While Darth Vader’s shadow loomed large overThe Force Awakens, Kylo Ren is much more interested in ForceTiming withReyinThe Last Jedithan he is confiding in his grandfather. There aren’t many signs of the old Sith lord in the latestStar Warschapter. And where Vader’s helmet was a prominent fixture in the 2015 franchise restarter, we never get to see it in this new adventure. So, where is Darth Vader’s charred and melted helmet anyway?
A new book has our definitive answer. And the Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Visual Dictionary by Pablo Hidalgo seems to be the gift that keeps giving this Christmas as it answers quite a few fan question that weren’t answered in the movie. In the first film, we were set up to believe that Kylo was a collector of Sith relics, especially those belonging to his grandfather. He was the ultimate fanboy. But he seems to be growing up inThe Last Jedi, and is much more interested in his career in politics.
So, does Kylo Ren still have that old Vader helmet? Yes, but he’s not packing it around with him. The Visual Dictionary offers a peek into Ben Solo’s personal headquarters, a space bedroom if you will. WhenThe Last Jedikicks off, Kylo has moved back in with his teacher Snoke, shortly following the destruction of the Starkiller base. But the young man has not yet moved all his belongings to his room on the Supremacy Star Destroyer. And this includes Darth Vader’s helmet. The book goes onto say this.
“Rescued from the Starkiller disaster, Kylo returns to his quarters aboard theSupremacy, Supreme Leader Snoke’s vast flagship. Here, Kylo’s isolation allows him to meditate on the Force. He has left Darth Vader’s charred helmet aboard the Finalizer, perhaps not ready to face that visage until he recovers from his failure.”
We know Anakin has a force ghost. So it’s interested that Anakin hasn’t visited his grandson. But the presence of Darth Vader’s helmet may actually be keeping Anakin distant. Now that Kylo himself isn’t anywhere near it, it is possible that we could see Anakin coming to Kylo inStar Wars 9. Especially sincefans are screamingfor something more in tune with the original trilogy.
The new book goes onto say that Kylo is distancing himself from some of the old Sith relics he has collected to free himself from whatever power they posses. Like a true millennial, he wants to do things his own way and doesn’t want to focus on the training tools handed to him by his elders. He is trying to distance himself from the powerful sway of his Grandfather. He attempts to maintain an aura of power, but internally he is struggling to come to terms with his own past legacy and how he stacks up to the rest of his family, includingUncle Luke, who tried to kill him when he was a teenager.
The Finalizer is still roaming through space. But it is unclear if Kylo Ren will return to the ship or gather the rest of his things, as many believe he is now the Supreme Leader of the First Order. Who knows how the presence of Darth Vader will be used inThe Force Awakens.It’s J.J. Abrams' world now, and he will likely deconstruct some of the ideas set up by Rian Johnson inThe Last Jedi.
