When I found you, I saw what all masters live to see. Raw, untamed power…and beyond that, something truly special. The potential of your bloodline. A new Vader…
—Snoke, to Kylo Ren
Ben Solo was a legendary force-sensitive human male Jedi Knight who fought on the side of the Resistance in the war against the First Order. He was born at the end of the Galactic Civil War in 5 ABY, when the Galactic Empire surrendered to the New Republic. His parents, General Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa, were considered great heroes of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, as was his maternal uncle, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. The heir to the Skywalker bloodline, Ben Solo possessed raw strength in the Force and had the potential for limitless power, much like his maternal grandfather, Anakin Skywalker.
In 15 ABY, during the New Republic Era, Solo joined a new generation of Jedi apprentices trained by his uncle. Inspired by the legacy of his family, Solo sought to become a Jedi Knight, mastering the light side of the Force as he trained with the other students at Skywalker's training temple, ultimately proving to be the most gifted and strongest Padawan. In 19 ABY, Solo accompanied his uncle on a mission to the planet of Elphrona, and there he witnessed Skywalker do battle with mysterious group that utilized the dark side, known as the Knights of Ren. As his training continued, Solo's insecurities only continued to grow. The legacy of his family burdened heavily on him, especially as he reached the age his grandfather and uncle did when they reached their first amazing milestones as Jedi.
In 28 ABY, a confrontation initiated by Skywalker resulted in Solo nearly turning against the Jedi and falling to the dark side. Solo watched his master's training temple be destroyed, which killed his fellow students, and then fled to his mother to find solace. Skywalker vanished, the Jedi Order was destroyed again, and Ben disowned his family after the lies they had told him were revealed.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
I know where you come from. Before you called yourself Kylo Ren.
—Lor San Tekka
Ben Solo was born in 5 ABY on Chandrila to his parents; Alderaanian Princess Leia Organa and Rebellion General Han Solo. Solo was Force-sensitive and possessed prodigious strength by virtue of his Skywalker lineage, much like his mother, uncle, and grandfather. Organa was with Solo for multiple milestones: when he took his first steps, when he said his first word, and when he first instinctively harnessed the power of the Force to telekinetically throw a toy across the room in anger. As a toddler, Solo continued to demonstrate his ability to use the Force without either anger or training to bring objects to himself.
Solo was prone to crying as an infant, particularly in the first months of his life, and had difficulty falling asleep. He would settle to sleep when he was held by his father or upon sensing the presence of his parents or their friend, Han's Wookiee First Mate Chewbacca. As a toddler, Ben enjoyed playing with the gold dice that belonged to his father and would often follow him around. The boy aspired to become a pilot like his father having inherited piloting skills from him and maternal grandfather.
Solo grew close to his parents' friends in his childhood; in particular, he showed great affection toward Lando Calrissian, whom he referred to as "Unca Wanwo" and who told him stories of Han's days as a smuggler. Chewbacca, whom Solo referred to as "Uncle Chewie," mentored him as he learned how to fly a speeder and fire a blaster, and he sometimes provided childcare when the boy's parents were occupied with their respective careers.
Despite being happy in his youth, Solo had a difficult childhood; As the Force awakened in young Solo, his parents recognized that he needed guidance despite their efforts to build a normal life for him. Solo had unintentionally destroyed objects with the Force when angry and had already developed a sense of loneliness due to his parents being so busy and occupied with their respective careers. He also was led to believe that his parents thought he was disturbed, having overheard their conversations about him and his lack of control over his innate Force abilities.
Dark influences[]
Resurrected on Exegol, Darth Sidious conspired to turn Anakin Skywalker's grandson to the dark side of the Force.
Throughout his life, Solo had long heard a dark voice inside his mind, and he assumed it to be Snoke. Snoke was a mysterious enigmatic figure strong with the dark side of the Force, who, because Solo's heritage of Anakin Skywalker's grandson, saw a focal point within the boy, believing he had the right balance of both light and the dark, and desired to claim him as his own apprentice. Though his origins were a mystery even to the First Order, Snoke was created by the phantom Emperor Darth Sidious and designed by the Sith Eternal cultists to mold Solo into an heir worthy of inheriting the Sith legacy.
Sidious himself had been the apex of all the dark influence over the young child's mind. The voice told Solo secrets and provided him warnings of danger, comforting and guiding him, while it also used his insecurities against him, making him believe he was weak and could not survive without the voice.
Snoke was a tool utilized by Darth Sidious to convert Ben Solo to the dark side like his grandfather before him.
Invested in the powerful bloodline of his last apprentice, Sidious intended to convert Solo to the dark side as he did with the child's grandfather. He therefore used Snoke as a proxy to hold sway over Solo. In addition, Sidious infiltrated Solo's mind through the Force, influencing his thoughts and actions in order to turn him against his family and the light side.
Beginning from his early childhood, Solo was drawn toward the dark side of the Force by Snoke. Solo's doubts about his family were encouraged by voices that communicated with him telepathically throughout his young life, Snoke included. The dark side adept seduced Solo, utilizing his fascination for his family legacy, desperate need for a teacher, and feelings of abandonment as tools, sowing doubts and corrupting the young boy with darkness.
Jedi training[]
Apprentice of Luke Skywalker[]
Ben Solo together with his uncle and Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker.
Beyond Snoke's influence, Organa recognized similarities between her son and her father; therefore, she counted on her brother to train Solo and prevent him from following his grandfather down the path of the dark side and find balance. In 15 ABY, Solo began training under his uncle, Luke Skywalker, as a Jedi Padawan. As master and apprentice, the pair traveled across the galaxy as they searched for lost lore of the Force, accumulating artifacts and learning more about the Jedi Order's ancient history in the hope of fully restoring it.
