Chewbacca’s bowcaster is a one-hit weapon that can blow away any Stormtrooper. But how did Kylo Ren survive the bowcaster?
Kylo Ren is able to survive the bowcaster because of his armor. If you slow the clip down, you can actually see sparks fly off his armor once the shot hits him.
A popular idea is that he uses the Force to slow down the bowcaster, but this is not true. You don’t see Kylo raise his arms or have any awareness that the shot is coming. Kylo’s armor is implied to be stronger than an average Stormtrooper.
Han and Chewbacca find Kylo Ren
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the New Republic has concocted a plan to destroy Kylo Ren’s Starkiller Base. Finn says he can disable the Starkiller’s shields, but he has to be on the ground to do it. Han Solo and Chewbacca offer to escort him. Once the shields are destroyed, the oscillator can be damaged and the whole infrastructure will be blown.
After Finn and Han force Captain Phasma to lower the defensive shields, they split up. Finn has a bone to pick with Phasma, as he betrays the First Order earlier in the film. Han wants to place a detonator charge within the base, but he ends up running into his son, Kylo Ren, instead.
He calls out to Kylo, referring to him by his real name, “Ben.” Han urges Ben to remove his mask, so he can see the true face of his son.
Ben says the son that Han once had is gone, and he was “weak and foolish” like his father. Han says that’s what Snoke wants him to believe, but it’s not true. Supreme Leader Snoke is only using Ben for his power, Han says. When Snoke gets what he wants, he’ll crush Ben.
Realizing his father is right, Ben says it’s too late. He admits he’s being “torn apart” as he tries to realize his identity and place within the Force. Ben says he knows what he has to do, but doesn’t know if he has the strength to do it.
He is, of course, referring to ending his own father and fully giving into the Dark Side. Ben drops his helmet and holds his lightsaber, implying he’s going to give it up. Instead, he impales his father through the stomach with it, thanking him for giving the opportunity to be saved.
Kylo Ren is hit with the bowcaster
In anger, Chewbacca loads back his bowcaster and fires a shot right into Kylo Ren’s hip. Clearly in pain, Kylo holds his side and falls to one knee.
A common theory is that Kylo lives from the bowcaster by quickly using the Force, but this can’t be true. We don’t see Kylo raise his arm or show any indication that he’s slowing down the shot.
In actuality, Kylo survives the bowcaster due to his armor. Most Stormtroopers explode after being hit with the bow, but Kylo taking the shit and surviving implies that his armor is more powerful than a typical set.