Rey and Kylo’s Union Will Redefine the Force
“Luminous beings are we. Not this crude matter.” –Yoda
First and foremost, what I’m about to lay out for you is essentially my headcanon. While I will provide some research to back up my assertions, I’m not saying that this is what will happen in Episode IX. It should could happen, but for now this is just a cool idea that came to me while I was writing Reylo fan fiction. And I’ve wanted to share it ever since.
Before I get started I want to say that I am not an expert in all things Star Wars. I have not consumed every single shred of Star Wars media. I am aware that there may exist a line of canon content that contradicts everything I’m about to say. But I’m going to say it anyway. I’m going to tackle the big equation and solve for…
There are a lot of great metas out there that describe in great detail all the reasons why Rey and Kylo Ren will come together. From a literary and archetypal standpoint, it must happen, and thankfully after TLJ, it’s looking more and more likely. I do have a literary background and am admittedly obsessed with all aspects of great storytelling, but right now I want to approach this topic from a different angle. Like I’ve already said, I want to talk about the Force.
Arguably, the Force is the coolest part of the whole Star Wars universe, but it’s not very well understood or clearly communicated. At its best it’s a metaphysical power harnessed by enlightened beings to accomplish amazing feats, and at its worst it’s a brazen plot device. So what is it really? Does anyone actually know? Even Force-user Rey didn’t seem to have a firm grip on it.
Luke: What do you know about the Force?
Rey: It’s a power that Jedi have that lets them control people… and make things float.
Luke: Impressive. Every word in that sentence was wrong.
Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best example because Rey did eventually float the rocks, even if she looked very unsure of herself while she was doing it. But the point I’m trying to make is that there is more to the Force than just the observable powers of the user.
According to my research, the Force has two main components that exist symbiotically. The Living Force and the Cosmic Force.
Described as the energy of living things because all life contains it, the Living Force is what makes Force powers possible. Dark and light are both part of the Living Force and each can be accessed similarly. Think of it like a current of energy that connects all living things and can be drawn from by Force sensitive beings. When one says to “feel the Force” I believe this is the Force they are talking about because it is readily at hand.
Described as the energy that binds the universe together, the Cosmic Force is the fabric of spacetime that exists between everything and gives matter shape. Since it is powered by the Living Force–the Living Force flows directly into it like a stream–transition from the physical world to this realm is possible (e.g. Force ghosts. I’ll get to that in a minute). But unlike the Living Force that can be harnessed and manipulated, the Cosmic Force is unchanging. It can be accessed, but it can’t be altered. For this reason, the Cosmic Force is sometimes thought of as the will of the Force. This is where Jedi like Yoda look for visions of the future. Sometimes the Cosmic Force is referred to as the Unifying Force. It has no light or dark side. It just is. When one says, “May the Force be with you,” they are probably talking about the Force as a whole, but maybe the Cosmic Force carries more of the weight. It’d be like saying, “May fate be on your side.”
If you’re into physics like I am, a fun way to look at the Living Force and the Cosmic Force is as Dark Matter and Dark Energy. But that’s a meta for a different day.
Like the Force, the rules that govern Force ghosts are pretty nebulous, but I think there are some things we can almost say for certain.
Force ghosts are manifestations of the Force. They are Jedi who have become one with the Cosmic Force, but have managed–through intense meditation and training–to retain their identities. Only when one understands their true self can they achieve this ascension. The final step of the process is to simply “let go” which is perhaps why the death of a Jedi transitioning into a Force ghost is always portrayed peacefully.
When all things die they return to the Cosmic Force, but a Force ghost is able to stay in contact with the physical plane. As we’ve seen, Force ghosts can affect the physical world, but they rarely do so because they lack the Living Force required to carry out such tasks. So they must siphon the Living Force from other living beings if they want to, let’s say, call down lighting and torch a sacred tree.
Force ghosts exist in a realm called the Netherworld of the Force, which is probably just a different interpretation of the Cosmic Force. Because they are now one with the Cosmic Force, Force ghosts can traverse spacetime freely. They also possess farsight–they can sense events taking place across many lightyears. And finally, Force ghosts have incredible prophetic powers that allow them to interpret the will of the Force.
