With word that Kylo Ren has a deep interest in history, specifically that of the sith and Darth Vader in particular, could our main protagonist in The Force Awakens be…a fanboy?
From the looks of it, the creators of Disney’s revamped Star Wars franchise have thought a lot about what made the original films “cool” for fans. The Force Awakens’s marketing has boasted about a return to the tactile, worn-down universe Luke Skywalker lived in and a revival of the sleek, Bauhaus aesthetic of the Empire he fought. So far, it appears Episode VII will boast at least three villains, all of whom bear surface-level resemblances to original-trilogy ones. There’s Domhnall Gleeson playing General Hux, wearing military garb and a sneer that recalls pasty Imperial commanders like Grand Moff Tarkin or Admiral Piett. There’s Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, a glorified Storm Trooper whose helmet might just be cool enough to invite comparisons to Boba Fett. And there’s Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, the obvious Darth Vader analogue with a black mask, cape, and red-bladed lightsaber.
