Star Wars Unveils First Look at Kylo Ren Wearing Darth Vader’s Helmet

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Lucasfilm recently shared a new image of Kylo Ren wearing Darth Vader’s helmet, visually connecting the two characters. As the grandson of Anakin Skywalker, Kylo has always been obsessed with Vader, and this obsession shaped his story in the sequel trilogy. Even though Kylo briefly showed signs of turning away from the dark side in The Rise of Skywalker, new official details reveal he actually became even more consumed by darkness after the events of The Last Jedi.

Issue #11 of the comic series Legacy of Vader takes place between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. It shows a particularly difficult challenge for Kylo Ren, where he struggles with and ultimately refuses to become a new version of Darth Vader.

Having escaped the dark side and received encouragement from Luke Skywalker, Kylo Ren finds himself on the planet Mustafar, now under the control of Vanee, a former follower of Darth Vader. Vanee intends for Kylo to undergo a symbolic death, believing this will allow him to be reborn as Vader’s heir.

Okay, so Vanee actually drugged Kylo, which was already shocking, but then she put this Darth Vader-looking helmet on him! It’s insane – she thinks the only way for him to become truly powerful is through intense pain, and she tried to recreate what happened to Anakin Skywalker by literally trying to drop him into a lava pit! It’s just… brutal and makes absolutely no sense.

When the mask fully closes, fans get their glimpse at Kylo having gone full Vader-mode.

In the end, Kylo Ren defeats Vanee’s army, forcibly bleeds a kyber crystal, and throws Vanee into lava, killing him. By doing so, he abandons the idea of becoming a new version of Darth Vader.

The comic book image is striking and dramatic. It shows Kylo Ren, wearing only a Vader helmet and briefs, bursting out of restraints amidst flames.

A detailed shot of Kylo Ren wearing Darth Vader’s helmet highlights the red cracks in the mask, mirroring the way he repairs his own broken mask in The Rise of Skywalker.

The final shot shows Kylo Ren’s long hair spilling out from under his mask, after he’s removed the top part of the helmet.

The story concludes with Kylo Ren facing Darth Vader’s hidden chamber, wondering if Vader’s influence is real or just another trick. This internal struggle sheds light on why Kylo seems so conflicted about Vader in The Rise of Skywalker.

The cover for Legacy of Vader is visually striking, showing Kylo Ren in the process of putting on Darth Vader’s famous helmet.

As a huge Star Wars fan, it was cool to see Vader’s mask show up in the sequel trilogy. Apparently, someone salvaged it from Anakin’s funeral pyre on Endor after the big battle – a nice little detail that connected everything!

The previous issue of Legacy of Vader, #10, offered a new perspective on Luke Skywalker’s death in The Last Jedi. Through a discussion with Kylo Ren, it showed that Luke intentionally sacrificed himself to bring peace and hope to the galaxy. This practice of expanding on major movie events through comics and novels has become common for Star Wars, particularly since the official storyline was revised in 2014.

As someone who’s been following the Legacy of Vader comics, I’m really struck by how much Kylo Ren still resonates with fans. The comics are giving us so much more of his story, and it just proves how popular and fascinating he continues to be in the Star Wars universe. It’s great to see a character like that stick around and keep capturing people’s imaginations.

The strong positive reaction to Ben Solo has led fans to start a petition to bring back the canceled film, Hunt for Ben Solo, which would have starred Adam Driver and delved deeper into his story after The Rise of Skywalker. Despite the project being shelved, the continued fan interest shows how much of an impact the character had and that many believe there’s still more to tell about him.

Star Wars’ Confusing Direction

As a huge Star Wars fan, I was thrilled to hear about a new movie coming in 2026 featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu! But honestly, lately, Lucasfilm’s plans have felt a little all over the place. It seems like for every exciting announcement, there’s a project cancelled or just…nothing at all for a long time. It’s hard to get consistently excited when things feel so uncertain.

Although the studio seems open to making more stories set after the last three Star Wars films – like the new movie starring Daisy Ridley as Rey – they haven’t focused on continuing Kylo Ren’s story on screen. His adventures are currently limited to comics and books, even though many fans are still interested in seeing more of his character.

The cancellation of the Hunt for Ben Solo film highlights a pattern at Disney, where several projects have been shelved or put on hold. This includes Rangers of the New Republic, Rogue Squadron, and a planned Star Wars movie that Kevin Feige was developing.

These abandoned projects demonstrate a recurring trend: exciting announcements are often followed by cancellations or indefinite delays, which continues to disappoint Star Wars fans.

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2026-02-01 18:05