At the end of
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Ben Solo and Rey kiss moments before the man formerly known as Kylo Ren dies in her arms. It's a moment which has proved to be controversial, as some fans love the idea of "Reylo," while others have rejected the notion of a romance between the two characters due to the somewhat abusive nature of their relationship.
During an interview with
The Huffington Post, the movie's editor, Maryann Brandon, was asked about the thought process behind the kiss, and it turns out that it wasn't actually planned from the start.
"I always said, ‘The movie will tell us whether they should kiss or not. We will know by the time we get to the end of our process, if it should happen.’ And I felt it should, and [director J.J. Abrams] agreed with me, and other people who saw the film agreed. I know it’s not for everybody. I know there will be people who wish they hadn’t, but this is a film that was never going to please everyone, and I think that the reviews are kind of reflective of that. The things that certain people love, other people hated. And that’s the phenomenon of ‘Star Wars.’"
It definitely sounds like The Rise of Skywalker was a movie put together by J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio on the fly, something which was likely a result of the rushed production schedule. Regardless, it's very interesting hearing what led to the filmmakers deciding to include this kiss in the final cut, and it's hard not to wonder what else changed as production continued.
Brandon was also asked about the decision to have Ben die at the end of the movie - like Darth Vader before him, having the man who slaughtered countless innocents across the Galaxy get a happy ending would have been a tad complicated - and believes it was the right conclusion for the former villain.
"He got his redemption, I think, in a lovely way," she says. "And right after he disappears, [his mother] Leia disappears. I’d like to think that they’re together."
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will more than likely continue to divide the Star Wars fanbase for the foreseeable future, and as more details like these come out, it will be interesting to see whether fans change their minds about some of the creative decisions made in the movie.
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