From Sith Lord To 'Matt The Radar Technician': 5 Shocking Facts About The Kylo Ren Undercover Boss SNL Sketch And Its Star Wars Canon Status
Few comedy sketches have achieved the viral, cultural impact of Saturday Night Live's "Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base," which premiered on January 16, 2016. Starring Adam Driver as his Star Wars villain Kylo Ren, the parody introduced the world to "Matt the Radar Technician," a disgruntled, emotionally volatile boss attempting to connect with his First Order employees. This sketch not only solidified Adam Driver's comedic range but, as of late 2023 and early 2024, has seen a surprising resurgence in relevance due to a follow-up sketch and a shocking development in official Star Wars lore, proving the sketch's enduring legacy is far from over.
The original segment, which aired shortly after the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, remains one of the most-viewed SNL sketches of all time, generating millions of views and endless memes. The latest information about the sketch, however, goes beyond its initial success, revealing a deep dive into the character's subsequent appearance and the unprecedented decision by Lucasfilm to acknowledge the parody. Here is an in-depth look at the enduring phenomenon of Kylo Ren's foray into reality television, including his full biography and the sketch's incredible journey into the realm of Star Wars canon.
The Man Behind the Mask: Adam Driver's Biography and SNL History
Adam Driver's background is as unique and compelling as his on-screen roles, providing a fascinating context for his ability to embody both the serious intensity of Kylo Ren and the comedic absurdity of "Matt the Radar Technician."
- Full Name: Adam Douglas Driver
- Born: November 19, 1983, in San Diego, California
- Military Service: Driver served in the United States Marine Corps after the September 11 attacks, achieving the rank of Lance Corporal before being medically discharged due to an injury. His service from 2001 to 2004 profoundly influences his work ethic and approach to acting.
- Education: He attended the Juilliard School, graduating in 2009.
- Breakout Role: His career breakthrough came with the role of Adam Sackler in the HBO series Girls (2012–2017), which earned him three Emmy nominations.
- Star Wars Role: He starred as the primary antagonist, Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), in the Star Wars sequel trilogy: The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
- SNL Hosting History: Driver has hosted Saturday Night Live multiple times, with his appearances often being hailed for their high quality and memorable sketches.
- First Time: January 16, 2016 (Season 41, featuring the original "Undercover Boss" sketch).
- Second Time: January 25, 2020 (Season 45, featuring the "Undercover Boss" sequel).
- Third Time: December 9, 2023 (Season 49, promoting his film Ferrari).
- Notable Awards: Driver is an Academy Award and Emmy-nominated actor, known for his versatility in both independent and blockbuster films.
The Original Viral Sensation: Kylo Ren as 'Matt the Radar Technician'
The original "Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base" sketch debuted during Adam Driver's first time hosting SNL in 2016, and its success was immediate and explosive. The premise was simple yet brilliant: Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader-in-training of the First Order, goes undercover as a low-level, unassuming employee to gauge morale on the Starkiller Base.
His disguise was a pair of glasses and a name tag reading "Matt," a radar technician. The humor stemmed from the stark contrast between the awkward, overly eager "Matt" and the famously volatile Kylo Ren. Despite his best efforts to blend in, Matt's true identity repeatedly burst through, often resulting in classic Kylo Ren tantrums.
Key moments that cemented the sketch's iconic status included Matt complimenting Kylo Ren's "six-pack" and immediately force-choking a technician who criticized the Supreme Leader's temper. The segment perfectly parodied the corporate reality show format of Undercover Boss while simultaneously providing a hilarious, humanizing glimpse into the life of the First Order's most dramatic leader.
Behind the scenes, even Adam Driver struggled to keep a straight face, with bonus footage showing him cracking up during the filming of the sketch, a testament to the script's inherent humor and the absurdity of the concept.
The Unexpected Sequel: 'Randy the Intern' and the 2020 Follow-Up
Four years after the original sketch, Adam Driver returned to host SNL in January 2020, and fans were treated to an unexpected but highly demanded sequel: "Undercover Boss: Where Are They Now."
This follow-up segment checked in on Kylo Ren, who was now disguised as "Randy," a new intern on a Star Destroyer. The sketch brilliantly played on the continuity of the original, showing that Kylo Ren had learned absolutely nothing from his first experience.
As Randy the Intern, Kylo Ren struggled with basic tasks like making copies and dealing with a condescending co-worker who mocked his lightsaber. The sequel also featured a classic Undercover Boss moment where Randy attempts to promote a fellow intern, only to have the moment ruined by his own arrogance and uncontrollable temper, proving that even a Supreme Leader can't escape the indignities of office life.
The 2020 sequel served as a comedic epilogue to Kylo Ren's story, as it aired shortly after the release of The Rise of Skywalker, which concluded the character's arc. For many fans, the "Randy the Intern" sketch was a bittersweet, final comedic look at Ben Solo before his eventual redemption and fate in the film trilogy.
The Shocking Canon Status: How 'Matt' Entered Star Wars Lore
Perhaps the most astonishing and recent development in the legacy of the SNL sketch is its unlikely entry into official Star Wars canon. This development provides the ultimate topical authority and a unique angle for fans of both SNL and the galaxy far, far away.
In a move that surprised and delighted the fan community, the persona of "Matt the Radar Technician" has been referenced in official Star Wars comic books. Specifically, the character's costume—the glasses and the First Order radar technician uniform—has appeared in the background of canonical comic book panels.
This inclusion is a significant nod from Lucasfilm, essentially confirming that a version of the "Matt the Radar Technician" uniform exists within the established Star Wars universe, making the SNL sketch character an apocryphal, yet officially acknowledged, part of the lore.
For a parody character to be absorbed into the very universe it mocks is almost unprecedented and speaks volumes about the sketch's cultural impact. It's a meta-textual Easter egg that rewards dedicated fans and ensures that the memory of the volatile radar technician will live on, not just in comedy history, but in Star Wars history as well.
The Enduring Topical Authority of the Kylo Ren Parody
The "Kylo Ren Undercover Boss" sketch continues to be a major reference point for both the Star Wars franchise and Saturday Night Live. Its topical authority is reinforced by several factors:
- Adam Driver's Comedic Persona: The sketch successfully leveraged Driver's intense, dramatic acting style for comedic effect, defining his SNL persona and proving his incredible versatility.
- The Sequel and Follow-Up: The 2020 sequel demonstrated the sketch's enduring popularity and the audience's demand for more of the "Matt" character, now "Randy."
- The Canonization: The inclusion of the "Matt" uniform in *Star Wars* comics transforms a simple joke into a piece of fan-driven lore, cementing its place in the franchise's history.
- Memetic Power: Phrases and images from the sketch—"Matt's a punk bitch," "I saw Kylo Ren without his shirt on, and he looks totally jacked"—are still widely used in online culture today, nearly a decade after the original airing.
The brilliance of the "Undercover Boss" parody lies in its ability to humanize a fearsome villain, exposing the deep-seated insecurities of Ben Solo through the mundane lens of a reality TV show. The sketch’s lasting legacy, from its viral status to its unexpected canon status, ensures that "Matt the Radar Technician" will be remembered as one of the most successful and influential SNL parodies of the modern era.
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