In The Clone Wars episodes “Voices,” “Destiny” and “Sacrifice,” we see Yoda go through a series of tests meant to set him on the path to becoming a Force ghost. First he is contacted by the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn who sends him on his journey. Then Yoda encounters the Force Priestesses who guide him through three tests that probe the deepest parts of his psyche. In the first test he faces a dark alter ego that represents his hubris (pride). Dark Yoda says,
“Know your true self. Face me now or I will devour you.”
So Yoda confronts his own darkness and kicks its ass. Because to deny that darkness would be to empower it.
Next Yoda must face his pain and prove that he can bear its heavy burden. In this test he is shown a vision of peace that he has to see for the lie that it is. Though the truth is harder to accept, he must do it. And he does.
Yoda’s final task is to resist the temptation of the dark side. On the ancient Sith homeworld of Moraband, he says to an eerie vision of Darth Bane’s spirit,
Yoda is obviously able to resist what the darkness offers, but in turn he does learn a valuable lesson. When he returns to Coruscant, he tells Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu of his new understanding. He says,
“No longer certain that one ever does win a war I am. For in fighting the battles the bloodshed already lost we have. Yet, open to us a path remains that unknown to the Sith is. Through this path victory we may yet find. Not victory in the Clone Wars, but victory for all time.”
Unless this was meant as a nod to the religious idea of the unavoidable struggle of life and the reward of heaven–which I dearly hope it was not–there’s something very important about the idea of transcending realms. So let’s talk about how a couple of Force sensitive lovebirds might do just that.
Reylo Union in Episode IX
One thing every trilogy movie has done (sometimes to the intense displeasure of the SW fanbase) is introduce new Force powers. From bonds to projections to Mary Poppins-ing your way through space, there’s always a new Force ability that the audience discovers right alongside the characters. So wouldn’t it be great if IX connected all the powers in a profound and awesome way? I think so.
So here’s what I’ve been getting at all along, what smacked me upside the head while I was writing and forced me to figure out how to make it all work…
The eventual romantic partnership of Rey and Kylo Ren will unite the Living Force with the Cosmic Force, gaining them access to Force ghost-like powers.
Now don’t get me wrong, they both have a long way to go before they get there. Kylo Ren must find his way to redemption and he must do it on his own, because he wants it. And Rey must figure out what belonging means to her. Whether it’s rigid and one-sided or broad enough to include some darkness. But that’s it. A visually rich, superbly written and acted movie could do all that in an hour and a half easy, leaving the final hour for a badass display of Force power. And my body is ready.
Like Yoda’s first test, Kylo Ren’s redemption will require him to face his darkness and take back the power it holds over him. Then, like Yoda’s second test, Kylo Ren will have to accept his reality, not only his own pain but the pain he has caused others, and start on the path to easing it. Rey will follow a similar arc, but I think hers will lead back to Kylo Ren and the inescapable bond they share. It is part of the reality that she has to face as a young woman coming to terms with her identity.
Once they are together, once their love is professed and then finally expressed, they will have unlocked these new powers. Still don’t believe me. Well, I think their Force Bond is proof that they have already started uniting the Living and Cosmic Forces in the physical plane. For starters they can see and speak to each other across vast distances–a Force ghost ability. (Note that they can only do this with each other.) And what happened when they touched hands through the bond? They saw visions of the past and future–another Force ghost ability. Now where could those visions have come from? From the freaking Cosmic Force! Yes, their bond is already revealing the Force’s true, unified nature, something that has never happened before, not for the Jedi or Sith, not even for the enlightened Force ghosts. And when the potential is finally realized–when two living beings who possess the Living Force can freely access the Cosmic Force–they will have the tools they need to end the war.
Now how do I see it all unfolding? Back to my headcanon…
A battle between the First Order and the Resistance is looming on a barren planet. This is the battle to end all battles. Special weapons that will ensure victory are in place, and both sides are ready to fight to a conclusion. But before the first shots are fired, Rey and Kylo Ren walk onto the battlefield hand in hand, unafraid. They stand between the armies and when the war erupts around them, they channel the Cosmic Force, opening a door in spacetime and directing the hellfire through it. In the excruciating bubble of heat and energy, the Force ghosts of Luke and Leia and Anakin, Yoda, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are all there lending their help so that the effort will not destroy Kylo and Rey. When it’s over, none of the weapons possess the energy to kill anymore. Both sides are at a stalemate, shaken by the new display of Force power. Perhaps Kylo’s sacrifice could come here. He’s weaker than Rey and near death, but her love brings him back. Because their love is a freaking miracle.
