Week 1 Popular Media Review

Adolescent Identity in Star Wars

Regardless of how you feel about the Star Wars sequel trilogy, in thinking about adolescent identity in popular culture my mind immediately went to Kylo Ren's internal struggle. Identity plays a large role in the Star Wars saga, as it (for the most part) revolves around the Skywalker family and how each generation will live up to or break away from, the Skywalker legacy. Luke dealt with an identity crisis when he learned that his father was the evil Lord Vader, and he eventually had a difficult choice to make in forming his own identity. Would he succumb to the dark side like his father? Or would he pursue a more difficult, righteous life as a Jedi? Ben Solo (Kylo Ren) is the next generation of Skywalker with daddy issues. He is the only son born of Princess Leia (a Skywalker) and Han Solo, longtime friend to Luke Skywalker. We can only begin to imagine the expectations and fear that would have surrounded young Ben as he was growing up with the Skywalker named attached to him. Luke was a legend, a hero, and the atrocities committed by his late father Vader, certainly weren't forgotten. So, I think that Ben always had an internal struggle about how he should forge his own identity, and which path he should choose. It is revealed that Supreme Leader Snoke had been pulling him towards the dark side, as Luke was training him and other apprentices in the ways of the Jedi. It's as though two adults were trying to forge Ben's path for him, and he had to hide his struggles from both parties. Eventually, due to a misunderstanding, he is backed into a corner and makes his decision and attempts to kill Luke and slaughters his other padawans. This being largely reminiscent of negative identity formation, because of Ben's rebellion. Thus, Ben Solo becomes Kylo Ren, a dark force user and apprentice to Supreme Leader Snoke. His identity crisis isn't over however, as another character named Rey, seeks to return Kylo to the light. In The Last Jedi however, it becomes evident that Kylo is tired of others pulling him in different directions, and after he kills his master he asks Rey to join him and do whatever they wish, forge their own destinies rather than have them already written by those older than them. Ben/Kylo's struggle illustrates just how detrimental overbearing authorities can be to an adolescent, and how important it is for one to be allowed to forge their own identity and make their own mistakes. Kylo Ren is damaged solely because of his namesake, and that is certainly no fault of his own. 

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