Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Luke and Kylo Ren in "The Last Jedi"

Now this blog post will contain major spoiler's for "The Last Jedi", so if you have not seen the movie, and don't want to be spoiled then turn away now.
Or if you are a spoiler junky like me, then by all means keep on reading.
One of the lines that I think is very important to have in mind while watching "The Last Jedi" is the line that Obi Wan said to Luke in "Return of the Jedi". Which is "What I told you was true, from a certain point of view."
Because that one line is a big theme/part of this movie. In "The Last Jedi" the most important "points of view" we learn about are Rey's, Luke's, and Kylo's. Maybe in another blog I'll talk about Rey's point of view, but for now I am going to be talking about Luke and Kylo's "points of view".
These two character's are probably the most two important character's in this movie, they are at least to me the most interesting and well-rounded character's in the whole movie.
The part of the movie I want to talk about is Ben Solo's and Luke's past.
We learn from Kylo (and remember this is from his "point of view") that Luke tried to kill him in his sleep, because Luke thought Ben had grown too powerful.
Now I know what you maybe thinking, "But when we learned this Kylo was talking to Rey, and he was just trying to manipulate her so that she would join him, and so that she wouldn't trust Luke."
And while I somewhat agree with that statement, I do believe that this is how Kylo thinks it went. Because while Kylo is telling this to Rey we get a flashback of what he is talking about.
And what we see is a very creepy looking Luke Skywalker about to kill his nephew in his sleep, until Ben wakes up and fights back.
This scene that we see is how Kylo remember's this event, I believe. 
So from Kylo's "point of view" he is totally justified for all of his actions. Kylo, I believe see's himself as the victim/hero while he see's Luke as the villain.
In Kylo Ren's "point of view" he is the misunderstood hero, while his uncle Luke is the villain, because he was going to kill him, because he was too powerful.
Now onto Luke's "point of view". When Rey questions Luke about this he tells her his side of the story.
Luke said that he had seen the darkness growing inside of Ben Solo. So one night he used the Force to see what was going on inside Ben's head. Luke says that he saw that Snoke had already corrupted Ben Solo and that he was already lost. Luke does activate his lightsaber to kill Ben, because he doesn't want there to be another Darth Vader. Luke says however that as soon as he thought that he immediately regretted it. Ben then wakes up to find his uncle standing over him with his lightsaber on. Luke says "and I was left with shame and with consequence. And the last thing I saw were the eyes of the frightened boy who's master had failed him"
In this moment I think Luke saw his nephew for who he was, a scared kid.
From Luke's "point of view", even though he regretted it, he saw his nephew as a lost cause, and that he couldn't be redeemed.
Now I don't know if this would have worked, but I wonder if Luke had talked to Ben, and told him that he knew about Snoke, and about Ben's darkside feelings. If Luke could have helped Ben overcome the darkness within himself, or if he could help his nephew find balance within himself.
If Luke had told Ben that everyone has darkness in them, but its our choice if we listen to the darkness or the light in us. I wonder if Ben would have turned to the darkside or if he would have stayed on the light, because he would have known that his uncle was there for him, loved him, and believed in him.
Now I'm not trying to make it sound like this is all Luke's fault, because he didn't help his nephew. It is Luke's fault, I mean even Force-ghost Yoda says that Luke failed Ben, but it is also Ben/Kylo's fault.
I know that Ben was being groomed/manipulated by Snoke since he was in the womb, but it was still Ben's choice to choose the darkside over the light.
Basically Luke and Ben are both to blame for Ben becoming Kylo Ren, but ironically enough they both blame the same person, Luke.
Like I said early I believe from Kylo's "point of view" he see's himself as the victim/misunderstood hero. He isn't taking responsibility for his own actions. He is just blaming Luke.
I am very interested to see what happens to Kylo in episode nine, I honestly have no idea where they are taking this character. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.