The Rise of Ben Solo: A Star Wars Inspired Playlist

It’s been over a month and I’m still not over Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

By now, I’m assuming most theatre-goers have seen the final film in the Skywalker saga at least once (some of us more than once). But for those who haven’t seen The Rise of Skywalker, be warned! We’re talking heavy spoilers in this post.

Seriously, I’m not taking any responsibility if you continue reading past this point. Turn back now or forever know the ending of this movie!

CAN YOU BELIEVE BEN SOLO IS DEAD?

I can’t, and I watched it happen with my own two eyes.

Despite logging off social media in an attempt to avoid spoilers, I walked into opening night of The Rise of Skywalker knowing there was a good chance Kylo Ren wouldn’t make it to the end of the film alive. There’s a looming sense of inevitability that haunts you when your favorite character is the villain of a story, and you just kind of assume that at some point they are going to die.

Did that make it any less painful as I watched Ben Solo get force-thrown down a rocky crevasse by the evil emperor Palpatine? Absolutely not. Having watched Ben shed his dark side persona of Kylo Ren earlier in the movie, it was a bit of salt in the wound to see him somehow survive this fall, only to die pretty quickly afterwards in a selfless sacrifice to save Rey. After a brief reunion with his soulmate, he immediately fades into the force – this time seemingly gone for good.

In the final words of Ben Solo, “Ow.”

I say “seemingly” because I refuse to believe that Ben Solo is dead. Call it denial, call it recklessness, call it foolish optimism. But you know what? We never see Ben’s force ghost at the end of the movie. This wouldn’t seem strange except for the fact that Leia (who faded into the force at the same time Ben did) appears via force ghost during Rey’s visit to Tatooine. So, is Ben Solo truly dead? I prefer to think that he’s simply missing in action.

If we presume that Ben isn’t actually dead, where could he be? One theory suggests that he might be trapped in another dimension. Maybe he made a quick stop at the tailor to get his sweater repaired, wanting to look his best before beginning his happily ever after with Rey. Perhaps he got another force Skype call from his dad and needed to step outside for better reception. Parents always call at the most inconvenient times, am I right?

Wherever Ben Solo is, I hope he’s doing well

Me, on the other hand? I’m still trying to cope with the bittersweet ending of his film journey.

In addition to digging up conspiracy theories, this has involved a bit of retail therapy (including, but not limited to, this Ben Solo forget-him-not pin from BB-CRE.8). I’ve poured over fanart by brilliant artists, like this account that imagines Rey and Ben’s everyday adventures after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. I’ve watched fans come together in viral challenges to celebrate Ben’s character and have stared in awe while fans donated huge amounts to charity as a thank you for Adam Driver’s performance.

I also convinced my friend to make me a Ben Solo themed “Where’s Waldo” to help me laugh through the pain. Grief manifests in mysterious ways!

There’s no doubt about it: Star Wars fans are amazing, and I’m certain we will get through this trying time together. In the meantime, here’s a playlist to honor the journey of our beloved Byronic space hero. Cheers to you, Ben Solo!

If you need me, I’ll be studying the ancient Jedi texts in search of my favorite sweater wearing boy (he’s out there somewhere!).

What songs remind you of Ben Solo’s narrative arc? Tell us in the comments below!