Star Wars Fans Won't Let Adam Driver Forget One Controversial Kylo Ren Scene
Star Wars fans won't give Adam Driver a break.
Kylo Ren (Driver) is arguably one of the most important characters in the entire franchise — for all the wrong reasons. Introduced in "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens" as one of the leaders of the First Order, he is shrouded in mystery until the film's second act, which reveals Kylo is Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and General Leia Organa's (Carrie Fisher) son. Sent to be trained under his uncle, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the once-promising pupil turns to the dark side. And while the character has been mostly well-received, some viewers still can't get over one of Kylo Ren's most devious and controversial actions.
In "The Force Awakens," Kylo Ren (real name Ben Solo) shares a heart-to-heart with Han during the film's third act. It's an emotional scene showcasing how strained and complicated their relationship is. In true dark side fashion, Kylo Ren ends this "reunion" by killing his father — a move that the actor behind the mask can't seem to escape. "Somebody reminds me about that every day," Driver told CNN. "Not every day, but yeah," he clarified, adding, "It used to be more, but now it's probably once a month someone will let me know that I killed Han Solo."
It's not difficult to blame Star Wars fans. After all, Han Solo is one of the coolest characters to appear on the silver screen, so it's not surprising people still bring the scene up with Driver.
Killing Han Solo was a major (but important) decision
Killing Han Solo is one of the most important decisions ever made in the Star Wars franchise. The character's death effectively cements Kylo Ren as one of the most despicable villains in the galaxy far, far away. Beyond that, having Han die at the hands of his son shows how he failed at being a good father — something "The Force Awakens" doesn't shy away from. While the move to kill the smuggler was controversial, it had major ramifications for the rest of the sequel trilogy. In "Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker," Solo returns as a ghost-like figure to speak to his son, remedying their once-strained relationship.
Han's death is a pivotal moment, one Ford was desperate to have. Star Wars fans know the actor campaigned for Solo's demise while making the original trilogy. He wanted George Lucas to kill the character off in 1983's "Return of the Jedi."
"As a character ... he was not so interesting to me," Ford told ABC News. "I thought he should have died in the last one just to give it some bottom." Lucky for him, he got his wish three decades later. "I argued for 30 years for this to happen," the actor said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" following the release of "The Force Awakens." "And finally, I wore 'em down."
Adam Driver remembers Harrison Ford's reaction during that scene
Continuing his chat with CNN, Adam Driver discussed his thought process and vibe during the pivotal scene. "I remember shooting that day, and it didn't feel like that at all, obviously ... John Williams wasn't playing in the background," he said when asked if it was tough to kill the character. The actor also described filming the sequence as "emotional." Driver praised Ford, saying, "Harrison was so generous and contemplative, and to me, that was a great moment on set, even though it was his death."
Since the release of "The Force Awakens," Han Solo's death has become one of the most memorable scenes in the Star Wars saga. During the behind-the-scenes documentary "Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey," director J. J. Abrams explained the moment's importance. "It was a necessary component," Abrams said, adding, "This is not just the Force awakens in a young woman; this is the dark side of the Force awakening in the villain."
In the same documentary, Driver revealed that he wanted to avoid the scene as much as possible but ultimately pushed forward, saying, "To go to that place, what it brought up in myself was a lot."