3 Reasons Why I Like Kylo Ren

Kylo Ren is one of those rare entities that I am enthralled by. I find the internal and psychological struggles he is dealing with very interesting and often find myself pondering on what makes him so angered. I also happen to really like what he wears. With that said, let's look at a few reasons why I'm a fan of the dark warrior.

THE MASK

When we were first introduced to Kylo Ren on Jakku, I assumed he was full dark. He had a mission and when his demand wasn't fulfilled he didn't hesitate to strike down Lor San Tekka and have the rest of the villagers murdered. His attire made a rather menacing statement as well. The cloak is clearly worn and frayed looking after many battles won and his boots are so weighty you can hear him approaching from any direction. As for the mask, it has a an appearance reminiscent of Vader's and also transforms his voice into something quite assertive.

But unlike his grandfather, Darth Vader, he didn't need the mask to breathe. It seems to serve no other purpose but to hide his inner struggles as a tormented and angered Ben Solo and to remind himself of what he is striving to do; finishing the work Darth Vader once played a part in. Before we even see him remove his mask for the first time we hear a hint of his internal battle when Supreme Leader Snoke asks him if he has felt the awakening and proceeds to mention his father. Later on we see the difficult emotions break through his concealment while speaking to his grandfather's deformed mask. This leads me to believe there is still good in him. He is finding it a challenge to resist the light side much like we saw Vader struggling in his conversations with Luke on Endor in Return of the Jedi. What events took place during his childhood that have made him so bitter and so persistent in doing works of the opposite of what he seems to know is right? What stems his anger for his father? We know from a conversation between Han and Leia that Han may have left regularly which could mean he wasn't around as much when Kylo was a child (and before he was sent off to train with Luke). Did this make him feel unwanted? That something was wrong with him? Kylo refers to Han as "Weak and foolish" and mentions that he was a disappointment. These words could've been a general reflection of his frustration with him that he spewed out or it could be taken quite literally. Kylo blames him for something. Was Han not able to help him and took the easy way out? Or could Han and Leia have lost a child? Was it Han's fault?

Kylo Ren is determined and skilled but he is also susceptible, mostly against the scavenger he's undoubtedly familiar with, Rey. In their first proper conversation we get a taste of Kylo Ren's fear. Fear that he will never be as strong as Darth Vader and fear of the power he senses within Rey. He didn't hesitate to take the mask off prior to their discussion of the map BB-8 was carrying to Luke Skywalker but I'm sure he wished he had never removed it after Rey withstood his interrogation tactics. He appeared vulnerable to his opponent, something he wasn't used to. With the mask on he consistently appeared to be in control. Or at least, most of the time...

THE TEMPERMANT

It's no secret that Kylo Ren has a fiery temper, one that fuels his rage to tap into the Dark Side and exploit the force in very powerful ways. It also causes him to lash out somewhat like Anakin Skywalker did, only about 5x worse. It's not that I love what he's going through or encourage that type of behavior by any means, but his rage was something we had never witnessed in a Star Wars film before and I found it to be shockingly cool.

The scenes in which he loses his composure were very powerful and raw feeling, especially because during those moments he used his lightsaber to express what he was feeling by destroying his surroundings in a very aggressive manner. I think those rare moments may have even distracted some of us from the deeper meaning behind those outbursts. He is utterly obsessed with finding Luke Skywalker. Supreme Leader Snoke has instructed Kylo Ren and The First Order to find Luke but Kylo wants to find Luke for HIMSELF. He hadn't even found him yet and Kylo Ren already proclaimed to Finn that Luke's lightsaber belonged to him. But does he want it as a trophy or does he want it because of it's history? Perhaps at one point Luke passed it on to him? This would probably mean Luke had no kids, and since we don't know of any offspring this theory could very well be true.

THE LIGHTSABER

I've loved the design of Kylo Ren's lightsaber ever since it was revealed. I thought for a while that the saber was partially made of fire (sorry if that sounds completely ignorant) and later found out its distorted appearance is because of a cracked kyber crystal. What I want to know is if it was cracked prior to assembling it or did it somehow crack in battle? Is that even possible? The hilt is very rugged and incomplete looking and was based on an ancient design dating back thousands of years to the Great Scourge of Malachor. Why did he chose this event as the inspiration for the lightsaber? What took place there and why does it resonate with him?

Although we didn't get to see much lightsaber action I did like the combat skills that we did see him possess. I saw much of his personality in the way he fights. I'm really hoping to see him in a full on lightsaber battle in the next movie. You know, when he's in better shape physically and mentally AND against someone who has been properly trained. Maybe we'll get another Kylo vs. Rey duel?

Last but not least, I love the unique crackle sound of his lightsaber. Overall I hope he doesn't make too many modifications to it, at least not until the final movie. That is, if he makes it that far.