Prior to the release of The Last Jedi, fans’ heads were full of countless theories about what the new film would contain, with a variety of rumors flooding the internet in varying degrees of authenticity. One rumor pointed towards Kylo Ren at one point appearing on Ahch-To with Luke and Rey, which audiences have learned never took place. A recent interview with writer/director Rian Johnson may have confirmed the origins of this rumor, as Adam Driver was present during filming on the location, even if the actor was never filmed there.
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At multiple points in the film, Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo communicate to one another in ways similar to how Luke interacted with Darth Vader and Leia through their Force abilities in The Empire Strikes Back. These “Force connections” allowed Kylo and Rey to convey the strong emotions they had with one another, despite light years separating their physical locations.
“Every single time we shot one of their sides, the other person was off camera. Even to the point where Adam flew to Ireland just to be off camera for Daisy’s stuff, which was essential because they’re such intimate conversations,” Johnson explained. “And that also meant we had to shoot each of those scenes twice basically, which meant the rehearsal time was really important. And my editor Bob Ducsay did an amazing job then of making it feel kind of seamless after the fact.”
Of the many theories surrounding Kylo appearing on Ahch-To, one was that he used the Knights of Ren to pursue Rey to Luke where the Knights would then attack the Jedi, causing Luke to spring into action. The root of this rumor seems far more mundane, with Driver merely heading to Ireland to create a more authentic interaction for Ridley.
“For those Force connections, I needed them to talk. And I thought that the hardest thing that Rey could possibly be faced with is being forced to talk to this person that she completely despises,” Johnson pointed out. “And also the audience, we hate him coming into it. She had to be our proxy and so that’s why in those first few conversations, she is just spitting in his face.”
Despite glimpses of the duo coming to a truce at different points in the film, their conflicts grew too strong to overcome, driving the wedge between them further. What becomes of their relationship will have to wait to be discovered in Episode IX, hitting theaters on December 20, 2019.
The Last Jedi is in theaters now.
[H/T PEOPLE]
