Unveiling Kylo Ren's Abandoned Path: Adam Driver Sheds Light on Original Star Wars Plans
Adam Driver unveils unrealized Star Wars vision: Kylo Ren's character was originally intended to be completely devoted to the dark side of the force
Adam Driver, who played Kylo Ren in Star Wars, shared that the initial concept for his character was to be completely aligned with the dark side of the force. The recent trilogy revitalized the Star Wars franchise, with the first film being well-received. However, the second film divided fans, and the third was largely criticized for its plot and writing problems.
Adam Driver's portrayal of Kylo Ren in the series stood out, portraying the character as torn between the light and dark side of the force, as the son of Princess Leia and Han Solo. In a recent interview with Variety, Driver revealed that the redemption arc for Kylo was not the character's initial plan as he ultimately sacrifices himself to save Rey and find peace with his internal struggles in the last movie.
Kylo Ren, a key figure in the recent Star Wars trilogy, was originally intended by director JJ Abrams to eventually embrace the dark side of the force, as discussed with actor Adam Driver.
Driver told Variety that he had a specific storyline in mind that JJ Abrams had envisioned for his character, Kylo. Abrams wanted to showcase Kylo's journey as the opposite of Vader's, where Kylo would start off confused and vulnerable and gradually become more committed to the dark side, in contrast to Vader's transformation from confident and committed to vulnerable and weak. Despite changes during shooting, Driver remained focused on portraying this character arc.
But when Rise of Skywalker was finally released, Kylo Ren's character took a completely different path.
"The last one, it turned into being, you know, about them and the dyad, and things like that," Driver said. "And evolving into Ben Solo. That was never a part of it. He was Ben Solo from the beginning, but there was never a version where we’d see Ben Solo when I first signed up for it."
Driver explained that, while the character of Kylo Ren underwent significant changes, he had already committed to the movies and no longer had control over the final product. “J.J. Abrams outlined his vision for the character, but once you sign on, there’s no turning back. So I went to London to begin pre-production,” Driver recalled. “I was given a small room down the hall where I could read the script for the first time.”
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Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I find Adam Driver's revelation about Kylo Ren's original character arc to be intriguing and thought-provoking. The idea of Kylo fully embracing the dark side and becoming a more formidable villain would have added a different dimension to the sequel trilogy. It would have been interesting to see how such a character would have interacted with Rey and the other characters, and how it would have affected the overall narrative.
However, I can also understand why the filmmakers decided to change course and give Kylo a redemption arc. It allowed for a more nuanced and emotionally resonant character, and it provided a satisfying conclusion to his journey. Ultimately, I believe that the changes made to Kylo Ren's character were for the best, and I appreciate Adam Driver's dedication to the role, regardless of the changes that occurred during production.
