Kylo Ren’s Mindset in The Last Jedi, and Updates on Phasma, Chewie, and Maz!

In the final part of the eight part EW release, we find Kylo Ren in a dark place after the events of The Force Awakens. Yes the Resistance took a massive decimating blow at the hands of the now destroyed Starkiller Base, but Ren is tormented after killing his father, left scarred physically and emotionally. His path in The Last Jedi may prove to be more complex than we anticipated. Captain Phasma might have a more linear purpose in the film, and it screams vengeance! We also get an update to make sure Chewbacca is all right, and check in on Maz Kanata!

 

 

Entertainment Weekly‘s eight part coverage by Anthony Breznican comes to a close, checking in on the status of the dark side with Adam Driver’s twisted, potentially conflicted, anger ridden Kylo Ren and the not to be forgotten, perhaps purposely underused in The Force Awakens, Captain Phasma. The piece doesn’t go completely dark side as we do get some brief updates on Chewie and our new little orange friend Maz Kanata, but first….the dark side!

 

 

KYLO REN

 

As we have seen in many of the promo shots it seems as though Kylo Ren is taking off his mask in The Last Jedi, perhaps metaphorically showcasing his human side a bit more, for better or worse. In addition to this, utter humility, at the fact that a scavenger not only resisted him but left him physically scarred and defeated on Starkiller base.

 

“He’s definitely been knocked off base,” says The Last Jedi writer-director Rian Johnson. “The defeat that he had at the end of The Force Awakens, but even bigger than that, his huge defining act which, spoiler alert, is the murder of his father… that’s the more interesting thing to dive into. How has he dealt with that in his head? Where is he at in terms of that act and what does that mean for him?”

 

Familiar to a Sith (although he isn’t), in dealing with things in an absolute manner, Ren went to the extreme in how he rebelled, how he dealt with his anger and/or frustration with his family, perhaps his overbearing legacy, a theme easily relatable to youth and teenagers of all generations.

 

“Kylo represents kind of the rebellious anger that you feel during that period. Honestly, sometimes it’s a healthy desire to push away from the place that you know, from the things that you came from. But he obviously does it in an extreme that’s not healthy at all.”

 

 

Perhaps one of the more interesting quotes from Johnson is an unexpected clear division between Kylo and Rey, despite their similarities, both excellent pilots, both strong with the Force (in their own unpolished ways):

 

He said Kylo and Rey are “two halves of the dark and the light.”

 

The ironic parallel between Rey and Kylo is carried out through what Kylo Ren did to Han Solo. Murdering his actual Father in front of the girl who saw Han as a Father figure she forever longed for:

 

 

“She just doesn’t understand Kylo,” Daisy Ridley says. “When all she wanted was parents, why would a person who has parents do that? It’s so beyond comprehension, it’s ridiculous. So she has grief for the loss and then there’s anger. To be honest, she couldn’t understand doing something like that – let alone to your parents.

“Han, the ghost of – well, not literally,” Johnson says, interrupting himself with a laugh. “I don’t want to misguide. I have to be very careful with my words here. But a figurative ghost of Han had to be present throughout this entire film.”

 

It will be interesting to see these two interact, both with stronger powers, but on opposite ends of not only the Force, but understanding of one another.

 

 

CAPTAIN PHASMA

 

I think we all assumed Phasma would survive the trash compactor, now we find out if she achieves her vengeance against Finn and the Resistance!

 

“Gwendoline Christie is one of my favorite people, and you get to see her in action which I think is going to be really fun,” Johnson says. “That character is just so damn cool looking. Like, okay, let’s see what we can do with her. Let’s put her in action and see what happens.”

 

Phasma’s backstory, while approached and developed between Christie and Johnson, will not be shown in The Last Jedi, so it’s all forward, and forward means good old First Order destruction, and revenge!

 

 

CHEWBACCA

 

Chewbacca, clearly still mourning the loss of his best friend Han Solo, may find himself a little more reckless in The Last Jedi, but perhaps eventually grounded by the realization that he still has people he cares for, people he needs to protect, and possible some new ones along the way:

 

“Chewie’s doing all right. It’s tough. It was obviously a big loss for him, but, you know, he’s Chewie. He’s resilient,” Johnson says. “He’s got broad Wookiee shoulders, and he also has a new mission. He’s got Rey, and she’s someone that Han, to a certain extent, handed the keys to. So I think that that helps. If Chewie was just unemployed and sitting at home, things might be a little rougher, but he’s got a task to focus on,” Johnson adds.

