upper hand in his battle with Vader by letting out his anger, which is a trait of the Dark Side. Now, of course, he calmed himself down and claimed he would never turn to the Dark Side. However, there is still something that can be had from the Dark. The Jedi completely missed it during their height and glory. Having some emotion might actually be alright because it fuels people and pushes them. This is just me talking, but I think that although the Dark Side is overall a bad thing, in order to have true balance, the Dark and the Light must be brought together. By completely ignoring the Dark Side to the point of barely talking about it and living in fear of it leads to unbalance.
Throughout all of Star Wars, everyone is talking about “bringing balance to the Force.” What does that mean? In order to have balance, there must be “an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady” (Oxford Dictionary). In the Prequels, there was an intense focus on the Light Side of the Force, thus it was unbalanced. In the Original Trilogy, the Sith ruled, so there was an intense focus on the Dark Side, thus it was unbalanced. As Luke said in The Last Jedi, there was peace for some years until Ben Solo disrupted it.
As I said before, one of the most common problems brought up throughout Star Wars is trying to find that balance. I believe this is what is attempting to get resolved through Rey and Kylo Ren’s story. In this scenario, Rey represents the Light Side of the Force and Kylo represents the Dark. They must be brought together in order to bring balance.
Romantic Drama
It could be argued again that these two characters are merely brought together as simple allies or even siblings. However, there is more evidence that they will be more than that. From a storyteller/movie-maker standpoint, their story is a love/hate relationship from the get go. A love/hate relationship is one of the most commonly used tropes in most romantic movies/novels; the two love interests start out disliking, even hating each other, but over time as they are constantly forced together, they begin to see each other in a different light and slowly fall in love. Some famous examples of this are Pride and Prejudice, Beauty and the Beast, A Walk to Remember, Anne of Green Gables, 10 Things I Hate About You, Much Ado About Nothing, and Shrek. The structure of a love/hate story is as follows: there’s always the first meeting which goes horribly wrong and ends with them disliking one another, the first half where they banter and yell at each other, the second half where they start to warm up to each other, some sort of separation where it seems like they won’t get together after all, and then a reunion if it’s not a tragedy.
So far with Rey and Kylo’s story we’ve had the first meeting that went badly and ended with a poor first impression (the interrogation scene); then their next couple meetings involved conflict between the two (in one scene they actually engaged in a lightsaber duel; another Rey attempted to shoot him and called him a “monster” and “murderous snake”); after that, they began to warm up to each other and trust the other, realizing they might not be so bad (the hand-touching scene, Kylo killing Snoke); currently they are at the separation where it seems like they might not get together after all (where Rey turned down Kylo’s offer to join him and they went their separate ways). Thus the question remains, will there be a reunion?
People could still argue that they are connected through the Force and have this special bond because of their family relations, similar to Luke/Vader or Luke/Leia. I picked up on some things, at least on Rey’s side, that she is definitely attracted to Kylo. For one thing, she gets uncomfortable when she sees him shirtless. Why? If she were unaffected by him, she could simply ignore it. Obviously she finds him attractive and does not like the fact that she thinks this since at that point in the movie, she still dislikes him as a person. Therefore, she averts her eyes and asks him to cover up so that she is not distracted by her physical attraction. The only other reason she would be uncomfortable would be if he were hideously ugly, which he is not.
Another example is when she goes to see him in an attempt to “turn” him, she changes her clothes. When going to see a guy they like, girls always change their clothes and look their best. It’s just a fact. Now, this could have merely been a random wardrobe choice from the director, wardrobe department, or whoever to change up her style or something, but I think it was intentional to get in her mindset. Rian Johnson (the director) intentionally changed Luke’s appearance for Kylo Ren at the end not just because it looked cooler or anything, but for a purpose. “[Luke] is basically tailoring this projection to have maximum effect on Kylo. He knows that Kylo’s Achilles heel is his rage, and so that’s why he kind of makes himself look younger, the way Kylo would’ve last seen him in their confrontation at the temple,” Rian Johnson explains. Therefore, I do not think Rey’s outfit change is a fluke. She definitely changed for a purpose.
Kylo Ren was a little harder to spot any serious signs of attraction because he was pretty stoic through most of the movie. However, knowing his over-emotional behavior, the way he attempts to distance himself from his family/past and the way he is constantly attempting to prove himself, I would say it is still pretty apparent. He allows Rey to constantly call him “Ben” which I think would normally upset him or at least affect him negatively somehow. Also, throughout the film, there are fleeting glimpses where he looks at her with wonder. I did say before that he is mostly stoic through most of the movie, but in his scenes with Rey, he definitely softens and looks at her with what can only be defined as tenderness.
