Kylo Ren's helmet

The helmet worn by Kylo Ren was a black combat helmet that covered his face. It was scarred and had a silver inlay, which spread from the eyes, symbolizing power. The design was inspired by the armor of the Knights of Ren, and it served to conceal Ren's true identity as Ben Solo, the fallen apprentice of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and his nephew. The helmet's appearance was made more imposing by its aesthetic design and the integrated voice-modulating vocoder. As a Knight of Ren, Ren was a member of a group of dark side warriors who wore masks to strike fear into their enemies.

The design of Ren's helmet was intended to mimic that of his grandfather, the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Darth Sidious, Vader's Sith Master, pointed out that Ren's helmet was purely a symbol of his family heritage, while Vader's helmet had life support technology. Ren's helmet, like Vader's, included a vocoder that deepened and made his voice more intimidating. The face mask was connected to the helmet by articulated arms that were powered by servomotors. A hinged mechanism sealed the mask to the helmet. He would occasionally use the servomotors to remove the helmet and stare down his opponents with unrestrained malice, despite wearing it to appear more intimidating.

Han Solo, his father, and Supreme Leader Snoke, his master, were among those who questioned Ren's use of the helmet. Solo felt that the helmet was unnecessary for his son, and Snoke dismissed it as a "ridiculous thing." General Armitage Hux, Ren's rival, believed that Ren wore the helmet to hide his resemblance to his famous parents, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa, who served in the Alliance to Restore the Republic that defeated the Galactic Empire, and that it was superfluous compared to Vader's, which was essential for survival.

The original helmet was reduced to a "twisted hunk of black and silver" after Ren shattered it into numerous pieces, some of which were irreparably damaged. Ren was unsure if Albrekh, a Sith alchemist, would be able to reconstruct the helmet from such small fragments due to the extent of the damage.

The reforged helmet of Kylo Ren was made stronger by using Sith alchemy. Between the fragments of the shattered helmet, Sarrassian iron was carefully applied, creating a bright red alchemical web that resembled crimson lightning or scars. Although the resulting helmet was heavier and smelled of molten iron, it was more durable than the original. The helmet still had the ability to change Ren's voice, making it sound "distant and mechanical."

Ren admired the rebuilt and redesigned version of his helmet, calling it a "thing of jagged beauty." It looked the same as the original, except for the red fractures that created a web of red iron. Despite the added weight, smell, and lack of fresh air, he thought his reforged helmet was perfect. It represented the breaking and reforming of his identity, as well as the Knights and his grandfather. Sidious knew about Ren's decision to rebuild his helmet and why he did it. He also noticed that the new helmet was in better condition, but he was disappointed that the same could not be said for its wearer, whose internal conflict prevented him from fully embracing the dark side of the Force.

As before, the helmet symbolized his status as a Knight of Ren. It also represented his leadership of the Knights and the First Order, as he had taken the title of Supreme Leader after his master's death. Ren noticed that the helmet looked more intimidating than before, with visible red cracks over the silver inlay and the mouth plate. When their masked leader was nearby, First Order stormtroopers and officers flinched, and Ren could feel General Hux's unease about his appearance through the Force.

During the rise of the First Order, Supreme Leader Snoke began to teach Ben Solo, a fallen Jedi, the ways of the dark side of the Force. Snoke's new apprentice adopted the name Kylo Ren and began wearing a battle helmet regularly to hide his former identity as he tried to follow the example of his grandfather, Darth Vader, who also wore a mask during his time as a Dark Lord of the Sith. However, his efforts to look like Vader were not appreciated by his master. Snoke especially disliked the mask and how Ren used it to hide his internal conflict, which he wanted his apprentice to overcome. Snoke once took Ren to Dagobah and told him to leave the mask on the shuttle. When Ren hesitated, the Supreme Leader slapped him across the face, causing him to drop the helmet. Snoke pointed to the helmet and told him that he needed to stop pretending to be like Vader.

