The days of going into a movie theater to be completely surprised by what we see on the big screen are sadly long gone. Even J.J. Abrams, the creator of the ‘mystery box’ teases, can’t avoid giving out spoilers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He’s even chipped some of the mystique surrounding villain Kylo Ren away.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the co-writer/director of the first Star Wars film in a decade revealed more details about Adam Driver’s character. Abrams said that the now-famous three-pronged lightsaber was something Kylo Ren built himself and there’s a suggestion that he could be like Luke Skywalker in A New Hope. Except, you know, he turns out evil instead of good.
“As you see in the best of storytelling, and no doubt the best of Star Wars, these are tales in which an everyperson has to step up. And I think that what makes Ren so unique is that he isn’t as fully formed as when we meet a character such as Darth Vader,” Abrams explained. “And I think that there are two sides to the Force. Both sides, arguably, would see themselves as the hero of their story, and I think that applies here.”
Abrams also revealed that Kylo Ren isn’t even the character’s real name. He joined a group called the “Knights of Ren,” so the Ren surname is like a title.
Abrams and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan stressed that the character is definitely different from other Star Wars characters. Of course, Kasdan knows a lot about Star Wars characters, since he co-wrote the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He’s also working on the Han Solo Anthology movie.
EW also posted a gallery of new images from the film to give us more things to ponder. And yes, C-3PO does now have a red arm.
As previously noted, Abrams also told EW that this weekend’s D23 will not feature a new Force Awakens trailer. We’ll have to wait until this fall.
The Force Awakens opens on Dec. 18. Hopefully, Disney and Lucasfilm will keep some things a surprise.
cover from Entertainment Weekly