Because I’m a lunatic, I did chapter-by-chapter author’s notes walking through the novelization of The Last Jedi, which came out in paperback Tuesday. (Want one? Buy it here! And thanks!)
Lots of bits about character arcs, themes, writerly techniques, and stuff I loved about the movie. Hope it’s of some interest.
Kylo had retreated at finding Rey in his head—had practically fled from her. But that
had not been the end of that strange, sudden connection. She had seen more—far more.
Somehow, almost instinctually, she knew how he accessed some of the powers at his
command—even though she didn’t understand them. It was as if his training had become
hers, unlocking and flinging open door after door in her mind —The Last Jedi Novelization [Jason Fry]
friendly reminder that during the hut scene in the TLJ novelization, when rey saw and felt ben solo through the force bond she deadass thought about touching his face and his hair
The saddest spoiler from The Last Jedi Novelization
Ben Solo is a person who is willing to settle for almosts and not-quites when it comes to compassion, because he has absolutely none of it in his life. A reasonable facsimile of kindness is better than nothing at all.
He feels as though his family has kicked him to the curb, and the one person he dared to take a chance and care about about had also abandoned him. All he is left with is a hollow sense of thanks that she didn’t end his miserable life.
Ben heard his family calling him a monster when he was a child. This was hammered home when he woke to his uncle’s lightsaber poised at his neck.
People don’t love or care about monsters. Monsters don’t deserve compassion or forgiveness. They deserve death.
So Ben is thankful she didn’t kill him because that’s the closest he has had to getting the benefit of the doubt since he was a child.
This is the mindset when your worldview is hardwired by rejection and trauma.
You settle for scraps and factory seconds. Because when you are seen as a monster, that’s the only compassion you feel that you deserve.
That said. I look forward to Episode IX and am hopeful that the unconditional love that Rey could offer him would be transformative for him. If she is brave enough to love a monster, perhaps that could be the catalyst he needs to find the strength to love himself.
Because let’s face, he deserves more than almosts and not-quites.
His smile faded at the sight of his uncles lightsaber.
“i’ll take that” he said. “It belongs to me”…
“Strange, then, that it called to me at the castle” Rey said, studying the ancient weapon almost idly before snapping her gaze back go Kylo. “And not to you”.
The corner of Kylo’s mouth twitched in the beginning of a smile, and he inclined his head at the soldiers filling the hangar.
“You’re in no position to dictate”
—
REY I LOVE YOUR SASS! Love this Reylo banter!
um
…. are they flirting??
Ohhh yeh
BUT THE BEST PART (SORRY UNDER THE CUT BECAUSE IM TRYING TO BE BOOK SPOILER FRIENDLY)
Reylo Source 