Through his training, Solo developed a strong sense of devotion to the ways of the Jedi; he endeavored to gain greater knowledge of the Force and ways of the Jedi Order, desired to prove himself worthy of inheriting the mantle of a Jedi Knight, and learned a great deal of the teachings about the light side of the Force. Solo constructed his own blue-bladed lightsaber and became skilled with its use, carrying the blade throughout his apprenticeship with Skywalker.
As the grandson of the Chosen One and nephew of the last Jedi, Solo felt immensely pressured to live to the Skywalker family legacy, a burden that weighed heavily upon him and ultimately fueled his insecurities.
Fellow apprentices[]
Solo was soon joined by more Padawans on Ossus.
After roughly a year of being Skywalker's only apprentice, in 16 ABY, Solo would become acquainted with three more students, Hennix, Tai, and Voe, the first padawans of Luke to join the initiative of rebuilding the Jedi Order on Ossus. As such, they became acquainted with his first and strongest pupil. As younglings, they would sit on the temple grounds and learn about the Force through Skywalker's lectures while simultaneously honing their skills by levitating rocks. Together they were all trained in lightsaber combat, meditation, and telekinesis.
His relationships with the other students were different. Hennix could make Solo laugh, and Tai tried to help him cope with the pressures of being a Skywalker. Solo assured his fellow Jedi student that he held nothing back, but through the Force Tai perceived a side to Solo that he hid from the others, including himself. Solo listened, but said nothing while Tai expressed his belief that everyone should be themselves.
Solo found a rival within Voe, a fellow student, during his time at Skywalker's Jedi temple.
In Voe, despite being friends, Solo found a rival to push himself against during their training, Voe trying to surpass and beat her fellow Jedi at nearly everything within their training. At one point, in 17 ABY, he defeated Voe in a sparring match. As their training progressed, Solo suspected that Voe resented him for his power.
Amongst all these students, in terms of Force powers and lightsaber skill, Solo was the most gifted; Solo's natural affinity with the Force did not go unnoticed by his peers, particularly Voe, who struggled to hone her skills despite training just as hard as Skywalker's nephew. While training on the temple grounds, Voe watched as Solo levitated a large rock with ease, and wondered why he was far stronger than her. According to Skywalker, however, strength had nothing to do with how the Force worked. He likened using the Force to opening a door, explaining that the Force flowed more easily through those who were open to its energy. Notwithstanding Skywalker's view on the Force, Solo surpassed his peers in every aspect of their training, including lightsaber combat and meditation.
Exploring the galaxy[]
In 19 ABY, at the age of 14, Solo accompanied his uncle to uncover knowledge of the Jedi Order. Lor San Tekka, a traveler noted for his expertise on the Jedi Order, informed Skywalker about the discovery of an ancient Jedi outpost on the planet Elphrona. Embarking on a mission to investigate San Tekka's findings, Skywalker brought his apprentice with him, knowing that, like himself, Solo was interested in discovering Jedi artifacts. Along the way, Solo was contacted by Snoke without Skywalker's knowledge. Snoke, having sensed anxiety in Solo, inquired after the boy's state of mind. They conversed telepathically while Skywalker and San Tekka talked about the outpost, noting that it may have dated as far back as the High Republic Era, when the Jedi greatly expanded their activity throughout the galaxy.
On a mission with his uncle, Solo and Skywalker encountered and battled the Knights of Ren.
Solo digressed about the length of their journey, traveling to the edge between the known galaxy and unexplored space. He believed that his Master would only collect what they found but never use any of it, to which Snoke stated that the Jedi had a history of hoarding knowledge, believing themselves to be masters of the Force. As Solo's unrest grew, he became melancholic at having nothing to do on this mission except to follow Skywalker's lead. Though he expressed admiration for his uncle as a teacher, Solo confided in Snoke his belief that Skywalker was holding him back in his evolution as a Jedi. Snoke told Solo that his Master only saw him as a child, but, in time, he would become aware of his apprentice's true potential.
Their private conversation was interrupted by Skywalker and San Tekka; as they drew closer to Elphrona, Skywalker talked about how they not only had a chance to gain new insights into the ancient Jedi, but also how the mission could give Solo an opportunity to indulge his fascination with ancient weapons, knowing that his pupil was particularly interested in them. Solo smiled when his Master expressed how pleased he was to have his apprentice by his side, and told Skywalker that he felt the same. The outpost that they discovered was well preserved and the entrance intact. Both master and apprentice were impressed by it, though Skywalker warned that they should exercise caution while exploring the outpost, recounting a similar situation that nearly ended with his death in years past. The outpost was a repository of holocrons and other artifacts that Skywalker likened to a treasure trove. Solo had been inspecting a lightsaber rifle up close when he and his Master grew cold upon sensing the power of the dark side.
Though the Knights were defeated by Skywalker, the warrior known as Ren sensed the "darkness" within Solo.
A group of marauders, dressed in black, had entered the outpost after the two Jedi and their explorer companion. A warrior calling himself "Ren" spoke on the group's behalf, declaring that the outpost and its contents were claimed by the Knights of Ren. Rejecting the Knights' claim, Skywalker drew his green-bladed lightsaber and introduced himself as the last Jedi, and therefore, the heir to all that belonged to the Order. Solo also activated his lightsaber, but remained out of the ensuing fight, as Skywalker instructed him to protect San Tekka.
Ren conceded the battle after his Knights were defeated by Skywalker. During the confrontation, however, he sensed that the dark side was strong with Solo. He invited Solo to seek out the Knights in the future, offering to teach the young apprentice about aspects of the Force contrary to Jedi teachings.