SINS OF THE SON. The Rise of KYLO REN concludes, as BEN SOLO, once the Jedi's greatest hope, is swallowed by the Dark Side. It is his destiny - and if there was ever another path, SNOKE and the KNIGHTS OF REN made certain he could not see it. From Ben, to Ren…and now he is lost.
On the planet Mimban's moon Minemoon, the Knights of Ren have subdued a group of Mimbanese miners. Ren wants to kill them but Ben Solo wants to resolve it without bloodshed. Ben uses a mind probe to pierce through the mind of one of the Mimbanese and learns that the artifact is in a sealed chamber three levels down to the southwest. He tells the Knights that the entrance is marked with a carving of a red snake.
Ren is pleased. Ben explains that he used a variation of the Jedi mind trick that Snoke had told him about. He says that it was the first time he had used it. Ren now understands why Snoke had told him that Ben would be useful. Having obtained the location of the artifact, Ren tells his Knights to kill the Mimbanese folk.
As the Knights of Ren kill the Mimbanese with their weapon, Snoke tells Ben telepathically that the Jedi believed their rules and codes made them stronger when in fact it made them more rigid and easily broken. A shocked Ben reminds Ren that he had promised to release them. Snoke responds that the Knights of Ren do as they please, which lends them fluidity. He says that they are prepared to do whatever is needed to survive and triumph.
Ren leads the Knights and Ben down into the chamber. However, a female Mimbanese shaman refuses to surrender the Mindsplinter, regarding it as a priceless relic that they discovered centuries ago. Ren is unmoved and says that they will take it. Ren orders his Knights to kill the miners.
Sensing Ben's hesitance, he reminds Solo that he is Jedi-trained and that this should be easy for him. He tells Ben that the Knights of Ren kill people and that it is time for Solo to prove his keep. However, they are interrupted by Ben's former Jedi colleagues Tai and Voe, the former of whom calls out to Ben.
Ren asks who are they. After exchanging glances, Ben says that they are the past and draws his lightsaber. Tai sends Voe down to help the Mimbanese while he resolves time deal with Ben due to the special bond between them. Voe says may the Force be with him before dropping down to aid the Mimbanese. Ben changes at Tai with his lightsaber.
Meanwhile, Ren strikes down a Mimbanese with his red lightsaber. Before he can kill a second Mimbanese, his blade is intercepted by Voe's lightsabers. Ren boasts that he has fought her Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and thinks that she is not a major threat. Voe responds that Skywalker told her that story and that he sent them home crying. She kicks Ren in the head.
Tai tells Ben that he found him through the Force. Ben replies that he wishes that they were not connected with the Force before parrying. Tai denounces Ben for turning his back on the light. Ben responds that he is not what he thinks and says that this is his new path.
Meanwhile, Ren uses the Force to shove Voe. Tai tells Ben that it is not too late for him to turn around, adding that every path goes in two directions. Meanwhile, Voe dodges Kuruk's blaster rifle while Ren orders him to kill her. Tai earns Ben that his path will get worse and tells Ben that he is acting as if he doesn't have control because every single step he takes is his own choice.
Ben counters that he has no choice because of his name. He adds that both the dark and the light side of the Force claimed him the moment he was born. Meanwhile, Voe leads the Mimbanese in combat against the Knights of Ren, deriding them as destroyers and killers.
As the two cross blades, Ben tells Tai that both Skywalker and Snoke saw him not as a person but rather as a legacy and a set of expectations. As Voe knocks Kuruk to the ground, she tells him that she was trained by Luke Skywalker. As Ben and Tai move over a bridge, Tai tells Ben that it is not too late to turn back to the light side and invites him to team up to destroy the Knights of Ren and save this place.
To Ben's surprise, Tai lays down his lightsaber and tells Ben to choose between killing or sparing him. He tells Ben to be the man whom he knows. However, Tai's neck is snapped through the Force by Ren, who is displeased that he is fighting the dark side every step of the way. Ben disagrees but Ren accuses him of not wanting to live in the shadow.
Ben counters that he is the shadow and uses the Force to retrieve Tai's lightsaber. He attacks Ren with two lightsabers. Ren taunts Ben that he has never been in a fight where the other side wants him dead. As the two cross blades, Ren taunts Ben about his lack of fighting experience. From afar, Darth Sidious tells Ben that he will become whom he was always meant to be while a pleased Snoke encourages Ben.
Giving in to the dark side, Ben summons Force lightning against Ren. Ben's use of the dark side is sensed by his mother Leia Organa, who is horrified. As the two continue fighting, Ren boasts that he has killed many people while Voe and the other Knights of Ren watch.
Ben counters that he doesn't think that he himself is special which means he can do anything that he wants. Ben says that he has now realized what Ren wanted him to do earlier. Ben's use of the dark side is also sensed by Rey, who suddenly feels cold in the presence of Unkar Plutt. From afar, Darth Sidious urges Ben to claim his birthright and to strike Ren down.
Ben stabs Ren through the chest with Tai's lightsaber while the Force lightning that he has unleashed scatter the Knights of Ren and the Mimbanese miners. Ben uses the Force to retrieve Voe's lightsaber. Voe is amazed and fearful that Ben has killed Ren. Ben responds that he is a murderer and tells Voe that she will never be a Jedi because there is no one left to train her. The mine begins to fill with water due to the fighting.
Ben impales Voe with Ren's lightsaber, asking why she even wants to live. Having killed Voe, he summons his lightsaber. With their leader dead, the Knights of Ren bow and submit to Ben.
Ben leaves with the Knights of Ren aboard their starship Night Buzzard. Aboard the ship, he takes his blue kyber crystal out of his lightsaber and bleeds it. Ben's eyes turn red and yellow as the crystal explodes, sending waves of energy through the ship. As he deals with the pain, Ben is haunted by images of his uncle, Luke Skywalker; his father, Han Solo; his father's best friend, Chewbacca; his father's good friend Lando Calrissian; Tai; and his mother, Leia.
Ben places the kyber crystal inside his lightsaber but it overheats, prompting him to opt for a crossguard design. When Snoke asks what is his name, Ben ignites his red-yellow crossguard lightsaber, becoming Kylo Ren.
- UPC 759606097418; March 11, 2020; Marvel Comics; First printing
- UPC 759606097418; April 15, 2020; Marvel Comics; Second printing