In my fan fiction The Middle Place I describe (in lurid detail) how Rey and Kylo Ren’s union unlocks this new power. At first it was meant to be symbolic or just a cool way to describe really good sex, but then I thought, “Holy fuck! That’s the way they save the galaxy.” Not only by having sex, but…
By bridging the dimensional divide between the physical plane and the cosmic. A feat that is only possible for living beings through a total immersion in love.
Because Love is the Force.
There is no light and dark. There is only love and the incredible range of power it has to transform a person for better or worse. The Jedi and the Sith both knew this, but what they never accepted, what Rey and Kylo Ren will accept is…
True love is the balance. And when love is pure and good, it can carry out the will of the Force.
And if you tell me that’s cheesy, I will cut you.
So you might ask, why can’t a father’s very last minute love for his son be enough to harness the full power of the Force? Or what about the strong love that develops between platonic friends? Why does it have to come from a sexual/marital union?
As the helpful picture above shows, a total and complete love is not only a physical bond of passion, but also a bond of intimacy (friendship) and commitment (family). The strongest kind of bond there is comes when two individuals choose to join their lives in a way that is all-encompassing. It’s very like the notion of soul mates only I think choice is far more meaningful than destiny.
A marriage (whether literal or symbolic) is the joining of two lovers and friends to become family. And the sexual union that results can literally create life. Talk about power!
Firstly, the Jedi were always divided about which aspect of the Force they should pay more attention to. Qui-Gon Jinn followed the Living Force which focused on the present moment and trusting one’s instincts; whereas, Yoda relied heavily on the prophetic wisdom found in the Cosmic Force and was so absorbed in the future that he failed to see the revival of the Sith right under his nose.
Perhaps balancing the Force means respecting both the order of the universe (Cosmic) and one’s ability to change it (Living). Using the Force to justify long-held beliefs has repeatedly been shown to lead to conflict. Instead it must be embraced for what it is and for the enormity of all it contains.
Secondly, for thousands of years, both the Jedi and the Sith discouraged romantic love because it led one away from the poles of light and dark to the middle. For the Jedi, it led to feelings of jealousy and possessiveness which were in direct conflict with their ideology of selflessness. For the Sith, it led to feelings of pity and compassion which diluted dark side powers.
So for two Force users on opposite sides to find their way to the middle and fall in love despite the conventions that would keep them apart… well, who knows what kind of power they could unlock. Because it’s likely never happened before. At least not in the core canon of the trilogy films.
One last thing before I go.
I’m willing to grant you this might be a stretch, perhaps just a bending of the story to suit my wildly sprawling headcanon, but after all this I feel like having a little fun. So here goes…
What if the Chosen One prophecy was never about Anakin or Luke bringing balance to the Force?
What if it’s about Rey and Kylo Ren becoming one?
It’ll be a wild ride no matter what, and I can’t wait two whole fucking years to see it!
One of my favorite movies of the past decade is Interstellar (2014, Christopher Nolan). At a pivotal moment in the film, Anne Hathaway’s character, Dr. Brand, delivers one of the most beautiful lines in all of science fiction.
“Love isn’t something that we invented. It’s observable. Powerful. It has to mean something. Maybe it means something more, something we can’t yet understand. Maybe it’s some evidence, some artifact of a higher dimension that we can’t consciously perceive. Love is the one thing that we’re capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space.”
I’ve always liked the idea of love being a physical power, a definable figure that could be plugged into physics somewhere, the glue that holds everything together. As far as we know, in our world, it can’t be those things. But in a galaxy far far away, maybe it can.
References/supplemental material:
SW: The Clone Wars TV show
Nerdist: Star Wars History
If you liked this meta check out my breakdown of the elevator scene that turned out to be pretty accurate after RJ spoke about the scene at a fan screening.
Also here is another prediction I made a while back about a possible big bad in Episode IX.
Let’s talk in the comments. And thanks for reading! ✌
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