We first met the Knights of Ren in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, and they have sparked quite a stir among fans regarding their whereabouts in Episode 7, The Force Awakens, and Episode 8, The Last Jedi.
If you count yourself among the cluster of fans asking this same question, you’re in luck. Let’s dive into where this group was and what they were doing during the Sequel Trilogy’s first two episodes.
We saw the Knights of Ren in The Force Awakens when they appeared in Rey’s Force Vision. In The Last Jedi, we never saw them, despite the fact they played a central role in Kylo Ren’s story. The likeliest answer is that they were off-screen in both movies, carrying out missions for the First Order.
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Who Were the Knights of Ren?
The Knights of Ren embraced the dark side of the Force in the Sequel Trilogy, serving Snoke, Ren, and the First Order. However, they can trace their origins back to 3 ABY during the Galactic Civil War in the galaxy’s Unknown Regions.
Kylo Ren (Ben Solo) led the group. And while they were a large part of Kylo’s backstory, we didn’t see them often during the trilogy, which left fans with more questions than answers regarding this mysterious group.
While they embraced the dark side, the Knights of Ren were not the Sith. They didn’t wield red lightsabers but instead used a variety of weapons.
Another major difference is that the Knights of Ren served the dark side, but the Sith ruled it. The Knights don’t have the moniker ‘Darth’ in front of their respective names, nor did they abide by the same strict moral code as the Sith.
Did We See the Knights of Ren in The Force Awakens?
We first learned of the Knights of Ren in The Force Awakens. Although they played a prominent role with Kylo Ren, we only saw flashes of them when Rey experienced a Force vision when she touched Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber at Maz Kanata’s castle.
In the vision, we saw Kylo Ren leading the group standing over people they just slaughtered and looking as though they were about to confront Rey. Other than these few flashes, the overall details in the vision of the Knights remain murky, including the time when the event took place.
However, since we know Kylo Ren destroyed Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Academy and killed those inside it, one theory is that the vision Rey experienced was Kylo Ren leading the Jedi Temple’s destruction with the Knights.
However, this theory contradicted the actual timeline, as Ben sought Snoke before the latter told the boy to find the Knights of Ren.
This led to Solo confronting Ren and engaging in a lightsaber duel with him. Solo gained the upper hand and killed Ren with a strike through the chest. By killing Ren, Solo became Kylo Ren and took the spot as the group’s leader.
What Were the Knights of Ren Doing in The Force Awakens?
Since this was the only real instance in which we saw the Knights of Ren, where were they and what were they doing during the film’s events?
The likeliest theory is that they were embarking on missions either for the First Order or Kylo Ren. There is also a chance that the Knights were taking direct orders from Palpatine’s proxy, Snoke, the First Order’s Supreme Leader.
When you read the The Rise of Skywalker novelization, you will discover that the Knights were loyal to Palpatine throughout the trilogy. Palpatine always wanted the Knights of Ren to leave an impression on Ben Solo, and to corrupt him as much as possible.
Any mission the proxy in Snoke would give them, unknown to Snoke, himself, would be to further put Kylo Ren in position to kill Snoke and become the Supreme Leader.
Did We See the Knights of Ren in The Last Jedi?
During The Last Jedi, we saw Kylo Ren become a more prominent member of the First Order. However, fans were disappointed when they didn’t see the Knights of Ren in the film.
If the Knights of Ren were such a big part of Kylo Ren’s story yet they failed to show up in The Last Jedi, why was this the case?
The movie’s director, Rian Johnson, stated that he couldn’t find a way to put them into the movie. That’s a fair point, since we see movies forced to make cuts all the time thanks to budget constraints or because directors are having a tough time fitting them into the story.
The story Johnson wanted to tell in The Last Jedi focused on Kylo Ren and the struggle brewing within him. And while the Knights of Ren could have fit into the story, it’s clear that they weren’t integral enough to Ren’s struggle.
What Were the Knights of Ren Doing in The Last Jedi?
Just because the Knights of Ren were not present in The Last Jedi, it doesn’t mean they weren’t active.
Since they were likely carrying out missions in The Force Awakens, the Knights of Ren probably played a similar role in The Last Jedi. Especially since Kylo Ren declared himself the First Order’s new Supreme Leader in the film.
During The Last Jedi, we know more tension brewed between the First Order and the Resistance. The Knights of Ren’s missions at this point were probably greater in-scope thanks to those rising tensions.
Did the Knights of Ren Appear in The Rise of Skywalker?
Despite their cameo in The Force Awakens and their absence in The Last Jedi, the Knights of Ren appeared in The Rise of Skywalker.
![All Knights of Ren Scenes - Rise of Skywalker [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FfcWEMcHpZ0/0.jpg)
Following The Last Jedi’s events, we saw the Knights return to him and carry out direct missions that involved pursuing Rey and the other protagonists.
After ditching the Kylo Ren moniker, we saw Ben Solo fighting the Knights of Ren during the climactic scenes on Exegol.
While Ben initially struggled against the Knights, he gained the advantage after he obtained his mother’s lightsaber thanks to his Force connection with Rey, as shown in the video clip at the beginning of this section.
Despite the fact they had little screen time overall in the films, their appearance in The Rise of Skywalker at least gave us more insight into their connection with Ben Solo and their relation to the dark side.
Conclusion
We barely saw the Knights of Ren in The Force Awakens, and we didn’t see them at all in The Last Jedi. While it’s unclear what the Knights were doing and where they were, the likeliest answer is that they were carrying out the bidding of the First Order, Snoke, or Kylo Ren .
While they played a central role in Kylo Ren’s story, they weren’t prominent enough to appear and play a major role in either film.
However, this changed during The Rise of Skywalker, when Kylo Ren ordered them to pursue the film’s protagonists. Despite leading the Knights and the First Order, Kylo Ren betrayed the Knights, resumed his old moniker as Ben Solo, and defeated them on Exegol.
Sion Fawkes has been covering Star Wars since January 2022, expanding his expertise in Star Wars Canon, Legends, and MCU. When not writing, you can find Sion in the gym or running trails. He also likes watching sports and listening to audiobooks.