"Destroying the mask doesn’t contradict TLJ. Destroying the mask was out of frustration of being a knock off and failure to live up to Vader, not necessarily to let the past die. When Kylo said let the past die, he meant the Jedi, the Sith, the Empire of Old, etc. and make the future his way, a new order as per his vision.
He resurrected the mask because he felt confident that he could live up to Vader in turning Rey dark and killing Palpatine. He openly told Palpatine twice that he’d kill him after being subservient to Snoke, and actually succeeded in turning Rey to the dark side before Leia turned him back."
Yup. This is pretty much what I’ve been saying for a while now. He was trying to finish what Vader started by letting the past die; get rid of everything except for a new order ruled entirely by himself and those he cares for.
Really? I always thought Kylo Ren was referring to ending the Jedi when he said “finish what [Vader] started”.
Yep I feel he only realized what that statement truly meant when Snoke berated him. Up until then, he probably thought it just meant wearing a mask and being subservient to Snoke.
Then in TLJ he realizes he was childish to think a mask made him more like Vader so he destroys it. Then he realizes he really should be the one to replace Snoke with the one he cares for by his side (which is what Vader always wanted).