You would probably have to be living on Dagobah if you do not to know about the release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens this Christmas. In the same way, you cannot get away from constant fan theories saying that the villain of the new film, Kylo Ren, a figure in black with a red lightsaber, is Luke Skywalker, turned to the dark side of the Force. These are the reasons why Luke Skywalker is Kylo Ren Can and Cannot Work.
1) Fans of the Original Trilogy would not forgive the franchise
For fans that grew up in the seventies and eighties, their childhood is rooted in a trilogy that had an enormous sense of closure. Good triumphed over evil at the end of Return of the Jedi as Luke Skywalker was able to not only defeat Darth Vader but save him as well. Having Kylo Ren as Luke Skywalker would essentially make that epic victory null and void, which would make many fans angry. Good writing could save help assuage this fan outcry, but it would have to be downright Shakespearean at this point.
2) Switching Sides has been a theme of Star Wars
In the first Star Wars movie, Han Solo, a character appropriately dressed in both black and white, turns from a mercenary to a hero when he decides to turn back and help the rebels destroy the Death Star. In the Star Wars prequels, Anakin Skywalker is a child prodigy turned into a master dictator. Is it possible that Luke Skywalker switched sides from the light side to the dark side. If so, then that has to be told very well. A character arc that significant should be shown and not told, but Star Wars isn't known for the use of flashback.
3) There's still two movies after this, plus another tie-in franchises
It is possible that this could be a plotline seen in a lot of spy movies. That is, the good guy pretends to be a bad guy to bring out the worse guy. It is possible that Luke Skywalker created Kylo Ren like Leia dressed as a bounty hunter in Return of the Jedi. That is, a way to bring the evil to him so he can defeat it. With two other movies to come and a plan for a larger story, this would make sense. Also, if Luke has turned, then why can't he turn back like his father, Darth Vader?
4) If Kylo Ren/Luke Skywalker was an intended plot twist, it is the worst kept secret ever.
The Inquisitr has stated that it might be in the motives of director J.J. Abrams to keep Luke under wraps before the film's December 18th release, but what the agenda could be is keeping fans guessing, which also might be part of the plan. The problem is that the reason people wanted another Star Wars movies was to see their favorite characters Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Luke again, but not putting Mark Hamill in the trailer at all immediately makes people suspicious. It feels like the trailers are saying: "Pay to see this movie so you can see if Kylo Ren is Luke Skywalker." There was similar badly kept secret with Star Trek: Into Darkness as it was revealed that Benedict Cumberbatch was Khan. J.J. Abrams also directed that film, and he should know that you can't keep a secret like that in the age of the Internet.
5) It is too early to say at this point
The fact is, there hasn't been enough information given from the trailers alone to make any estimate of the plot of the new Star Wars film, and there won't be any more new trailers except the occasionally leaked footage. It looks like some new characters of Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) will be spotlighted, and they will meet the older characters from the last trilogy. However, like The Phantom Menace trailer, it is not possible to figure out the storyline with what you have been given. Especially when the story can go in any direction. Yes, most people were disappointed with The Phantom Menace, and The Force Awakens could easily be just as bad, if not worse. The Luke Skywalker/Kylo Ren plotline could be the deciding factor for Star Wars, so hopefully the right decisions will be made.
