As the fall months approach, so does the holiday movie season. Plenty of new and exciting movies are heading to theaters, as studios release their more hotly anticipated projects accompanying the change of seasons. Disney has a return to form this December, as the Star Wars franchise will once again occupy theaters with The Rise of Skywalker. J.J. Abrams' upcoming blockbuster will end up the Skywalker Saga forever, while also deciding the fate of his creations like Adam Driver's Kylo Ren.
Kylo Ren is the villain of the current trilogy, with much of the drama around his character regarding Ben Solo's morality and the possibility of his redemption. The Last Jedi provided a deeper look into his psyche, thanks to his Force Connection conversations with Daisy Ridley's Rey. A new poster for The Rise of Skywalker just hit the internet, and shows Kylo wearing his repaired mask. Check it out below.
The old Kylo Ren is back with a vengeance, and he's got plenty of backup behind him. Adam Driver's villain is now the Supreme Leader of the First Order, and looks like he's bringing the pain to The Resistance in Episode IX.
This new poster is the cover of Star Wars: Insider (via Twitter), and shows Kylo Ren in a return to form in his signature mask. Ben Solo kept his face covered through the first half of The Force Awakens, before eventually taking it off to reveal an angry young man. Kylo was clearly inspired by his grandfather Darth Vader, but the character eventually shattered the mask in frustration after being admonished by Snoke in The Last Jedi.
Rian Johnson's divisive blockbuster put the battle for Kylo Ren's morality front and center, as he connected with Rey on a personal level their Force FaceTime. Audiences also saw how Luke's moment of weakness helped cause Ben to fall to the Dark Side. But after killing Snoke and being rejected by Rey, Kylo ultimately became the leader of the First Order, becoming all the more determined to stomp down The Resistance in the process.
It should be interesting to see how Kylo's character continues to change and develop during The Rise of Skywalker. By reassembling his mask, I have to assume that the pendulum of his morality has swung the other way, and he's become an even more angry and ruthless commander without Snoke. It's also been teased that there will be a time jump in Episode IX, allowing the villain's emotions to stew before we see him come back into conflict with Rey, Leia, and the rest of the heroes.
Related: Fans Spot A Kylo Ren Error In The Rise Of Skywalker’s Trailer
The generations of Star Wars fans are also eager to see how Emperor Palpatine factors into the story of The Rise of Skywalker, after his iconic laugh was heard at the end of the movie's first trailer. Will Kylo Ren get to speak with the biggest villain in the franchise's history? We've seen Force Ghosts from the Light Side of The Force, but perhaps Sith also have this ability.
Luckily, moviegoers won't have to wait too much longer to finally get answers to the myriad questions we've had since The Last Jedi hit theaters. And with J.J. Abrams completing the story he began with The Force Awakens, hopefully the conclusions are all satisfying for the fandom. The pressure is certainly on.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will hit theaters on December 20th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
