“After you see Darth Vader’s true face for the first time in Return of the Jedi, the image is hard to shake. Beneath the mask, this titan has grown as pallid and fleshy as a waterlogged corpse. His decaying face is a strong analogue to the once-mighty Empire he served. It’s crumbling. It’s the face of a conqueror at the end of his rope. But when The Force Awakens first reveals the face of newcomer villain Kylo Ren, we’re surprised to learn he’s just some guy. He’s got a weak chin, a low-set nose, gentle eyes, and flowing black tresses that would look more appropriate on a poetry grad student. His face doesn’t seem like the face of a killer, because Kylo Ren isn’t a typical megalomaniacal evildoer. And that’s because Adam Driver isn’t a typical movie star. […] Even when his characters travel to the furthest reaches of space, they’ve always remained grounded in the minor shortcomings of human behavior. His talent for projecting pettiness, self-doubt, and stunted emotions has made him an unpredictable and engaging quantity onscreen. He’s the rare actor who understands that vulnerability and weakness are different things, and he doesn’t shy away from either of those things. Of course Kylo Ren was human beneath the mask. But who knew just how human he’d turn out to be?”