After surviving an explosion on their Xi-class light shuttle, Kylo Ren and General Armitage Hux were stranded on a planet. The two rivals argued over who was the intended target of an assassination plot. Hux, knowing that Snoke supported him, voiced his personal opinions about Ren's helmet, saying that the dark side warrior wore it as a disguise because of his Rebel background. He also accused Ren of "dressing up" to imitate Vader's appearance. Ren threatened to kill Hux with his lightsaber, but the general reminded the dark apprentice that Snoke supported his career, so Ren spared Hux's life.

As they argued, the local norwoods attacked Ren and Hux, causing the general to flee while Ren stood his ground against the creatures. During the fight, one of the norwoods hit Ren, surprising him and knocking him unconscious and unmasked. Bylsma, an Alderaan Guard who had been stranded on the planet during the Galactic Civil War, approached the unconscious Ren and revealed himself as the norwoods' handler. Hux, realizing that the Alderaanian soldier's origins from his uniform, saw an opportunity to gain Bylsma's trust by using Ren's heritage to his advantage. He told the old soldier that Ren was actually Ben Solo, the son of Princess Leia Organa and the adopted grandson of Senator Bail Prestor Organa. Bylsma saw the resemblance between Ren and his mother as he looked at the unconscious warrior's unmasked face. Bylsma's loyalty to the royal House of Organa compelled him to help Ren, whom Hux called a "son of Alderaan."

In the year 34 ABY, Ren captured a Jakku scavenger named Rey while searching for Luke Skywalker, and took her to Starkiller Base for interrogation. After Rey called him "a creature in a mask," he removed his helmet, revealing the face of Ben Solo behind the mask's theatrics. The scavenger was surprised to find out that Ren was actually a young human male. After Rey escaped from her cell, Ren put his helmet back on, but he took it off again at the request of his father, Han Solo, who confronted his son in the hopes of turning him back to the light side of the Force. Although Ren initially cooperated by dropping the helmet and offering his lightsaber to Solo, he ultimately killed his father in order to become a dark side apprentice.

However, committing patricide did not strengthen Ren's connection to the dark side. Snoke said that the act weakened him and contributed to his defeat in a lightsaber duel with Rey, an inexperienced girl who was unfamiliar with lightsaber combat. Ren continued to wear his helmet until he went to Snoke's throne room on the Supremacy. Snoke initially praised Ren, but then reproached him, saying that he had once believed that his apprentice had the potential to become a worthy heir of Darth Vader because of the raw and untamed power that Ren had inherited through his bloodline. Ren obeyed Snoke's order to remove his helmet, and his scarred face revealed the emotional turmoil he felt as a result of killing his father.

Snoke, who had long known that his apprentice wanted to fulfill Vader's legacy, considered the helmet a "ridiculous" object worn by a "child" who was more petulant than strong. His master thought he was too much like his father, Han Solo, and nothing more than a "child in a mask" and an unworthy successor to Vader. Unbeknownst to Ren, Darth Sidious used Snoke to force him to confront his past in order to overcome his insecurities, which Sidious saw as the obstacle to Ren's progress as a wielder of the dark side.

Ren struggled to control his anger as he left the throne room. But once he was alone in a turbolift, holding the helmet in his hands, Ren was overcome with unrestrained fury. He smashed his mask against the wall, and the Force grew increasingly powerful within him, giving Ren the strength to break the mask until only twisted fragments of silver and black metal remained. Seething with rage, he tried to regain his status by proving his worth to Snoke. Unbeknownst to Ren, Snoke had stoked his apprentice's anger as part of his plan to lure Rey into a trap by taking advantage of the Force-bond between her and Ren.

After the assassination of Snoke, Kylo Ren, who had appointed himself Supreme Leader, retrieved the shattered remains of his helmet from the wreckage of the Supremacy. Despite killing his master in Sith tradition and taking control of the First Order, Ren eventually put his mask back on, believing that he could now wear it on his own terms. By that point, Ren had become used to being seen without his helmet. Before it was rebuilt, he had noticed that people were more afraid of him when they saw his scarred face, which he thought reflected his cruelty and the reality of his power. Nevertheless, the helmet marked his status as a member of the Knights of Ren and as their master. With the First Order under his control, its rebuilt version would serve as a symbol of his reign as the new Supreme Leader.

