The Inferiority Complex of Kylo Ren
I suppose I first ought to define "Inferiority Complex," so according to the Dictionary, it is defined as follows:
Inferiority Complex- an unrealistic feeling of general inadequacy caused by actual or supposed inferiority in one sphere, sometimes marked by aggressive behavior in compensation.
Inferiority- Check
Agressive Behavior- Check
So, where is this all stemmed from?
Well, I believe Rey says it best when she uses the force to peek into Kylo Ren's mind during her interrogation to say that he's afraid he'll never be strong as Darth Vader, and that is precisely what makes Kylo Ren such a fascinating character and a compelling antagonist.
Lucasfilm and J.J. Abrams knew there was no way they could create a villain comparable to one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time. So what better angle to take than positioning the antagonist of this new trilogy as Darth Vader's grandson who idolizes his grandfather for all the wrong reasons and his deepest insecurity is that he'll never be nearly as powerful as Darth Vader? To me, the thought that went into the character of Kylo Ren is utterly brilliant.
See, I believe Kylo Ren gets a bad rap because people are still upset that he killed Han Solo. No one really gives him a chance because they hate him for killing a beloved character without thinking of why he possibly would have done so?
Well, I've been versing myself in Star Wars canon and believe I've come up with an explanation. It's simple. Han and Leia are great people, but they weren't very good parents. I believe most of the evidence lies in the book Bloodline.
The book takes place only a decade before the events of The Force Awakens, and I'd highly recommend reading it if you want to know about the political state of the galaxy in the thirty year gap between Return Of The Jedi and The Force Awakens. Anyways, it's confirmed in Bloodline that Ben Solo (Kylo Ren) was sent to train with Luke in the Jedi Academy we saw in Rey's vision. This is suggested in The Force Awakens, but never explicitly said.
So, the book focuses on Leia's relation to Vader (hence the title Bloodline). It's revealed that Han and Leia never told Ben the truth about his grandfather, but in the book Leia's heritage is discovered and revealed to the galaxy through means I won't discuss to avoid spoiling the novel. Ben and Luke were rarely ever able to be contacted because they were off training who knows where, so Leia writes Ben a letter to explain the situation to him.
However, based on what we know happened to Luke's academy, it can be assumed Ben Solo found out through other means and was then tempted to the Dark Side by Supreme Leader Snoke. That's the area that's a little less clear because there hasn't yet been any additional canon information on Snoke or Ben's turn to the Dark Side. I assume this is because Lucasfilm wants fans to learn more of those details in The Last Jedi and Episode IX.
Therefore, I believe this was the source of Kylo Ren's anger. Snoke took advantage of the Ben's resentment and shaped him into the powerful Dark Side user he needed at his side for The First Order to rise. I say this because The First Order had yet to publicly emerge during Bloodline. As of that time, they were out in the far reaches of the galaxy known as Wild Space (which can be pieced together with the Aftermath trilogy and Thrawn novel).
It seems to me that Snoke empowered Kylo Ren and made him feel accepted and useful. Kylo Ren simultaneously sought Snoke's approval and to become as strong in the Dark Side as Darth Vader, so Snoke deceived him into believing that killing his father was the only solution.
However, based on what I've read from various interviews and what I've seen in the trailers, it seems as though Kylo Ren may feel regret for killing his father. I think he was lead to believe that killing Han Solo would be a satisfying experience that would help him grow in the Dark Side, but he's realizing that wasn't the case.
Kylo Ren's journey's not yet over though, and I suspect that we will see Kylo Ren overcome this "Inferiority Complex" and potentially redeem himself by the trilogy's end. Of course I could be completely wrong, but regardless, I'm curious and excited to see what happens to Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi and Episode IX.
-May the force be with you, always!
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