 

 

 

MAZ KANATA

 

The wise old drink slinging orange bundle of knowledge will have an even smaller impact in The Last Jedi than The Force Awakens:

 

“She has a smaller part in this than she has in The Force Awakens, but it’s a really fun part, and Lupita is so awesome,” Johnson says. “I’m just happy I got to work with her.”

“This was my first time working with mo-cap characters and working with actors in that way,” he says. “I feel like I got such an incredible education watching Lupita work.”

 

 

Breznican points out that the theme explored earlier, that the past can shape your path is evident, and who better to help churn up the past than someone as old or older than Yoda, that has seen almost everything!

 

 

To close this out, I want to go back to Adam Driver for a moment

 

 

One thing I am dead set on, and that is that Adam Driver will steal the show in The Last Jedi. Rey and Luke have been major focal points early on in promotion, but this will be Adam Driver’s movie, and I am anticipating one of, if not the best single performance in a Star Wars film.

 

 

You know we’ll be discussing this on The SWNN podcast The Resistance Broadcast this week as well! You can find me talking up Adam Driver on Twitter at @JohnnyHoey and be sure to follow our official SWNN account at @starwarsnewsnet and The Resistance Broadcast at @RBatSWNN.

 

 

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John Hoey is the Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net and the host of The Resistance Broadcast podcast

"For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."

John Hoey

John Hoey is the Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net and the host of The Resistance Broadcast podcast"For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."

33 thoughts on “Kylo Ren’s Mindset in The Last Jedi, and Updates on Phasma, Chewie, and Maz!

  • August 12, 2017 at 1:28 am
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    “…and I am anticipating one of, if not the best single performance in a Star Wars film.” You clearly know something we don’t, care to share, please?

    • August 12, 2017 at 2:01 am
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      Yeah how can you beat “My hands are dirty too, what are you afraid of?”

    • August 12, 2017 at 2:04 am
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      Yeah, I’m with Mr Gerry Blue. What gives?

    • August 12, 2017 at 3:19 am
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      This poor guy performs graphically simulated sex scenes with Lena Dunham and convinces the audience that he’s enjoying himself — that alone certifies him the as *the* best actor… in anything… ever.

  • August 12, 2017 at 3:21 am
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    I hope kylo ren becomes a super villain in this movie, he was too childish in TFA and jj made him look weak…

    • August 12, 2017 at 7:45 am
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      That’s. The. Point.

    • August 12, 2017 at 11:04 am
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      His weakness was the real deal of the whole thing, not a flaw in the script. I don’t think the character will turn to be a badass villain à-la-Vader, because it’s another type of characte. I expect Johnson to go deeper on what JJ has alresdy shaped in TFA. Maybe we are going to see a more determined Kylo, more frustrated and dangerous, but I think his humanity will be the core of his journey.

    • August 12, 2017 at 4:03 pm
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      You must not have watched the movie closely.

  • August 12, 2017 at 5:20 am
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    It’s always darkest before the dawn. Things usually have to get worse before they get better. I hold on to confidence that Han is right. Ben is still alive. As a big Adam Driver fan, I am looking forward to a great performance from him.

  • August 12, 2017 at 7:13 am
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    “Phasma’s backstory, while approached and developed between Christie and
    Johnson, will not be shown…”

    That’s a pity. I’d hoped we might delve a bit further into Phasma as we did with Vader in ESB, where he emerged from hencman to regal “leader”.

    Perhaps we could have caught a teasing glimpse of her under the mask ala Vader also?

    • August 12, 2017 at 9:04 am
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      I’m fairly certain we will see at least a peak under her mask, since they went out of their way to clarify that the unmasked phasma on the EW cover was not her true appearance. I agree it is a pitty she won’t be developed more in the film since we got so little in TFA. But on the bright side we get a novel of her, so maybe that will have to do

      • August 12, 2017 at 2:33 pm
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        And a comic series, too.

    • August 12, 2017 at 4:01 pm
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      Phasma isn’t on the level of Vader here. That would be odd.

    • August 12, 2017 at 4:14 pm
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      It doesn’t say we won’t get more Phasma, just not her backstory — same with most characters in Star Wars.