Ren's helmet was rebuilt in 35 ABY, during the final days of the First Order-Resistance War. Until then, he had ruled the First Order without the Knights of Ren or his helmet. However, after making a pact with the reborn Emperor, Darth Sidious, Ren summoned the Knights to his side, knowing that he would need their help to track down the Jedi apprentice Rey. Through the Force, Ren sensed the confusion of his Knights when they saw their leader without his helmet. Nevertheless, the Knights confirmed that the results of his trial were still valid and acknowledged Ren as their rightful leader, even though he was unmasked, which Ren intended to correct.

The shattered fragments of his helmet were given to Albrekh, a Symeong metalsmith who was closely associated with the Knights of Ren. At first, Ren doubted that even Albrekh's skills could repair the damage to his mask, but he was reassured as he watched the Symeong's work. Albrekh used his knowledge of Sith alchemy and access to a Sith forge to carefully reconnect the helmet's pieces, welding them together with Sarrassian iron.

Ren was captivated by the process of his helmet's reconstruction. He was fascinated by all forms of power, including extreme competence, which he believed Albrekh possessed. Albrekh had promised that the new helmet would be much stronger than the original. When Ren inspected the helmet after it was finished, he noticed the red latticework that fused its shards together and wondered if he would be able to break it again. The reforged helmet reminded him of the helm worn by Vader and their different reasons for covering their faces. While Ren had the choice of wearing his mask or not, Vader wore his out of necessity. The Knights of Ren raised their weapons in salute as their master placed his new mask over his face. At that moment, Ren decided to fulfill his grandfather's legacy by succeeding him as the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Kylo Ren appeared as a helmeted figure when he wore his reforged mask. After putting his helmet back on, he returned to his flagship, the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer Steadfast. Accompanied by his personal bodyguards, the Knights of Ren, the group of masked warriors, including Ren, inspired fear and respect in the Star Destroyer's crew. Admiral Frantis Griss, the Steadfast's commanding officer, was waiting for Ren in the detention area, where Boolio, an Ovissian prisoner, was being held after being captured on the Sinta Glacier Colony. Ren did not sense any fear in Boolio, unlike the stormtroopers and First Order officers he had encountered upon his return to the Steadfast. Boolio defiantly looked into the Supreme Leader's masked face as Ren executed him for treason, decapitating the Ovissian with his lightsaber.

Ren carried Boolio's severed head to a boardroom where the Supreme Council was meeting and placed it on the conference table. General Hux focused on Ren's mask to avoid looking at the alien's head. Ren sensed the general's anxiety about his appearance, but Hux denied it and praised Ren for reconstructing the helmet. General Bellava Parnadee agreed with Hux, saying that she liked the Supreme Leader's mask.

In fact, Hux was happy that Ren was wearing his mask again. Although he generally distrusted people who wore masks, Hux secretly disapproved of Ren's hairstyle, which did not follow the First Order's rules about hair length. Hux believed that an effective leader should lead by example, and he felt that Ren's long hair was an "indignant assault" on his position as Supreme Leader. Hux disliked it so much that he saw it as a reminder of everything he hated about Ren, whom he thought lacked discipline and military bearing. Hux vowed that if he replaced Ren as Supreme Leader, his first act would be to force his predecessor to "cut off his hair."

After giving instructions to the Supreme Council, Ren continued his hunt for the scavenger who relentlessly "irritated him." As their Force bond re-established itself, Rey noticed the updated design of his mask, specifically the crimson Sarrassian iron framework. Despite being repaired, the helmet's remaining damage served as a reminder to Rey of Ren's own internal state. She disregarded Ren's usage of the mask as a mere attempt to conceal his inability to move past the death of his father, Han Solo, whom he murdered on Starkiller Base. Just before the connection was severed, Ren approached Rey, looming over her and allowing her to detect the scent of molten iron emanating from his mask.

