Kylo Ren Almost Had A Drastic Change to His Look in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’

Following his injuries suffered at the hands of Rey in The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren appeared in The Last Jedi with a few new scars. According to the book of concept art for the new film, The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi by Phil Szostak, the fledgling Sith almost had an even more drastically different appearance.

In addition to scars on his face, one version of Kylo featured a completely shaved head. It’s unclear at what point in the movie this would have taken place, had he shaved his hair after The Force Awakens or possibly occurred at some point in The Last Jedi, but based on the art above, it was clearly a deliberate change for the character.

As seen in the trailers for the film, Kylo, at one point, shatters his helmet in both an act of rage and embarrassment, as it was made clear the helmet was an accessory to model Darth Vader and not something he actually required.

One of Kylo’s main themes in the film, in addition to other characters, is the idea of destroying the past and forging a new path, with Kylo potentially shaving his head as an act of rebellion towards the image his underlings had of him.

The decision to shave his head could have also been an act of defiance against the First Order, as many members of the military unit have well-groomed appearances. A shaved head would definitely make him stand out from the crowd while also mirroring his icons like Vader and Snoke.

The film didn’t follow through with this hairstyle change, but writer/director Rian Johnson did take creative liberty with the scars he earned in the last film and the placement of his wounds in The Last Jedi.

Fans noticed the change back in April when the film’s first teaser appeared, causing fans to ask Johnson about the decision.

“It was my decision to slightly adjust it, and that was my justification,” Johnson shared on Twitter. “It honestly looked goofy running straight up the bridge of his nose”

You can see Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi, in theaters now.

[H/T GamesRader]