One Kylo Ren Clue That Totally Changes That Scene

Hopefully you've seen Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens by now. If not, why not?! Not only does it feature some of the legit hottest actors in Hollywood right now, but it's sparked an international discussion of epic proportions about the Star Wars universe — and rightly so. I have so many questions about the movie, especially what's going to happen next, and several of these questions involve Kylo Ren and that devastating scene. I'm still not over what went down between Harrison Ford and Adam Driver in The Force Awakens, and there's only one thing that's getting me through right now — trying to figure out why Kylo Ren did what he did. Maybe, if I can understand the emotions behind his heartbreaking decision, I can start to sleep a little better at night.

So why did Kylo Ren — SPOILER ALERT — kill his own father Han Solo? Did he still feel any love for him whatsoever, or is he now so encroached in the Dark Side that he no longer feels anything? Is he actually a good guy who only killed Han as part of a bigger mission to ultimately destroy the Dark Side? Whether Kylo Ren has a secret mission or not, are there clues which tell us he still loved Han Solo? During the dreaded scene, Kylo Ren is obviously conflicted. There are tears in his eyes while he talks about the thing he knows he has to do, and that he needs Han Solo's help to do it. Of course, at the time this looked like a ruse — simply a way for Kylo Ren to lull his father Han Solo into a false sense of security, making him believe that there was still hope to get his son back. In drawing Han Solo close, and implying that a reunion is on the cards, Kylo Ren makes his father all the more vulnerable and easy to kill. But is there actually more to it than that? Does Kylo Ren still love his father? Are any of his tears real?

While the most obvious explanation seems that Kylo Ren is merely acting, pretending to care and giving the impression there is a way back from the Dark Side for him, it certainly seems as though some of his emotions are real. Credit to Adam Driver for playing Kylo Ren as the complicated character he is. But, in Han Solo's final moments, which he spends with the son he hasn't seen for the longest time, the chemistry between the two characters is palpable. And perhaps the biggest clue of all, the one which convinces me that the murder only took place as part of a much bigger plan, is that Kylo Ren waits so long to kill Han Solo.

Han Solo within spitting distance for several minutes. Kylo Ren could've exerted his power and murdered his father as soon as he saw him, or even before. There was no need to wait until he was face to face with him to do it. Sure, it adds a little drama, but this only convinces me that Kylo Ren is performing for someone, proving that he can commit to the Dark Side in the way he is meant to, in killing someone he loves.

On top of that, Kylo Ren didn't kill Han Solo instantly. Perhaps this is a sign that he truly is a psychopath, who has no feelings whatsoever and enjoys watching people suffer up close and personal. However, I think it's much more like that Kylo Ren was hesitating, not wanting to do what he had to, because he still loved his father. Of course, we'll have to wait for Episode VIII to find out more. 2017 can't come soon enough.

Image: Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Pictures; Giphy