Lucasfilm has revealed the first official look at Kylo Ren wearing Darth Vader's iconic helmet, tying the two dark side Force users together. As the biological grandson of Anakin Skywalker, Kylo's fixation on Vader has long defined his identity throughout the Sequel trilogy. Although Kylo briefly turned back toward the light in The Rise of Skywalker, new canon establishes that he continued down an increasingly dark path following the events of The Last Jedi.
Legacy of Vader #11, set between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, depicts one of Kylo Ren's darkest canonical trials as he fully confronts and rejects an imposed transformation into a new Darth Vader.
After escaping the netherworld of the Force and hearing Luke Skywalker reaffirm his faith in Ben Solo, Kylo awakens on Mustafar under the control of Vader's former sycophant, Vanee, who believes Kylo must symbolically "die" to be reborn as Vader's successor.
Vanee drugs Kylo, fits him with a Vader-like helmet, and attempts to recreate Anakin Skywalker's original suffering by lowering him into a lava pit, convinced that pain is essential to true greatness.
When the mask fully closes, fans get their glimpse at Kylo having gone full Vader-mode.
Kylo ultimately breaks free, destroys Vanee's forces, bleeds a kyber crystal, and kills Vanee by casting him into lava, rejecting the fantasy of becoming "Vader reborn."
The comic panel is epic and eye-catching, with Kylo in a Vader helmet and underwear surrounded by fire, breaking free of the straps.
A close-up of Kylo in the Vader helmet shows the detailing of the red cracks in the headgear, emulating Kylo's own broken mask he re-assembles in The Rise of Skywalker.
A closing image from Kylo's long hair flowing out of the mask, having now taken off the top head piece of the helmet.
The issue ends with Kylo standing alone before Darth Vader's secret vault, questioning whether Vader's legacy holds genuine power or is merely another manipulation, which helps explain his increasingly conflicted view of Vader by the time of The Rise of Skywalker.
The Legacy of Vader cover is also stunning, displaying the imagery of Kylo soon being fitted with the iconic Darth Vader helmet.
In the Sequel trilogy, the Vader mask was present, having been retrieved from Anakin's funeral on the Forest Moon of Endor after the Battle of Endor.
In the issue before this, Legacy of Vader #10, reframes Luke Skywalker's death in The Last Jedi by revealing, through a conversation with Kylo Ren, that he willingly sacrificed himself so others across the galaxy could live in peace and light. Star Wars has become known for filling in some major gaps from films in comics and novels, especially since re-setting the expanded universe canon in 2014.
In light of the expanded storytelling in the Legacy of Vader comic series, Kylo Ren's continued prominence underscores how enduringly popular the character remains within the Star Wars fandom.
That enthusiasm has carried over into real-world fan action, with a petition gaining traction to revive the canceled Hunt for Ben Solo film, a project that would have starred Adam Driver and further explored the character beyond The Rise of Skywalker. Even with the spin-off shut down, the sustained interest from fans highlights Ben Solo's lasting impact and the belief that his story still has meaningful ground left to cover.
Star Wars' Confusing Direction
Despite Star Wars returning to theaters in 2026 with The Mandalorian and Grogu, Lucasfilm's broader strategy has increasingly felt inconsistent, defined as much by cancellations and prolonged silence as by forward momentum.
While the studio appears willing to revisit the Sequel Trilogy era through projects like Daisy Ridley's upcoming Rey-centric film, Kylo Ren's story has notably been sidelined from live-action expansion, seemingly confined to comics and novels despite sustained fan interest.
The canceled Hunt for Ben Solo film exemplifies this uncertainty, joining a growing list of abandoned or stalled projects under Disney's stewardship, including Rangers of the New Republic, Rogue Squadron, and Kevin Feige's unmade Star Wars movie.
Collectively, these unrealized projects highlight a pattern of ambitious announcements followed by reversals or long-term limbo, causing continued frustration from fans of a Galaxy Far, Far Away.