He is a very emotional person and while he is obviously trying to remain controlled and resigned to his position, his true feelings do break through whenever he is around Rey. His pure joy when he looks at her after he kills Snoke and she grabs the lightsaber is so apparent on his face. I believe it is the first time the audience has ever seen any semblance of happiness in his manner before (it’s why “Emo Kylo Ren” is a thing). He also is very resigned and emotionless through most of the movie until after Rey rejects him and he reverts back to his old dramatic and over-emotional self. Clearly her rejection affected him.
Related?
While defending the argument that they are related, the argument has been made that sexual tension has been created between them in order to be reminiscent of Luke and Leia in the Original Trilogy. I have one good reason why that is not so: it is an awful idea. If the writers know anything about Star Wars’s past and its fans, it is that most people view the Luke/Leia dynamic as super awkward. People remember watching them flirt/kiss and all the while hoping for them to get together without having any idea that they were twins; then they felt super awkward after it was revealed and wondered how they could have ever wanted them together in the first place. So I ask, why would the writers want to repeat that feeling of discomfort and embarrassment in the audience?
Rey’s background and parentage is still a little bit of a mystery. The Last Jedi was pretty upfront about it saying that she “came from nothing” and that her parents were “filthy junk traders” who “sold [her] off for drinking money.” However, people have been doubting if that is actually all true or not. I think Rey’s background is still up in the air, but I do not think that Kylo lied to her. Looking back at The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren never lies in order to get what he wants. He is not manipulative like Snoke. He might be misinterpreted and he might be a little bit vague, but he never flat-out lies. He is power-hungry, melodramatic, and emotional, but he is not inherently evil. Therefore, the point I am trying to make is that he at least believes what he tells Rey about her parents. There is a chance, though, that he could be misinterpreting what he saw or that there was more to the vision, so I think that her background is still open for interpretation.
Symbolism
Going off of what I was saying earlier about the Light and the Dark Side of the Force coming together and Rey and Kylo being that representation, there is more proof of that than my mere speculation. There are innuendos all through The Last Jedi not just through the story and dialogue, but in physical imagery, subtle references, and background. I apologize if this makes anyone uncomfortable, but a lot of them are literal sex innuendos. The media has turned sex into a sort of pornographic, fun, nonchalant sort of activity where in actuality it is a form of bringing two people together physically and spiritually. Now, I am not saying that Rey and Kylo Ren are going to literally have sex (let’s face it, it’s Disney now), but there are plenty of references throughout The Last Jedi and even The Force Awakens that imply that they will be “brought together.”
I will bring up only one example to demonstrate my point of physical imagery; the island Luke has isolated himself to. It has a tree with the ancient texts of the Jedi, which represents the Light. Rey falls into a cave which represents the Dark. An open cave and an erect tree, I will leave it there. However, I keep saying that in order for balance to exist, the Dark and the Light must be brought together.
There is one scene in particular that Reylo shippers (those who believe that Rey and Kylo belong together romantically) love to watch and dissect; the hand-touching scene. They claim that it is a stand-in for a sex scene. In actuality, they are not too far off. Shippers often get very emotional and cling to little things like that and instantly label it as “sex” because they wish that it was. However, in this case, they are pretty close to the mark. The scene is a very tender, emotional, and ground-breaking scene; very important to both the characters. It is the moment (going back to the idea of a love/hate relationship) that they truly see each other in a new light. The turnaround first began when Kylo told Rey about why he turned on Luke and now their perspectives are truly altering. I don’t know if I would label it quite as a “stand-in for sex”, but maybe a stand-in for a first kiss. It is a soft, tender moment that is ground-breaking for them not just as individuals, but as a couple.
Romantic Tropes
There have been complaints that Disney is forcing their romantic tropes into Star Wars with the whole Reylo story. I do agree with this partially. Disney is definitely known for their romantic storytelling with fairytales, romances, and family-centered genres. However, Star Wars is not that much different from this; even before it was bought out by Disney it had similar themes. The overarching trope that dominates the Star Wars story is the monomyth or the Hero’s Journey. In a nutshell, it is a narrating technique that dates back to basically the beginning of time. It involves a hero going on some sort of adventure, winning a victory in some sort of crisis, and then coming home transformed. Most great tales− ancient myths, fairytales, and even modern stories− follow this pattern.
Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) described Star Wars as a fairytale or a ”romantic fantasy” as he put it. Star Wars has always been a retelling of tropes, mythology, and other stories. Now, they are tackling the star-crossed lovers idea. two very different people who meet, fall in love, but are thwarted by outside forces. This is not a new concept. The most famous one being Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but there are many others. Some examples include Lancelot and Guinevere from the King Arthur stories, Rose DeWitt Bukater and Jack Dawson from Titanic, and Rose Tyler and the Doctor from Doctor Who. It was even already done in the prequels with Anakin and Padmé. My reason for explaining all this is that I do not think Disney is forcing any sort of romantic tropes into this story. Sure, the company is known for its romance, but that’s because both Disney and Star Wars are known for retelling mythology and old stories. Now, Star Wars is focusing on a more romantic side that Disney is simply famous for.
Prediction
Now for my prediction of what will come in Episode IX. I believe that Reylo will definitely play a major part in the story. I do not want to make too specific and too detailed of predictions because in all honesty, with the directors changing again, it could go in a completely different direction than The Last Jedi was setting it up as. I do think that J.J. Abrams will do his best to follow in Rian Johnson’s wake and keep things consistent. What I think will happen in Episode IX is that there will be a little bit of a time jump; Kylo Ren’s status will be somewhere between Darth Vader and the Emperor as far as fear/control over the galaxy (he is still the new Supreme Leader). Rey, meanwhile, is his counterbalance as the new Jedi leader/master. She might be teaching others about the Force (that could be the reason for showing that little boy at the end of The Last Jedi. Also, she has the ancient Jedi texts in the Millennium Falcon) or she could still be working on mastering her own abilities and growing stronger. Their differing opinions forces them further and further apart and yet their belief that they can “turn” the other keeps them coming back.
Eventually, some great conflict brings them together and they are forced to face each other. They will probably face off in a lightsaber battle like before, but since they are equals in the Force and in strength, it is a draw and leading nowhere. From this point, I really cannot say how it will end. Since it is Disney and they are all about happy endings, dark turning to good, etc. most likely Kylo Ren will revert back to Ben Solo and they will be rekindled and live happily ever after, hooray! However, since this new trilogy is following the star-crossed lovers pattern, it is entirely possible for it to end on a more tragic note. I do believe that Rey and Kylo will be brought together in order to bring balance to the Force like everything is implying, but there could be a death or something shortly after that happens (perhaps similar to how Darth Vader sacrificed himself to save Luke and reverted back to Anakin Skywalker). I could easily see Rey and Kylo coming together somehow, then seeing that the First Order was about to destroy the Resistance/Rebels for good and the only way to save them was for Kylo (now Ben Solo once again) to sacrifice himself. However, that is an out-of-the-ballpark speculation. I have no real proof of any of that and I am not really leaning towards the idea because of the next reason I have below.
As for movies beyond this (which, with Disney, I could easily see a whole other trilogy happening). There could be more descendants, Jedi, etc. Star Wars will last forever, I am convinced of this. From the very beginning, Star Wars’s core has been about the Skywalkers and their family drama. At the moment, the last Skywalker alive is Kylo Ren/Ben Solo (since Carrie Fisher is no longer around to play Leia and reports say that she will have no role in Episode IX). If Disney understands this concept of Star Wars’s heart and core story, they have to continue the legacy of the Skywalkers. How does that happen? Through children of course; and since Ben Solo is the last Skywalker, he is the one burdened with carrying on the name.
Conclusion
To wrap up, I do not know for sure what the future of Rey and Kylo Ren’s story will be, but I am pretty confident that they are not related and they are, instead, future romantic partners. There is no denying they are equals in the Force and have a bond through it. Their Yin/Yang connection is infallible. If they end up being related, I will be completely floored because the stack evidence leading up to them becoming lovers is so high. The only reason I could comprehend all this evidence of them being teased as romantic partners is if the writers were trying to set up a Luke/Leia scenario, but as I said, I think that would be a tremendously bad idea. Rey and Kylo Ren have a connection and are clearly affected by one another. Call it attraction or call it something else, there is no denying their bond. I, personally, call it attraction and wait in eager anticipation for Episode IX to see how their story will wrap up.
