Luke Skywalker are both powerful Force s with equally talented padawans – Ezra Bridger and Ben Solo/Kylo Ren. Due to Kanan and Luke’s different approaches to teaching, their padawans went on to become starkly opposite Jedi, with Ezra reflecting Kanan’s great success and Kylo becoming Luke’s greatest failure.

Kanan’s success as a teacher is undeniable. Ezra displayed a broader and more diverse understanding of the Force than Luke’s student and nephew, Kylo.

The difference between both masters highlights Kanan’s natural teaching ability, fostering a deep connection to the Force in Ezra and showing Kanan’s own mastery. While it is undeniable that Luke also has great mastery in matters of the Force, Luke ultimately gave up on Kylo Ren when things became complicated and Kylo arguably needed Luke the most; something Kanan would never have done with his own apprentice.

Kanan's Master Instilled Lessons That Kanan Shared With His Own Padawan

This Was Shown In Kanan: The Last Padawan

Kanan’s approach to teaching Ezra was unconventional, reflecting his own experiences as a dark horse choice for a padawan while he was a youngling at the Jedi Temple. In Kanan: The Last Padawan – by Greg Weisman, Pepe Larraz, and Mark Brooks – Depa Billaba specifically chose Kanan to be her apprentice, despite the fact that he was younger than the others. It was Kanan’s tendency to ask why that caught her interest, and she used that natural curiosity to impart great lessons of loyalty, duty, and sacrifice.

Learning from Billaba’s example, Kanan did not let an unconventional circumstance get in the way of taking on an apprentice he saw potential in and focusing on the unique strengths Ezra displayed. Kanan recognized that Ezra was just as unorthodox as he was, and encouraged Ezra to embrace the talents that made him different. Specifically, Kanan was able to see Ezra’s special talent for connecting with animals through the Force, and taught Ezra to hone that skill to the point where he was able to draw on it to save his entire planet from Grand iral Thrawn during the Battle of Lothal.

Ezra’s first lightsaber is a perfect example of the result of Kanan’s unique teachings, as the lightsaber was very different from anything Star Wars had ever seen. Ezra specifically designed the weapon to play to his strengths as someone who used a blaster to survive on the streets for most of his life, while also embracing the Jedi he was becoming. Kanan’s unique methodology makes perfect sense for an unconventional Jedi who mostly had to learn on his own through survival, resulting in an equally unconventional Jedi in Ezra.

Luke Overlooked Kylo Ren's Inner Turmoil, Leading To A Tragic Outcome

Kylo Needed More Help Than Luke Knew

Kylo Ren, on the other hand, was trained by Luke Skywalker. Kylo, like his uncle, had the benefit of heritage on his side, giving him a strong, innate connection to the Force since birth. Considering his family tree and history, Kylo was most likely raised with knowledge of the Force and Jedi ways. Despite his advantages over Ezra from the outset, Kylo’s path was heavily influenced by Snoke’s manipulation and his own internal conflict, showing that he was not given the tools he needed in training to protect his mind and not be weakened by the call of the dark side.

Kylo’s inability to reconcile his inner turmoil and his lack of guidance ultimately resulted in his fall to the dark side and his role as a destructive force within the galaxy.

Luke’s brief and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to guide Kylo was hampered by Kylo’s pre-existing darkness and the lingering influence of his grandfather, Darth Vader. Kylo’s training lacked the emotional grounding that characterized Kanan’s approach with Ezra. Instead, he was driven by a desire for power and a fear of abandonment, leading him down a path of self-destruction and violence. Kylo’s inability to reconcile his inner turmoil and his lack of guidance ultimately resulted in his fall to the dark side and his role as a destructive force within the galaxy.

Ezra’s own inner turmoil rivaled Kylo’s, as he lost his parents to the Empire at a young age, was orphaned on the streets of Lothal, and had to use every skill he possessed to survive on an Imperial-controlled planet. Ezra even had to watch Kanan die with no way to interfere or change the outcome. He was faced with multiple opportunities to defect to the dark side – from the Inquisitors to Darth Maul, to Darth Vader himself offering Ezra a path to the dark side. However, Ezra never faltered, showing unwavering faith in the light side and Kanan.

Kanan And Luke Approached Emotional Connection In Vastly Different Ways

Would Kylo Ren Have Fallen If Luke Taught Him Inner Balance?

The difference in how Ezra and Kylo turned out is a reflection of the philosophies imparted by their masters. Kanan’s nurturing and adaptable teaching style allowed Ezra to flourish, embracing his individuality and strong personality within the framework of Kanan’s own interpretation of the Jedi way. Luke’s approach, while well-intentioned, was ultimately too rigid and detached to reach Kylo, who was already struggling with finding his place. Inner balance is essential for a Jedi to thrive, and Kylo Ren simply could not achieve such a balance.

Ezra learned to embrace his emotions--positive and negative--and the balance of the Force internally, while Kylo was consumed by the dark. Kanan taught Ezra to trust his instincts, which was a feat that Ezra managed to accomplish with Kanan’s guidance. Grappling with complicated emotions was critical in determining Kylo Ren’s fate – dark side or light side. Had Luke been more connected to his padawan on an emotional level, he would have been able to guide Kylo more effectively and possibly sway him from the dark side.

Kanan’s natural ability to teach Ezra resulted in a Jedi who, despite facing immense challenges, remained aligned with the light side and chose to sacrifice himself for the greater good of the galaxy, just like his master did. Kylo Ren’s situation can be seen as almost the complete opposite to Ezra’s. The stark contrast between the two underscores the pivotal role of mentorship.

Kanan fostered resilience, while Luke’s detachment bred instability. Ezra’s journey highlights the power of personalized guidance, a lesson Luke tragically failed to implement. Kylo’s fall demonstrates the cost of neglecting emotional connection. Luke, as a master, failed to embrace Kylo’s individuality and emotional needs, leading to Luke unintentionally missing the signs that led to Kylo’s descent to the dark side, much in the way that Obi-Wan failed to see the signs in Anakin as well.

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  Kanan Jarrus

  A Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66 in large part thanks to his master's sacrifice, Kanan survived during the Dark Times of the Empire's reign and became an important member of the Lothal rebel cell. Kanan sacrificed much over the years, but gained much as well, falling in love with Hera Syndulla. Although he gave his life for his friends, he left a legacy behind in his own Padawan Ezra Bridger, as well as his son Jacen.
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  Luke Skywalker

  The son of Anakin Skywalker and Pé Amidala, Luke was brought up on the desert planet Tatooine. Initially mentored by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke fired the fateful shot that destroyed the Death Star, and he became a rebel hero. Despite the fears of Obi-Wan and Yoda, Luke's faith in his father was proved well-founded when Vader returned to the light. With the Emperor defeated, Luke dedicated himself to bringing back the Jedi; his first attempt ended in tragedy due to Palpatine's manipulations, but Luke's legacy lives on in Rey.