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Rey was told two truths.
With the death of Han Solo, the appearance of Luke gave her sense of solidarity and more. It was more than enough for a scavenger from Jakku whose first father figure she had so little time to appreciate snatched from her life yet there was one more thing she wanted. Along with enthralling experience of her first awakening to the Force, she couldn’t help but be curious and wanting to understand the meaning of a certain man’s nebulosity. This dark knight who hid himself in abyss, trying to swallow the light despite the fact he couldn’t help but be attracted to it and unable to extinguish it completely. In the end, he ended up burying it deep inside him like a broken black hole.
Luke Skywalker listened attentively to her maundering and came to realise there was a shard of hope within Kylo Ren. He knew the girl will be the one to bring balance to the Force but he also knew she couldn’t do it alone. It was his duty to both of his padawan and the least he could do by showing her the way so he decided to tell Rey the truth. This was the first truth Rey was told and not long after, she was told the second truth.
Holding her lightsaber, she arrived at the planet whose harsh air cut through her thick grey uniform. This small planet had been destroyed by Kylo Ren himself, alone. She was aware this planet had a link with the Resistance albeit weak one and not what First Order would deem a potential threat as they knew this place did not aid the Resistance in great scale. But Kylo Ren, who completed his training and submerged completely in the dark, had come here to test out his newfound powers. No life existed here anymore. The ground was barren and dead. She couldn’t feel anything in the Force that suggested a tiny breath of life that could have survived. Her eyes saddened, Rey could almost feel the pain and anguish they must have suffered through the Force as if the dead vied to tell their stories to the closest thing that walked between life and death. The Jedi. Staring at the wide land spread out in front of her, she remembered Luke’s word.
“Have you heard of a tale long ago where these people won a war using a wooden horse as subterfuge?”
Rey’s wrinkled her nose and shook her head, “No.”
“That group of people built a large wooden horse before retreating. The enemy believed the horse was a trophy and brought it back with them. But inside the belly of the horse was large number of soldiers hiding. When the night fell and the enemy were sleeping, the soldiers sneaked out to attack and the enemy fell.”
Rey’s eyes slightly widened, engrossed in the story and nodded for him to continue. They sat cross legged on the ground, their respective lightsabers resting in front of them.
“Ben, so to speak, is like that horse. The Horse of Light.”
Rey frowned, “I don’t understand.”
“I have come to realise something about The Jedi and the Dark Side. To completely divide the two and put them in conflict with each other cannot defeat the dark side completely. Those who adhere to that rule would only prolong oppression and endless struggles to those involved; it was evident we could only helplessly watch as lesser stronger one die. So I had to choose. I needed to find someone who could blur the line between the Jedi and the Dark side, but not be swayed to the dark.”
“And that person is Kylo Ren?”
“The boy is torn but his true place belongs in the Light, Rey. He is tainted in darkness but if one washes it away, the Light is brightly shining underneath it. It is merely he has dabbled in the dark for too long that it is stubbornly stuck on him like a second skin. That is why he himself has forgotten the truth that he is the Light.”
Luke rested his mechanical hand on her shoulder and gave it an assuring grip. Rey knew what he was about to say and ask and tried to shook her head but Luke spoke again.
“My existence would only intensify his hatred. He believes in Darth Vadar. But you will be different.”
You don’t want to deny his true nature, too. A voice told Rey and couldn’t seem to find a word to refute his claim.
A strong wind blew above her head. Tightening her grip on her weapon, she lifted her head and saw the sharp wings of the ship she saw long ago. The large ship casted a shadow over the land and separated the sky from the ground. The ship hovered for a moment as if surveying Rey and she stood closer enough to see a figure standing inside. The ship of Knight of Ren slowly made their landing.
Luke told her of his belief in her, in her undeniable wisdom beyond her young age. He let her know when the dark lowered its dark and heavy curtain, the Light seemed to disappear, too weak against the power of the Dark, but that very same Light would shine through and make its existence known when even the tiniest cracks appeared in the dark. To tell those who believed the power of the Dark to be absolute: I’m still alive, I’m still there, I’m still glowing. I have not completely disappeared. Luke himself was the example of this throughout his life and Rey couldn’t deny what was undoubtedly the truth.
The ship hangar opened and a ramp came down. Rey’s lightsaber was activated, glowing. At the same time, she heard the familiar buzzing of the sword and she saw red before she could see him.
The Ahch-To she had been staying was bare except for the green land, endless ocean, cliff and a hut she wondered how it still stood so strong against the strong wind of the sea. All while Luke was telling her the story, she had to imagine about the tall wooden horse. The tall wooden horse painted in thick black. An imposing and grand figure that symbolised their triumph, such gift would have been tempting to anyone. But to the lives hidden inside the horse, unable to breathe or move freely, it would have been a cruel punishment. Just like one needs certain things to create Darkness, the Light needed particular conditions to shine.
Rey’s doubled bladed lightsaber glowed yellow against his red. Their eyes met.
He did not wear his mask for the first time since their last fight in the Starkiller Base. Rey could see a crack within his eyes. Having undergone training under Snoke, he had truly been darkened.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
She looked down to stare at his lightsaber, unstable and buzzing with excitement just how its owner was feeling, before Rey met his eyes with unwavering stare. It didn’t matter how strong he have gotten.
Rey tried to seek the light within him. She raised her staff near her face, cheek dyed with yellowish hue.
“Me too.”
They were standing close; close enough for her staff to skim his black outfit he adorned when he left Luke as his padawan and infiltrated the Dark side.
“I’ve been waiting to meet you.” She answered and this earned a crooked smile from him at the implication she has been actively seeking him.
It’s time to wash away the black grime on the Horse of Light.