Amid all the hubbub surrounding the character, Star Wars has confirmed that Kylo Ren/Ben Solo is not done in the star-faring franchise. Adam Driver's son of Han Solo has become a flashpoint of the Star Wars world over the last couple of months. In October, it was revealed that a Kylo-focused movie from Ocean's 11 director Steven Soderbergh had been scrapped at Disney. This caused quite the uproar among the Star Wars fandom, spurring widespread calls for the House of Mouse to reverse the decision.
As all this was happening, Lucasfilm and Marvel Comics were quietly releasing a stellar Kylo Ren story in the acclaimed Star Wars: Legacy of Vader comic run. This planet-hopping epic starred Driver's Star Wars character as he traversed the galaxy between the events of Star Wars: Episode VIII and Episode IX. Across its 12 issues, Legacy of Vader took fans on a journey into the psyche of one of the most iconic villains in Star Wars history, but it also seemingly set up the character's future.
The last issue of Star Wars: Legacy of Vader, which is available now, teased that Kylo Ren's Star Wars return is imminent. In issue #12's last panel, the comic's writing team leaves the character on quite literally a cliff-hanger, as he tumbles toward the lava flows of Mustafar.
Much of Legacy of Vader #12 sees Kylo reckoning with himself. As he leans further and further into the dark side, Kylo is confronted with the bit of good left inside himself. This leads to an epic internal lightsaber fight between the two sides of the character (almost resembling the stellar 'it's all in your head' events of Star Wars: Visions' "The Birds of Paradise").
Realizing there is nothing he can do to snuff out this latent bit of light left within him, Kylo snaps out of his daze to find himself falling toward the piping up lava below.
Paired with these final few frames of the beloved Star Wars character falling to his doom are four words: "Kylo Ren... will return."
This is the first indication that the character's Star Wars story is not yet done, and, especially among those hoping the cancelled Hunt for Ben Solo movie will be put back on the table, has some fans clinging to the idea that Disney/Lucasfilm has bigger plans for the Sequels fan-favorite.
No further appearances for Driver's masked force-user have been confirmed by Disney, but that does not mean the character is done. Lucasfilm and the galaxy far, far away are in an era of change, and Kylo Ren's grand return could be a part of that.
Where Will Kylo Ren Pop Up Next?
The Hunt For Ben Solo Movie
The first place many fans' minds will go after seeing this "Kylo Ren... will return" tease at the end of Star Wars: Legacy of Vader's run will be the now-cancelled Hunt for Ben Solo movie.
In October, Kylo Ren star Adam Driver revealed that he and director Steven Soderbergh had been working on a Star Wars movie. The project reportedly had a script finished and would have taken place in the wake of The Rise of Skywalker. However, when pitched to Disney, the project was shut down as the studio opted to go in a different direction.
This has caused a fervent fan campaign to get Disney to reconsider their position on the movie. Various activations, rampant social posts, and a petition with over 7400 signatures have all contributed to this push to bring the film to light.
Given the backlash the Hunt for Ben Solo decision has seen, it would not be all that surprising if Disney were looking into bringing Driver and Soderbergh's Kylo Ren vision to the big screen. However, it is highly unlikely that this comic tease would be in reference to.
The Legacy of Vader story would have been locked months before the Hunt for Ben Solo news was made public. Also, the comic series takes place at a different point in the Star Wars timeline than the ill-fated blockbuster. There is a chance this return setup could pave the way for a Kylo Ren movie, but it's minuscule.
A Potential TV Show
The next place most people would turn to for a potential Kylo Ren return would be a new TV show set around the characters. No major Sequel Trilogy characters have gotten the streaming series treatment. What better person to be the first, though, than the venerable Kylo Ren?
The future Star Wars Disney+ slate is more barren than ever before. Beyond Ahsoka Season 2, the animated Maul: Shadow Lord, and the upcoming Star Wars: Visions spin-off, The Ninth Jedi, nothing has been officially announced to be in the works from the franchise on the streaming side of things.
This leaves open a massive void for someone like Kylo Ren to sweep in and fill. A recent report suggested that Lucasfilm was considering a Star Wars horror project for an upcoming release. Putting Kylo at the center of that could be incredible.
However, with no rumors of a Kylo Ren TV series on the horizon, this, like the movie note, feels unlikely.
More Comic Stories
The most likely place fans see the character next is in more comic stories from Star Wars and Marvel's ongoing partnership. Seeing how obvious it was that this Legacy of Vader ending was setting up another story, one would have to assume it is already in the works at Lucasfilm Publishing.
The comic literally ends with Kylo Ren falling to (what could be) his death with nothing but rivers of magma below him. It would simply be jarring for the story to pick up anywhere other than in another comic book.
In the next couple of weeks/months, it would not be all that surprising if the Legacy of Vader team were announced to be working on a follow-up, picking up right where the first run left off.
