Why Kylo Ren Is Far Scarier Than Darth Vader Ever Was

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awaken’s 10-year anniversary is here, so I thought we’d take the time to reflect on the best of the sequel trilogy and what it got right. Kylo Ren.

I remember when The Force Awakens released people hated Kylo Ren, and not just because he killed Han Solo. Many treated him as a poor substitute for Darth Vader, mocking his outfit, his voice and the fact he lost to Rey at the end of the film despite the new protagonist never wielding a lightsaber before.

I won’t get too far into it but Kylo’s defeat was entirely justified by the way. He was injured and Rey proved on several occasions that she’s not a bad fighter.

What I am going to go on about is how Kylo Ren was a scarier villain than Vader ever was, which I’m sure will turn a few heads.

Kylo Ren is driven by rage and revenge like many Star Wars characters who find themselves stumbling into the Dark Side. There are a lot of similarities between Kylo and Vader but where they differ is where Kylo becomes more terrifying, and dangerous. Kylo Ren has no self-control.

Disney

There are several points in the sequel trilogy where Kylo’s mask slips, sometimes literally, and he lashes out at whatever is around him.

Whether it be slicing apart control panels with his lightsaber or directing every gun the First Order had on Luke Skywalker rather than the escaping Resistance, his ferocity makes him greatly unpredictable to those that don’t know him personally.

In comparison Vader was just as barbaric at times, but he understood that there was a time for talk and a time for violence.

Vader was still dangerous but you’d have a better chance of surviving an encounter with him than you probably would with Kylo, especially if the latter was having an off day.

After The Force Awakens Kylo was compared to a petulant child, but that’s the entire point of his character. He’s an angsty teen with unimaginable power and no outlet for his rage other than other people.

Vader would absolutely smoke him in a duel, as would Luke, but without Jedi training Kylo’s overwhelmingly anger made him a greater threat to the galaxy than Vader ever was, and if he hadn’t met Rey who ultimately turned him back to the light I think the Resistance would be hard-pressed to find anyone else who could defeat him.