Day 457, everyone gets a flat now and then

‘Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. That’s the only way to become what you were meant to be.’ - (This does not mean what you think it does....)

I haven’t written many original posts recently, but given what has happened today, expect quite a few over the next couple of days.

My first post is about the quote above. I wanted to just let my feelings settle a bit before writing this, but it just happens to be the first thing I noticed.

For those unfamiliar, I wrote a post a couple months ago about Kylo Ren and his motivations. It pretty much sums up what Lucasfilm presented to us in this trailer, as far as where Kylo Ren is, psychologically speaking, at the end of The Force Awakens. I would REALLY recommend reading it in order to understand where I am coming from concerning this post.

http://sakurau121.tumblr.com/post/157962305035/you-know-what-the-really-ironic-thing-is-with-kylo

As many of us suspected, the central theme of ‘The Last Jedi’ seems to be indeed that of finding one’s sense of identity. 

With the above quote I found myself viewing it in a very different light after watching the trailer a few times.

It’s partially to do with the tone of Kylo’s voice. He’s not angry, not even sad exactly. He almost sounds like he is advising someone. And the language also suggests that, when he talks about ‘what YOU were meant to be’, to me this alludes to the fact that he is either being metaphorical or speaking directly to somebody else.

This is purely my own speculation, but in my mind, he is actually speaking to Rey. This line might have been put in simply for the trailer and doesn’t actually exist in the film, but I think it’s part of a conversation. A conversation while Rey and Kylo are connected through the force? A conversation after Kylo reveals Rey’s past, including what happened to her family? Maybe. These are all possibilities.

But why would I jump to this conclusion? After all, isn’t he simply talking about killing his mother and uncle, after having killed his father?

Actually, I say no.

And it’s for a very simple, logical reason that has nothing to do with sentimentality (although I, like many of you out there I suspect, did indeed tear up when Kylo’s thumb hovered over that button which, if pushed, would end up killing his mother).

It comes from comparing TFA with this trailer. You have to take into account of what has happened in TFA and how that has changed everyone. I don’t actually think Kylo is repeating himself here, that I believe is misdirect but again I might just be overthinking.

Kylo Ren says in the official trailer for TFA that ‘he will finish what Darth Vader started’.

Throughout Episode VII, Kylo Ren is constantly emulating his grandfather, most likely because he wants to be like him. He cherishes Darth Vader’s crumpled mask like an old relic in a museum and wears his own mask proudly at the beginning of the film.

Now let’s compare that to this trailer. What does he do when he says -

‘Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to. That’s the only way to become what you were meant to be.’ 

What does he do?

He destroys his mask.

In other words, he destroys his old self. The old self that emulated Darth Vader, that was trying to be like the grandfather and hid behind a mask.

This is incredibly literal as this is what the trailer actually wants you to see. The first interpretation one could logically form. And you see how Kylo Ren is doing a complete u-turn here. He is literally doing the opposite to what he did in the TFA trailer. You miss it perhaps because of the impact of what happens soon after this shot. But this point can be expanded upon, as I did in my previous post above.

Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, whoever he is, is trying to find his sense of identity. But he is no longer satisfied with trying to find it by looking into the past, by looking into his family’s history. This INCLUDES Darth Vader, not just Luke, Leia or Han.

I think he is in fact turning his back on his own lineage. Because he thought it would be enough. He thought that by finding out his grandfather was the powerful Sith Lord Darth Vader, he would be able to answer the question of why he could never find balance within himself.

Instead?

He’s even more lost now than he was before. He knows that the answer no longer lies with Darth Vader.

So how does this connect to his dialogue?

Because this mirrors another character’s trajectory. And I believe he says these words to the said character later in the film, when he realizes his past mistake.

Rey.

Why? Because she is still struggling, just as he is, with finding ‘her place in all this’. In other words, finding her sense of identity.

What I think is truly amazing is that somebody else in this sequel trilogy has already said these words before, or at least something to this effect.

‘The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead.’

Phrased completely differently but when you put that next to -

‘Let the past die. That’s the only way to become what you were meant to be.’

Yes, I know I cut a piece of dialogue out but it’s clear what is happening here, and in fact what is happening throughout this trailer.

Kylo and Rey’s paths are not just similar.

They are one and the same.

This is why people have come away from this trailer questioning whom Snoke is referring to. Because in a way it doesn’t matter. The point Lucasfilm is making here is that ‘Rey and Kylo are two halves-’

And you can finish off the rest of that sentence.

Now back to what I said at the beginning of this post. I think we will find out more of Rey’s past, but my daydreaming self is saying that Kylo warns Rey, just as Maz did, to not let her past completely inform her future. Otherwise, she could end up like him, misguided and lost. When he says ‘kill it if you have to’, this could be on a figurative level or it may allude to Rey’s dark origins (stay turned for that post).

If what he’s saying is basically the same as what Maz recommends to Rey, then what does that say about Kylo? What does that say about the light and dark, if they are essentially saying the same thing? :-)

So what do you guys think? Let me know through comments and reblog and check out for more posts in the coming days. This is such an exciting time to be part of this fandom and I love you all very much! You make the experience a hundred times more moving and fun! I nearly screamed at the end of that trailer and for a minute thought I was genuinely hallucinating. Gobsmacked, speechless, is best way I can describe it.

THIS IS IMPORTANT:

IF YOU SHIP REYLO, REBLOG & LIKE.

Gigolas (2/?)

Seeing people using your ship's tag just to hate on it.

At least put anti at the beginning…that’s what it’s for.

the best part about star wars is that it’s just one family fucking up the whole galaxy with their drama

keeping up with the skywalkers

“The finnrey tag is not full of discourse” pt 1

What I most hate about the antis is that they just throw shit to or ship and we actually respected them (or unless me and the blog that I follow). anti reylo why are you so aggressive to us? I now that the most probable is that not all of you do it, but why can't we all lived in harmon? maybe reylo will not happen, maybe it will, maybe Rey fell in love with Poe or Finn, or maybe with Anakin force ghost, nobody knows.

Legendary

Thank you, Pablo. Once again, for the ignorant people in the back:

STAR WARS IS A FAIRY TALE!!!!!!!!

THIS. THIS. THIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSS. LOUDER. FOR THE BACK THAT KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT STAR WARS.

And Kylo is the prince while Rey is the princess…just like JJ said!

Classic fairytale elements right there.

I’m waiting for the true love part of this Once Upon a Time story

@1captainswan1 right? I mean there are part of fairytales and according to them Star Wars is one so…

 Rey’s kiss would break Snoke’s spell and wake Space Prince up.

i love it when ppl say ‘i swing both ways’ to refer to being bisexual bc then i picture pansexuals spinning uncontrollably and screaming.

ok i couldnt resist adding to this anymore

THIS IS SO CUTE!

I LOVE THIS!! -is spinning uncontrollably and screaming-

pansexual greyace so like…after i go flying off the pansexual merry go round i land safely in the sandbox. Sounds good to me.

This is so cute

    Here ends your filthy bloodline.

When people post anti things on your otp’s page…

Me: *sees a really good fanfic that hasn’t been updated in years*

Brain: hoe don’t do it

Me:

When people say “I don’t ship *ship name* but i respect that ship & the shipper.” :

Bless them.