The Rise of Skywalker (Star Wars: Novelizations, #9)

by Rae Carson

The girl had darkness inside her, just like Ben. But Leia would not make the same mistakes she had with her son. She would not give in to fear—neither of the darkness rising within her pupil nor of her own questionable qualifications as a teacher. Most important, she would never send Rey away.

“But no one here understands…except Kylo Ren. If the son of Han and Leia can be turned, can’t any of us?”

But the ambition that cut into his being was the thought of reigning side by side with her. They were connected. They had defeated Snoke. Together they would be invincible.

It did something strange to her, to hear her name on his lips. Had he ever spoken it aloud before? She couldn’t remember…

With this realization came another certainty, even more gut wrenching: He was relieved he hadn’t killed her.

Kylo considered it a small price to pay to encounter Rey again, to provoke her into a rage, to say the word dyad and watch the truth of it wash over her lovely face.

Between breaths, she tried to explain. “You were right. I did want to take your hand. Ben’s hand.”

Something tingled at the base of his skull, a familiar awareness…Rey! She sensed him. She understood that he was Ben again. He caught a wave of relief from her, of joy. Then, abruptly, nothing.

Ben Solo called on the Force, and dropped.

Rey continued to approach. His power was intoxicating. She found herself raising her weapon, almost against her will. If not for the other presence in her mind, bright and shining with light, she would not have been able to resist him.

She lifted her saber as if to strike— —and reached for the connection she shared with Ben. Showed him. He acknowledged her, and Rey’s lips parted in surprise. It felt different now. The connection was…right. Good. Like coming home. Ben was similarly stunned, and together, they wasted a precious moment reveling in this new sharing. This is how it should have been all along. A true dyad.

Rey lowered the lightsaber behind her back, as if readying for a massive blow. She reached for the Force. The effort made tears sting in her eyes.

The moment Ben felt the grip of Luke’s lightsaber in his palm, he knew it belonged to him, an extension of his very own self. He raised it slowly, relishing the feel of it.

Surprise, he imagined his father saying.

They stood facing each other for the space of one breath, two…together at last. Ben was different. Relaxed. Unguarded. How had Rey not noticed before that he had the long face and posture of his father, the warm brown eyes of his mother?

“Millennium Falcon, standing by for orders,” said Lando. “Mon Calamari fleet, standing by,” came another voice. “Phantom Squadron, standing by.” “Ghost, standing by.” “Anodyne Two, standing by.” Poe was not the crying type, but as everyone called in, one after another after another, liquid pooled in his eyes. They had done it. The spark of the Resistance had become a fire. “Alphabet Two, standing by.” “Zay Versio with Inferno Squad, standing by. Look at all these ships!” “Fireball, here. Hi, everyone!”

This scene is so emotional and powerful to me

Ben pulled her against his chest and hugged her to himself for a moment. He’d just found her, really found her. He’d wasted his life, he knew that now. But anyone who could have shown him the way forward, helped him be Ben again, was gone. Luke. His parents. And now Rey.

Ben poured everything into her. He found reservoirs he didn’t know he had. He gave her his whole self.

His heart was full as Rey reached for his face, let her fingers linger against his cheek. And then, wonder of wonders, she leaned forward and kissed him. A kiss of gratitude, acknowledgement of their connection, celebration that they’d found each other at last.

He had given Rey back to the galaxy. It wouldn’t atone for the darkness he’d wrought, but it was what he could do.

A voice came to her through the Force, clear and strong. I will always be with you, Ben said.

“There!” he yelled pointing to a battered T-65 X-wing. Then he hollered into his wristlink: “Look. Red Five is in the air. Rey’s alive!”

Chewie was lifting Rose off her feet when Finn saw Maz interrupt. “Chewie!” she called, motioning for the Wookiee to bend over. “This is for you.” He got down on one knee, and when they were of a height, she placed Han’s Medal of Bravery in Chewie’s hand and closed his huge fingers around it. “He’d want you to have it,” she added.

She couldn’t have survived the Emperor, couldn’t have resisted him, if not for the goodness and strength of her friends, and the generosity of the Jedi who had come before. And Ben, she reminded herself.