Kylo Ren's Lost Year Explored in Star Wars: Legacy of Vader

Marvel's Star Wars line is undergoing a significant transformation. Previously, the publisher concentrated on the year between *The Empire Strikes Back* and *Return of the Jedi* through titles like *Star Wars*, *Darth Vader*, and *Doctor Aphra*. With the conclusion of these series, Marvel is now expanding its narrative scope across different eras of the Star Wars timeline. *Star Wars: The Battle of Jakku* delves into the final showdown between the Rebel Alliance and the waning Empire. The upcoming *Star Wars: Jedi Knights* will explore the Jedi Order in the era preceding *The Phantom Menace*. Most notably, *Star Wars: Legacy of Vader* promises to enrich the backstory of Adam Driver's character, Kylo Ren, in a compelling new way.

IGN had the opportunity to interview Charles Soule, the writer behind *Legacy of Vader*, to delve deeper into this new series and its contribution to the complex character of Ben Solo. Before you dive into the interview, take a look at an exclusive preview of the series in the slideshow gallery below.

Star Wars: Legacy of Vader - Preview Art Gallery

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Returning to the Story of Kylo Ren

Charles Soule, a key figure in Marvel's exploration of the post-Empire Strikes Back era, has penned the flagship Star Wars series and led major crossovers such as War of the Bounty Hunters and Dark Droids. His desire to revisit Kylo Ren, a character he previously explored in The Rise of Kylo Ren in 2020, led him to jump ahead several decades in the Star Wars timeline.

"I’ve wanted to get back to Kylo Ren for ages," Soule shared with IGN. "It’s amazing to me that it’s been over four years since The Rise of Kylo Ren, the miniseries I created with Will Sliney that chronicled Ben Solo’s transformation into Kylo Ren. That one was set before Episode VII, and I’ve always thought there was so much more story to tell with Kylo. Just like Darth Vader, the films only give us so much – a great deal of Kylo’s story is either implied or just not really addressed at all."

Soule further explained his vision for the series: "I think setting this book directly after Episode VIII gives me a chance to deal with a character who’s gone through an extreme amount of change in a very short amount of time – his life has changed in drastic ways. I do think it’s a huge opportunity. You want to write characters with emotion to them – and at this point, Kylo’s about as emotional as a character can get."

The appeal of Legacy of Vader for Soule also lies in his collaboration with Luke Ross, a seasoned Star Wars artist. "I’ll work with Luke any chance I get!" Soule enthused. "He and I have done three big pieces of work in the Star Wars universe at this point – War of the Bounty Hunters, Dark Droids, and now this story. I think his work has leveled up with each project, and this one… wow. He’s captured the turmoil and unpredictable cold rage of Kylo Ren perfectly. You’ll see – Luke, and our colorist Nolan Woodard, are doing top-notch work here."

Ben Solo After The Last Jedi

Legacy of Vader is set immediately after Star Wars: The Last Jedi, a crucial period for Ben Solo. At this juncture, Ben has failed to turn Rey to the Dark Side, confronted his uncle Luke Skywalker in battle, nearly killed his mother Leia Organa as he did his father Han Solo, and taken command of the galaxy's most formidable military force. The series aims to delve into the intense emotional turmoil Kylo Ren faces as he strives to move beyond his past.

"Poor Ben. We know he’s still in there somewhere because of the things we see in both Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker, but at this particular moment he’s been shoved down into some dark corner of Kylo Ren’s psyche," Soule remarked. "In a very short amount of time, Kylo’s faced down one of his great mentors in Luke Skywalker, killed another in Snoke, killed his father, almost killed his mother, met someone with whom he’s felt a unique, powerful connection in Rey, and assumed total control of one of, if not the most powerful military organization in the galaxy. All that in what seems to be just a matter of weeks! Kylo wants to move forward, but all of that trauma and intensity is very fresh – not easy to get past."

The narrative begins with Ben traveling to Mustafar to visit Darth Vader's former fortress, seeking to sever ties with his past while simultaneously grappling with his grandfather's legacy. Soule highlighted Ben's internal conflict: "One of the key things to understand about Kylo is that he’s not particularly honest with himself. As I see his character, he’s big on grand pronouncements, big on posturing, big on trying to convince himself he feels a certain way, e.g. untouchable and all-powerful. In reality, though, he’s pretty lost. So while he’s telling himself he wants to kill his own past, part of him is also looking for any sort of guidance he can get. That sums up his feelings about his grandfather at this point – he’s conflicted."

Soule also teased the inclusion of the First Order's internal politics in the series. As seen in the Sequel Trilogy, General Hux and officers like Allegiant General Pryde are key players in the First Order's power dynamics. "I would be bummed if I were writing a series set at this time period and not get to play with the First Order and its internal political shenanigans," Soule noted. "Hux is certainly in the book, and Pryde was around as well during this time period. Kylo’s journey is the book’s focus, but the way he uses and develops the First Order is certainly part of the story too."

Star Wars: Legacy of Vader aims to deepen our understanding of Kylo Ren/Ben Solo and add new dimensions to the character central to the Sequel Trilogy. While we know the ultimate fate of Ben Solo, the series will shed light on his motivations and the choices he makes leading up to The Rise of Skywalker.

"I’ve been doing this job (telling Star Wars stories) for a while now – a decade," Soule reflected. "I try to make sure every one can be appreciated as a tale on its own, while also having elements that can be appreciated by readers who know exactly where the story fits into the overarching mega-story that is all of the Star Wars canon."

He added, "This book is about Kylo Ren’s struggle to define himself, and it is not easy for him. It feels like every moment of his life is accompanied by turmoil and pain. Some fans would say that’s because he is not himself as Kylo – part of him knows he’s truly Ben – and the story can be viewed through that perspective. But I think it also works if you know nothing about Kylo Ren other than what you see in these beautifully-drawn pages – that he’s searching for himself, like many younger people do. Of course, he’s also a dark space wizard with a laser sword he loves to use to deadly effect whenever he feels like it. There’s plenty of angst and drama, but we don’t stint on the action, either. I think fans will love it."

Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #1 is set to be released on February 5, 2025.