I dedicated a decent section of my recap blog to him, but I figured this group is incomplete without some sort of discussion thread about the film's primary villain, Kylo Ren.

Did you enjoy him as a conflicted, volatile individual with a shot at redemption? Did you hate him as a whiny poser who didn't get hugged enough? Are you disappointed that he'll no longer have a chance to scream "IT'S NOT A PHASE, DAD" at the top of his lungs? I'm personally in camps one and three, but I'm interested in seeing what other people think.

4957914 Kylo Ren seemed to fix all the problems people had with Anakin Skywalker. He is indeed a conflicted character with some parent issues, but instead of talking about it incessantly, you can hear it in his voice, see it in his eyes (when you can see them), and he occasionally lashes out in fits of rage when things don't go according to plan. It's not right there on his sleeve, like with Skywalker. With Kylo, it's just under the surface, struggling to break out, but he has a good handle on it--for now.

So, if he is a whiny poser, you wouldn't really know it right away. At least, not until you realize he doesn't need the mask (MAJOR Vader complex), and at most, not until his confrontation with Papa. And even then, he seems to . . . get over it . . . fairly quickly . . . .

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Honestly, this is how I feel about Kylo Ren:

4957914 I was in camp one until I learned of camp three. Now I'm in both.

I liked him overall. I was surprised at his appearance when he was first revealed, but once I got over his boy-band look, I liked him more.

4957914 Personal feelings? I LOVE Kylo Ren!

His character feels very real. I mean, we don't know much of his past but it's realistic to lead to what he's become. I'm kind of sad that he won't get any plot development in episode 8 (shut up and let me pray for an episode 8!), because, you know he DIED. But it's possible and I'm hoping for it.
When he stopped that laser blast it was so awesome I cried. Like I absorbed so much awesomeness radiation that I had to sweat it out through my eyes!
Lightsaber is also awesome. In the original trailer it came out double-bladed with handle guards on both sides. I thought that was kind of awkward (I mean now the sword has to be at a perfect right angle to your hand the entire fight or you die ), so I'm happy they just used one side in the movie.
His look is alright. I mean it works - jedi, long hair, computes. I thought he looked fine. My only problem is where his hair goes when he puts his mask on... I spent the entire rest of the movie trying to figure that out...

4961224 But Kylo survived. Remember, when Supreme Leader Snoke made the order to get him off the planet so he could finish his training?

And trust me, they have to do an Episode VIII. Even if The Force Awakens hadn't been such a tremendous success, they'd still have to do it. They can't end it there.

4961224 As Lightning clarified:

A. Ren is still alive. Hux was ordered to bring him to Snoke so he can finish his training.
B. It's pretty widely known that TFA is the start of another trilogy. VIII and IX are coming in 2017 and 2019.

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4961345 OK, well sry guys. In the few days since things happen my memory can twist ever so slightly.

4957914 I think he can be an interesting villain. And when Han said that he had too much Vader in him, I thought about him tantrums and laughed.

4961224 I don't know what is up with his hair. I would have expected some serious helmet hair.

4957914 I have just one thing to say about him: "The angst is strong with this one"
Though the scene where he's throwing a tantrum and the two stormtroopers nope the fuck out made me chuckle

Also the stormtrooper that Rey mind tricked was played by Daniel Craig, so Rey mind tricked James bond

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I personally enjoy seeing him shipped. Evil space boyfriends OTP

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I'm a bit divided on Kylo. On one hand, I understand the people who thought he was kinda pathetic. He certainly could have been a more intimidating and formidable villain, which is what fans of Star Wars are used to.

On the other hand... that's also kinda what I liked about him. He's different. This is something new and bold - and seeing as this movie basically copied A New Hope almost verbatim, Kylo's characterization is probably the most creative thing in it. We've never really had a Star Wars villain like this before, and it makes me really curious to see what they are planning to do with him.

Most of all he kinda reminded me of Prince Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender - this troubled guy who is trying very hard to be a bad dude, but just doesn't quite have it in him.

Also, anyone notice that they are kinda making him out to be Anakin/Vader, except backwards? As in, Anakin started out as a deeply flawed, conflicted Jedi with anti-hero tendencies, eventually turning into this very serious, iconic villain. Kylo starts out as a deeply flawed, conflicted Sith (?) with anti-villain tendencies, so it would make sense if he eventually finds redemption and becomes a true Jedi somehow. That would actually make him the symbolical conclusion of Darth Vader's redemption, tying all the movies together thematically, completing the circle.

Or he might get lightsabered to death by Rey and fall into a bottomless pit. Like I said, I'm curious to see where they're going with this.

I will say that I wasn't a fan of his mask-voice, though. I think they could have done something better with that.

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and at most, not until his confrontation with Papa. And even then, he seems to . . . get over it . . . fairly quickly . . . .

If by "getting over it fairly quickly" you mean "being emotionally unhinged for the entire final battle."

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If by "getting over it fairly quickly" you mean "being emotionally unhinged for the entire final battle."

In a strange psychological way, yes.