An Official Star Wars Book Revealed How Kylo Ren & Rey Really Felt During Their Kiss
Few things have been as divisive in the Star Wars fandom over the last several years as the climactic kiss between Rey Skywalker and Ben Solo at the end of "Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker." Given that said fandom spends most of its time eating itself online through a series of canon debates and proxy wars, that's really saying something. Even years out from the film's release, the Reylo shippers still stand strong (and quite active), and sequel haters continue to mash keyboards and declare what is and isn't "real" "Star Wars."
The official novelization of "Episode IX" adds a bit more context to the kiss heard 'round the Outer Rim. Unfortunately, it isn't quite definitive enough to quell the raging storms or stop the blades of social media armies from striking. The book, penned by author Rae Carson, describes the kiss as follows: "His heart was full as Rey reached for his face, let her fingers linger against his cheek. And then, wonder of wonders, she leaned forward and kissed him. A kiss of gratitude, acknowledgment of their connection, celebration that they'd found each other at last. But then she drew back, concern on her face. She could feel him growing cold. Ben smiled at her. He had given Rey back to the galaxy. It wouldn't atone for the darkness he'd wrought, but it was what he could do."
It's a nice sentiment from Ben, but of course, that's not why we're here today. We're here to decide whether this addition canonically confirms or denies the romantic nature of Rey and Ben's kiss.
The Rise of Skywalker novel suggests the kiss is platonic
At best, the phrasing in the "Rise of Skywalker" novelization is pretty vague. "A kiss of gratitude" could just refer to Ben saving Rey's life, and while "acknowledgment of their connection" might be a romantic reference, it could also be referring to their status as a Force Dyad — a unique and mystical bond that, as far as we know, has no necessary romantic implications. "Celebration that they'd found each other at last" is also pretty vague, as it could suggest a romantic longing or simply be referencing how Kylo Ren finally reverted to Ben Solo before his death.
What's far less vague is the kiss itself as depicted in the film. It's not exactly a little kiss on the head, but rather a full-on, Jane Austen adaptation, mouth-on-mouth, Scarlett O'Hara kind of kiss. If you only watched the movie — as most people did — there isn't a ton of room for doubt about what exactly Rey is going for (it's his tongue, that's what she's going for).
Understandably, the staunch Reylo shippers of the world were a bit upset at what they interpreted as an attempted retcon by Disney in the novel version. Others have argued, though, that the scene in the book doesn't explicitly contradict the idea of romance, and that other passages actually support the love story reading of Rey and Kylo Ren.
Will the Reylo debate ever end?
As in the "Star Wars" universe itself, the fandom consists of light (people just trying to enjoy their silly little sci-fi adventures), dark ("fan" accounts dedicated to how much they hate stuff), and the balance (which, uh, "The Mandalorian" Season 1, maybe? "Empire Strikes Back"?). As long as there are forums and social media sites, there will likely be anonymous accounts in their deep corners arguing about Rey and Ben's kiss. And while the novelization of "The Rise of Skywalker" adds more context, it doesn't necessarily rule out the initial read that they were in love in an old-school Hollywood kind of way.
It's possible that we could finally get some added clarity in the upcoming Rey-centric Star Wars movie, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and set sometime after the end of the sequel trilogy. Adam Driver has emphasized recently that he has no plans to return as Ben Solo for any future projects, which rules out the idea of a Force ghost love scene (sorry Reylos). Still, Daisy Ridley and the right script might be enough to further explore the two characters' unique relationship. Time will tell.
Ultimately, romance is a part of fantasy, and space opera, and the original vision for Star Wars as outlined by George Lucas in the original trilogy. A franchise built on the backs of Buck Rogers serials demands an occasional Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh moment. Part of what makes sci-fi special is that it can explore relationship dynamics impossible in the real world, like Loki falling in love with herself or the Force pulling you into a predestined smooch. No matter the "canon," it's all in good fun.