The sacrifice of Ben Solo left viewers with a lot of unanswered questions. Was his sacrifice for redemption, love, or for something much more profound? His last action was the completion of the transformation from Kylo Ren to Ben Solo. The Ben Solo sacrifice in Rey – Rise of Skywalker is one of the most controversial parts of the saga.
How Ben Solo Became Kylo Ren
For Ben Solo, growing up was never easy. It was because of having legendary parents as well as a strong lineage. Snoke used him for a long time, and in the end, it turned out that Snoke was part of Palpatine's scheme. This darkness developed slowly and gradually.
However, Luke Skywalker's fear proved to be disastrous. Luke ignited his lightsaber above Ben's bed. That one moment of fear destroyed everything for them. Ben felt like he had been betrayed and attacked his uncle back.
Immediately after that, Luke's temple was destroyed. Ben went away and gave himself the new name, Kylo Ren. He served under Snoke and later Palpatine. However, there was always something else going on inside his mind.
Deep down it was evident that he never had any darkness in him. His compassion appeared every time he needed it the most, and it determined his whole path. The redemption after that happened inevitably.
Rey and Ben Solo's Force Bond Changed Everything
The Force Dyad allowed Rey and Ben to communicate even at great distances away from one another. They could even see one another, talk to one another, and even touch one another. The Force Dyad was something that was never seen between any Jedi or Sith before.
Rey and Ben understood each other in ways that no one else did. They both were very lonely. They both were searching for acceptance.
Their unusual Force bond started out as an antagonistic relationship but grew into a relationship based on curiosity. It is now a reluctant partnership, where they saw eachothers vulnerabilities.
From Enemies to Something Much Deeper
This was where their alliance started. They were battling together against the Praetorian Guards of Snoke. And all their actions were perfectly coordinated without even planning or communicating.
Loneliness was evident through their conversations. Ben told Rey that he was broken down by the light, while Rey told him that she had always been looking for her family. There was something common about their pain.
Their love story was very subtle throughout the entire trilogy, which was deliberately done by Lucasfilm. Their connection was emotional and went beyond anything else. For Ben, Rey was his only link to the light.
Why Leia's Final Sacrifice Brought Ben Solo Back
It was the last time Leia contacted her son through the Force. She used all of her energy to reach out to Ben. This sacrifice cost her life and preserved his soul. It finished what she started when he was born.
He was met by a vision of Han Solo, a vision formed from his own conscience and love of his father. The father addressed him with forgiveness and gave him a chance to return. It was an echo of the confrontation on Starkiller Base.
In answer, Kylo Ren tossed away his lightsaber. He turned his back on everything that the dark side stood for. The Supreme Leader of the First Order turned back into Ben Solo. His parents never stopped believing in him, and their belief broke him down.
Ben Solo's Redemption Was Earned Through Action
Ben then fought against the Knights of Ren. He betrayed those warriors who had once been his friends. He defeated them in order to save Rey on Exegol. Nothing was said.
He went back into the Sith throne room. He saw Rey confronting Palpatine alone. He helped her during the final fight many times. Every move showed his commitment had changed.
Ben was redeemed by his actions, not by words. He did not apologize, and he did not try to justify anything. All he did was choose the right side, and his actions told more than words ever would have. It felt like redemption because of how long it had taken Ben to struggle with this decision.
Why Ben Solo Gave His Life for Rey
Rey died fighting Palpatine. Rey had channeled all the Jedi in herself and became overwhelmed with an overwhelming amount of force. At last, she collapsed and left this world.
But just after a few seconds, Ben reached her dead body. Ben laid his hands on her dead body and transferred his remaining life energy into her. Through their Dyad, the Force healed her wounds.
Rey opened her eyes and found Ben smiling at her. Their kiss conveyed everything that they both felt for each other. Rey received all the unspoken feelings in this kiss. But then Ben stopped smiling, and his body started fading. Ben joined the Force along with Leia.
This Ben Solo sacrifice by Rey in the movie Rise of Skywalker portrayed the most beautiful and purest form of love.
The meaning of Ben Solo's death in Star Wars is not only about his association with Rey. He went away the same way the Jedi went away before him, showing that he returned to the light side. He could not be held by the dark side anymore.
He became one with the Force just like Leia did right after him. It showed his complete return to the light. At last, the Skywalker legacy achieved peace, and Ben died with respect for all the struggles of his family.
Ben saved someone using selflessness, not attachment. It was all that the Jedi used to teach. He gave something without thinking about taking something in return. His act was pure and unconditional.
Anakin was trying to save Padmé using fear and domination. But Ben saved Rey using love and sacrifice.
Was Ben's Ending About Redemption, Love, or Both?
Redemption
Ben Solo committed many sins. He murdered his father, obliterated entire planets, and worked as a tyrant. Ben was redeemed through self-sacrifice in order to help others. Ben paid the price of his actions by giving up his life.
Love
Love for Rey was beyond any enmity between them. Ben would do anything for Rey. He gave away his life energy regardless of the cost of such an action. Love was the reason for everything that happened during his last moments.
Sacrifice
Ben sacrificed his future to Rey. He had just come back to the light side. Ben could live and go on with redemption. But he decided to make sure that Rey is alive.
All three meanings cannot be separated from each other. Redemption, love, and sacrifice became one in the end. Ben Solo's fate was all these at once.
Why Ben Solo's Final Choice Completes the Skywalker Saga
Anakin saved Luke with love and sacrifice. Luke saved the Resistance with compassion and hope. Leia saved Ben with forgiveness and faith. Ben saved Rey with selflessness and redemption.
In the end, it is the Skywalker family that wins with love instead of power. Each generation of the family was confronted with the same choice to make and chose love instead of fear. The sacrifice of Ben brought closure to this family tradition.
A Love Story That Ended in Sacrifice
Ben Solo never sought any forgiveness or appreciation. He just decided to save Rey. The last thing he did in his life was not an effort to become a hero. On the contrary, he preferred choosing love over fear.
He sacrificed his life for the woman that loved him and trusted in him. He abandoned the path of darkness. He returned to the light through the greatest sacrifice that would make sure Rey could keep on living.
One may find Ben's destiny tragic, and some would even say that it was a beautiful salvation. Anyway, it was a mixture of both, as one would not forget a love story that ends with sacrifice.
Ben Solo devoted several years of his life to become someone feared. At last, he became remembered by others not for the darkness he followed but for his sacrifice that saved someone else.
FAQs
Did Ben Solo live after giving his life force to Rey?
No, of course not. The life force transfer completely drained him of his life, and his body became one with the Force immediately after Rey woke up.
Then why isn't Ben a Force ghost at the end of The Rise of Skywalker?
Because he hasn't been trained yet to become a Force ghost. Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker all went through such training. Ben became one with the Force.
Did Lucasfilm plan Ben's redemption?
Sort of. The entire trilogy changed while being filmed, but Adam Driver stated that Ben's redemption storyline had been talked about early in development. It just took a different route there.
Did Ben know that if he transferred his life force to Rey, she would be saved?
No, he just followed his instinct and his love. The Force Dyad made this action possible, but it doesn't mean that he knew for sure what would happen next.
Would Ben have survived the life force transfer if he didn't kiss Rey?
No, his body had already started fading. The life force transfer was completed well before they kissed.
