It's funny how many people see "redemption" and read "atonement". No. A redemption arc doesn't HAVE to consist in a list of heroic, selfless or good activities the ex-villain performs to atone for his sins and prove that he's now good.

Lots of redemption arcs in mainstream fiction happen *at the 11th hour* and "suddenly" bc the arc has been entirely internal AND (because the villain isn't a POV) implicit (see Vader). That's not the case with Ben, whose internal torment and emotions have been shown consistently

Redemption arcs are often so internal that nobody knows the character had a redemption except a few selected people. That's because the POINT of redemption isn't the ex-villain joining the hero squad. Sorry if marvel flick made you think this is the case.

The point is the internal journey, the inner torment, the difficult process of unlearning an entire mindset, the accepting guilt and responsibility, the getting to feel again, hope again, love again.

When all this brewing change comes to a climax - the "eleventh hour heroic sacrifice" - that's where the redemption arc ends, and where life (with, yes, atonement and all that entails) should begin. (except it generally ends with death, bc western fiction is joyless)