Supreme Leader Snoke 2016, and Rax's death in the 2017 novel "" disproved that theory as well. In his first appearance in the film, Snoke is introduced as Supreme Leader of the First Order, and master to Kylo Ren. Seduced to the dark side by Snoke, the masked Kylo is really Ben Solo, the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa. Snoke senses an "awakening" in the Force, and warns Ren that the limits of his power will be tested when he faces his father in pursuit of the wayward droid BB-8. Leia reveals to her estranged husband Han that it was Snoke's
Kylo Ren by ODESSA, a theoretical network of SS officers who fled to Argentina following World War II. Driver's casting in the film in an unnamed role was first announced on April 29, 2014. Kylo Ren was first seen, but still not named, in the 88-second "The Force Awakens" teaser trailer released by Lucasfilm on November 28, 2014, wielding a jagged red lightsaber with a crossguard. The name Kylo Ren was revealed by "Entertainment Weekly" in a Lucasfilm-designed Topps-style trading card mockup in December 2014. A May 2015 "Vanity Fair" photo shoot by Annie Leibovitz confirmed that Driver would be portraying Kylo.