The Supreme Leader encountered Rey on the arid world of Pasaana. The Jedi trainee used the Skywalker lightsaber to disable Kylo Ren's TIE whisper. Though he survived his starfighter's crash landing unscathed, Ren took off his helmet to take a breath of the open air. He then chased Rey to the planet Kijimi, and while aboard his Star Destroyer, he revealed to her their connection as a Force dyad and her heritage as the granddaughter of Sidious. As a "display of vulnerability" and faith, Ren took off his helmet to reveal his face to Rey, showing the scar she had inflicted. He also wanted her to believe that he no longer saw himself as Ben Solo "hiding behind a mask." In his view, he was solely Kylo Ren.

After Rey escaped from the Steadfast, rejecting his proposal to seize the Throne of the Sith by overthrowing her grandfather, Ren resumed his pursuit. He journeyed to the oceanic satellite known as Kef Bir in the Endor system, where he discovered Rey sifting through the Death Star wreckage in search of the Emperor's wayfinder. Rey observed that he was not wearing his mask; she had an inexplicable feeling that Ren "would never wear the mask again in her presence." Following their final confrontation, Ren was visited by his last memory of Han Solo, which appeared as a Force vision. The death and forgiveness from his father, coupled with his own conscience and his link to Rey, ultimately guided Ren back to the light side, transforming him back into Ben Solo.

Kylo Ren's helmet debuted in the 2015 sequel trilogy movie Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, which was directed by J.J. Abrams. It was inspired by Kylo's insecurities, and he wore it to project an aura of intimidation. It was later destroyed in Rian Johnson's 2017 film Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi. Johnson described the choice to eliminate Ren's mask for The Last Jedi as somewhat "daunting," given that the helmet served as the symbol of the movie on the packaging for The Force Awakens merchandise and had become a popular Halloween costume among children by the time The Last Jedi began production. Despite this, and his personal fondness for the helmet, he considered it crucial for the film to delve deeper into Ren's character and allow viewers to see into his eyes.

Although The Last Jedi film and the majority of its literary adaptations depicted Ren destroying his helmet by slamming it against the wall of the turbolift aboard the Supremacy, the film's storybook adaptation portrayed Ren destroying his helmet by crushing it under his feet.

Given that Starkiller Base was destroyed, it is never explained how Ren recovered his helmet in The Last Jedi after leaving it on the bridge in Starkiller Base following the death of Han Solo. When a fan inquired about this on Twitter to Pablo Hidalgo, Hidalgo replied, "Perhaps a loyal stormtrooper retrieves it. Things do happen off-screen."

In an interview with SlashFilm.com, Star Wars costume designer Michael Kaplan revealed his surprise at the decision to destroy Kylo Ren's helmet in The Last Jedi. He mentioned that it took him and J.J. Abrams a considerable amount of time to create the ideal mask for Kylo Ren in the first film. He added that having it removed and destroyed so early was quite disappointing.

The mask reappeared in the 2019 film Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker, where Ren wore a repaired version featuring prominent red lines running across it. Abrams likened the fractured mask to Kintsugi, a Japanese art form of repairing broken pottery by using lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum to reassemble the pieces. This approach treats the breakage as an integral part of the object's history, rather than something to conceal. The cracks in Ren's mask were intended to visually represent his fragmented personality. Instead of concealing him as it once did, the mask now reveals his past, and his true nature is exposed.

Within the themed area Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Kylo Ren is present as both a walkaround character and as an animatronic figure in the main attraction, Rise of the Resistance. In all these instances, Ren's helmet is intact and he is wearing it, despite the events depicted in the land and its attractions taking place between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, after its destruction but before its reconstruction. The story "Tales of Villainy: Follow and Lead" from the second issue of the Star Wars Adventures series presents a similar inconsistency, portraying Ren wearing the undamaged helmet during roughly the same period.