Who is Kylo Ren - thoughts on Ben Solo

Quotes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

    Lor San Tekka: The First Order rose from the Dark Side. You did not.

    Kylo Ren: I'll show you the Dark Side.

    Lor San Tekka: You may try. But you cannot deny the truth that is your family.

    Kylo Ren: You're so right. [draws his lightsaber and kills San Tekka]

When Finn showed signs of nonconformity, he was sent to “reconditioning”.  Storm Troopers are brainwashed from birth and never given real names.  They are most likely exterminated when they show signs of individuality, thought or non-conformity. 

Maz Kanata

The only fight. Against the dark side. Through the ages... I've seen evil take many forms. The Sith. The Empire. Today, it is the First Order. Their shadow is spreading across the galaxy. We must face them. Fight them. All of us.

If you live long enough... you see the same eyes in different people. I'm looking at the eyes of a man who wants to run.

It’s the resistance

Don’t let these thugs scare you.

You still want to kill me. 
That happens when you're being hunted by a creature in a mask.

Get out of my head!

Ben Solo was a gifted and conflicted child.  Seduced by power and tortured by inner conflict, pain, and fear, he blamed his parents.  To that end, he killed his father rather than resolve living up to his father’s legacy.  He was prone to childish, violent temper tantrums, and sought only to control others.  He thrived on making others cower in fear.  He used brutish tactics to overpower and brainwash his victims. 

Yet, he always heard the call of the light, calling him back to the light side of the force, to God, to his mother, to the right path.  He wanted his history, his humanity to die, that he be released from his suffering. 

We all know that there is no release of suffering in the dark side.  That is madness in the isolation of a self-made hell. 

Anakin suffered. Ben suffered.  Their victims suffered.

Hope, Rey, the Resistance, and the light side of the force will prevail. 

“But it is our commitment, the effort of our lifetime, to be carried out with energy, appreciation, forgiveness, non-condemnation, understanding, and grief.” --Norman Fischer