I firmly believe that a Reylo duel will happen sooner rather than later
– hopefully within the first third of the movie.
Let me explain why.
In my predictions meta, I argue that Ben and Rey will still have a lot to accomplish individually, and as a couple, after their duel. The reason? I favor Ben still being Supreme Leader at the time of the duel.
In order for a Reylo duel to be an epic, high-stakes fight, both he and Rey must be physically and psychologically “strong.”
Ben as Supreme Leader? Strong.
Ben as a newly ousted lost boy? Not so much.
Ben will be in a highly vulnerable place after he has been ousted as Supreme Leader (due to Hux’s coup). For the first time in years, he will find himself without a sense of belonging or purpose. And remember that he has given the FO (under Snoke’s tutelage) everything.
I also predict that Leia will pass sometime in the first half of the film. There’s only so much footage of Carrie Fisher they can use to keep her “alive” on screen.
I predict that Leia’s death will occur before the coup because Ben must question his choices in order to earn redemption. He can’t be loving his time as Renperor until Hux rips the rug out from underneath him.
In other words, the coup must be the “straw that breaks the camel’s back”– a catalyst in a sequence of events that pushes Ben away from Kylo Ren / the FO and back towards his true identity as Ben Solo.
His mother’s death has strong potential to be one of the key events prior to the coup signaling that Ben is on his way to redemption– regardless of external forces / the machinations of others (i.e., Hux). Her passing should deeply grieve him and intensify his conflict.
If we accept that the following points are true:
Both Ben and Rey must be “strong” at the time of their fight;
Hux is going to stage a coup;
Leia is going to pass in the first half of the film, which will intensify Ben’s conflict and make him doubt his commitment to the FO; and
Both the coup and Leia’s death will weaken Ben,
…a Reylo duel has to occur fairly early on.
It will be painful for the audience to watch Rey kicking Ben while he is down. (Not to mention boring, since we’ve already seen Rey fight Ben when he’s at a moral and physical low point).
More importantly however, a Reylo fight after these events kicks the narrative away from the soul searching Ben must engage in on his road to redemption.
Just think about it. If Ben fights with Rey after a) narrowly escaping an attack on his life, b) being forced out of a cause he gave everything to, and c) his mother’s death, it will only further his sense of rage, despair, and displacement.
We also can’t forget that Reylo is endgame, too– not just Bendemption. So both (a) Leia’s death and (b) the coup should bring Ben and Rey closer together.
This brings me to the topic of compassion.
@roxannepolice has repeatedly pointed out that we should be wary of the fact that Rey appears to have lost compassion for Ben, per the TLJ novel. (“There was no hatred in her eyes. But there was no compassion, either.”).
This is a great catch, because compassion is a necessary part of healthy romantic love in SW. In fact, we have been told repeatedly that Anakin’s love for Padme– which became full of possession, and devoid of compassion– is what led to his fall.
“You killed her. You killed her because finally, when you could have saved her, when you could have gone away with her, when you could have been thinking about her, you were thinking about yourself… it is in this blazing moment that you finally understand the trap of the dark side…because now your self is all you will ever have.” -ROTS novelization
Rey must begin feeling compassionate for Ben again. Leia’s death and the coup will help her get there. (I also think that Ben surrendering to her during their duel will be the initial event that marks this shift in her feelings).
Further, in true Reverse Anidala form, Ben must transform his possessive feelings for Rey into compassionate love. To be fair, Ben already does have compassion for Rey– he has since TFA– but in TLJ, we saw his possessive attachment to her tip the balance and win out.
I predict that Ben surrendering to Rey during their duel will be Part 1 of his transformation from possessive to compassionate. For Part 2, I predict that he will sacrifice himself for Rey (and the broader good of the galaxy) in the climax of the film. This will be the final step demonstrating that Ben’s love for Rey is marked by healthy amounts of compassion, and Bendemption will be complete.
TL; DNR: If we believe that Bendemption and Reylo are endgame, there’s not enough time – and no clear narrative path– for a Reylo fight to occur after the coup or Leia’s death. This puts the ideal timing of the Reylo duel somewhere in the first third (if not the first fourth) of the film.
So there you have it, nonnie. Thank you for the ask! ❤️
I’m not super comfortable making any kind of predictions because I feel like it really could go anywhere… but I love everything @raven-maiden’s laid out here.
I definitely think the Reylo duel has to happen early on as well. Personally I’d love it to end in a kiss… but that’s probably just my wishful thinking. The predictions above are much more realistic. 😂
@monsterleadmehome I think that Rey won’t fully surrender to her feelings for Ben until she feels certain that he is choosing a better path…. but I hope I’m wrong. 😂
If we get a passionate Reylo kiss after their duel that ends in them reluctantly parting and going back to their respective sides, that will be the angstiest, most delicious secret-lovers-on opposing-sides trope ever, and I will die of happiness right there in the theater. 😍
My girl @raven-maiden sprinkling some predictions TRUTHS on us about Ep IX.
Also might have literally wiggled in my seat at the idea of secret lovers on opposite sides…
delia-pavorum 