Uncertain, the future is... shrouded in the Dark Side, the Force is. Master Yoda's prophetic warnings to a young and niave Luke Skywalker may not have been foretelling of his imminent confrontation with the Emperor of the Sith, but of events soon to transpire in the forthcoming seventh episode in the epic saga. The ever darkening shadow that is the Dark Side of the force has protected its secrets under the watchful eye of the Sith Order, yet with its guardians seemingly gone it appears some of its dark mysteries remain still.
# The Mystery of Kylo Ren
It has been revealed in the latest issue of EW, that Kylo Ren is not the characters true name and that he is a member of 'The Knights of Ren', a small sect that exists within The First Order. This would suggest that Kylo Ren is but one of many of these 'Knights'; a practice that goes against the 'Rule of Two' religiously held by the Sith, in which officially there were only ever two Sith at any one time - the Master and the Apprentice.
The Knights of Ren also sounds very similar to the Jedi Knights, though the character of Kylo Ren seems to be attuned to the Dark Side of the Force, seemingly supported our theory that Kylo Ren is a Dark Jedi. Dark Jedi do not follow the teachings of the Sith, despite calling upon the same powers granted to them from succumbing to the allure of the Dark Side of the force.
Could it be that 'The Knights of Ren' are a true opposite to the Jedi Knights, a group of force sensitive warriors attuned to the the Dark Side of the Force? Kylo Rens reported obsession with Darth Vader, would seem to support this, with Anakin having been trained as Jedi before being seduced by the Dark Side of the Force and its power. Unless of course Kylo's obssession with 'the chosen one' is more personal?
# The First Order
Before being called the Empire, the galactic force now known as The First Order was known as the Grand Army of the Republic. Initially an army of clone troopers grown on the mysterious planet Kamino, this grand army was sanctioned by the unknown Jedi Knight Master Sifo Dias many, many years before the commencement of the Clone War; a conflict orchestrated by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to attain dominion over the galaxy as the first Sith Lord Emperor. To ensure his success Sheev Palpatine aka Darth Sidious had ordained that the subliminal special order 66 be implanted in all clone troopers, which when executed resulted in the death of most of the Jedi Knights, ancient enemies of the Sith.
The Empires rebranding as 'The First Order' could be a callback to the grand army's inception and creation as a peacekeeping and a security force intended to protect the galactic senate on Coruscant, as per the army's First Order; a possible attempt to regain their former position.
# Luke Skywalkers Fate
At the closing moments of Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, it was inferred that Luke Skywalker would rebuild the Jedi Council, becoming the councils grand master; the same position held by Master Yoda up until the rise of the Empire at the end of the Clone War. Having been taught the ways of the force by Master Yoda, destroying the Empire and redeeming his father from the Sith order, Luke has faced more turmoil both galactic and personal than possibly any Jedi before him. Has Luke survived these tests unscathed, or does he carry the burden of darker feelings and emotions?
We doubt that J. J. Abrams, Lucasfilm and Disney will make Luke the villain of the new movie, but we suspect his possible isolation, as evidenced from filming in Skellig Michael in Ireland, has been self imposed in a bid by the character battle the inner-conflict within him caused by his emotional, empathic nature, of which both Masters Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda warned could lead him, tempt him towards the Dark Side of the force. The latest issue of EW, seems to support this with director Abrams saying that what ultimately attracted him to direct the movie was when producer Kathleen Kennedy asked him “‘Who is Luke Skywalker?’”