    • August 12, 2017 at 7:57 pm
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      So far, she’s been Boba Fett version 2.0 – mysterious, cool-looking, but a somewhat overrated yet underdeveloped character. They still have 2 movies to make her more than just on-screen eye candy – we’ll see if that happens. I have no insight into what will develop with the character, but my gut tells me she’ll only be slightly more fleshed out in this trilogy than Fett was in the OT. But I’ve been wrong (many) times before…

  • August 12, 2017 at 7:15 am
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    Maz Kanata – she literally disappeared mid-scene from TFA, which seemed a bit clumsy.
    I wonder if she’ll unfurl her “ears” from under her hat to reveal a more Yoda-like appearance ( as her preliminary concept designs suggested )?

  • August 12, 2017 at 10:27 am
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    I’m just glad that Rian actually cares about Phasma as a character, it will be good seeing her in action.

  • August 12, 2017 at 2:20 pm
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    I have little hope for where this franchise is headed, but will go along for the ride, movie-wise at least. Not thrilled with the ST story thus far in the slightest. More interested in the stand-alones at this point.

    • August 12, 2017 at 2:32 pm
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      Meh… Rogue One didn’t do that much to get me hyped for the stand-alone movies, and I really don’t care about Han Solo’s origins, expecially after the production troubles.

      At least TFA set the basics for a potentislly intriguing story. Not so much, you’re right, but there were enough misteries to get me hyped for the sequel.

  • August 12, 2017 at 2:31 pm
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    I thought we would have heard a little about the Knights of Ren,they seem to have dropped of the radar?

    • August 12, 2017 at 4:01 pm
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      Maybe a surprise

      • August 12, 2017 at 4:36 pm
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        I hope,or was it just a throwaway comment like Obi’s ‘your father fought in the Clone Wars’. I know we got CW later but are we going to have to wait almost 20 years for the KoR?

  • August 12, 2017 at 2:43 pm
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    “..this will be Adam Driver’s movie” – I think I see Mark Hamill’s problem with the story. Sidelined again?

    • August 12, 2017 at 3:16 pm
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      It could mean anything, don’t try to find such a deep clue about the narrative architecture.

    • August 12, 2017 at 4:01 pm
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      You realize that is just one man’s speculation.

    • August 13, 2017 at 12:13 am
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      He SHOULD be sidelined, considering he got three whole movies to himself.

  • August 12, 2017 at 4:27 pm
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    I think Kylo will turn back to the good side, Rey and him will fall in love have kids and bingo!!!! there is your next generation..

  • August 12, 2017 at 7:32 pm
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    Dead set on being Adam Driver’s movie?? How about NO.

  • August 13, 2017 at 12:43 am
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    I can easily see Ren being the true protagonist of the ST, rather than a mere antagonist. Episofde VIII may not be Adam Driver’s movie, but Episode IX might be.

    • August 14, 2017 at 7:55 pm
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      Hopefully he shines in both. He’s an excellent actor.

  • August 13, 2017 at 4:16 am
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    I like the theme of “Han’s Death” still having an emotional impact on Rey and Kylo. His death was so “rushed” at the end of TFA, it will be good to see the pain / grieving it has caused on all sides.

    • August 13, 2017 at 6:42 am
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      “I like the theme of “Han’s Death” still having an emotional impact on Rey and Kylo.”

      I do too. Especially Kylo. Yeah, Rey liked the guy and they seemed to have some connection with one another, but Kylo killed his friggin dad. It’ll be interesting to see how that mess of emotional turmoil gets sorted out.

  • August 13, 2017 at 5:29 am
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    Most interesting. I do love hearing Rian Johnson talk. Having met him many years ago, I know the man is really smart and always is very humble and down to earth.

    Despite me not liking TFA, Kylo Ren was hands down the MOST developed character in the entire movie. And while I didn’t agree with Kylo loosing and certain bits, I can see it being worth it, IF Kylo becomes more disciplined and focused. Where in his grief and torment, he manages to strive and become his own individual and not live in Vader’s shadow.

    That in a paradoxical way would be him becoming more like Vader. And if combined with Rey becoming more emotional and unstable would fulfill the whole “Two halves of the dark and the light”. This being where both characters gain what they need. Also, Kylo Ren if done well could be the Anakin Skywalker type character done right.

    Maz and Phasma I hardly care about. The former was to mystic and the latter was just bland. More bland than Maul and Fett combined. So really, if RJ can develop her and make her actually a character; then by all means.

    Though, Chewie I am curious in.

    Because, TFA reminded me of a chef who was given excellent ingredients and produced a subpar mess. Fortunately, while Abrams is a glorified line cook, RJ is a five star master.

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