Eight years ago, the Star Wars sequel trilogy continued with the release of its second installment, titled The Last Jedi. The film very quickly turned into a pop culture phenomenon, but not exactly in the way Lucasfilm and Disney had hoped. The Rian Johnson-directed film was the subject of some intense debates upon its release, particularly around the character of Luke Skywalker.
Now, all these years later, The Last Jedi continues to be divisive. Star Wars fans still argue about the Canto Bight sequence, the Rey nobody reveal, and, above all else, the portrayal of Luke Skywalker. He’s seen as a dark and grizzled hero, no longer the swashbuckling Jedi Knight that he was during the original trilogy.
There are many facets to the criticism of Luke in Episode VIII. His hermit approach on Ahch-To, his decision to shut himself off from the Force, his phantom appearance on Crait, and his death at the end of the film are all hotly debated topics. Some praise the boldness of these creative choices, whereas others are highly critical.
One person who is supportive of Rian Johnson’s creative vision for Luke in The Last Jedi is Cody Rhodes. The wrestler turned actor recently posted on social media regarding his personal ranking of the Star Wars movies, arguing that Episode VIII is deserving of a place high up on the list. Rhodes defended his decision by noting that The Last Jedi gave him everything he wanted from Luke — a darker, less optimistic version of the character. Despite all the negativity surrounding Luke in The Last Jedi, Rhodes is right, and for many reasons.
Luke Skywalker’s Mistakes Are His Greatest Strengths In The Last Jedi
Luke Skywalker makes a lot of mistakes throughout the course of The Last Jedi. They all impact not just his role in the broader story of the sequel trilogy, but the core of the character himself as well. Luke is no longer the bright and fun young Jedi, and is instead someone very different.
Arguably the biggest mistake Luke made was with the training of Ben Solo. As revealed during flashbacks sprinkled throughout the film, Luke sensed that a darkness was brewing inside his nephew, believing that Supreme Leader Snoke had turned him away from his family and towards the dark side of the Force. This eventually led to a confrontation one night in Luke’s Jedi temple.
Both Luke and Kylo Ren had different interpretations of the events that came after. Luke initially portrays it as a case of a padawan gone rogue, saying that Solo attacked him and then destroyed the Jedi temple. Kylo Ren, however, claims the opposite, arguing that Luke had come to his quarters to kill him, and that the temple was destroyed in the process of defending himself.
It eventually turned out that the middle ground was true. Ben Solo was tempted by the dark side, but he had yet to fully turn. Luke did storm into his bedroom, but didn’t attack him. Instead, he sensed the darkness and ignited his lightsaber for a brief moment, which made Solo wake up from his sleep. Solo concluded that Luke was trying to kill him, and the two’s rivalry began.
The controversy stemming from the decision to have Luke ignite his lightsaber in front of Ben, and briefly debate killing him, is mostly down to the audience buying in. Many viewers simply couldn’t reckon with the fact that the Luke from the original trilogy, full of hope and optimism, is the same character that made such a huge mistake with his nephew years later.
However, it’s this mistake, and Luke’s hermit-nature in The Last Jedi more broadly, that makes this one of the character’s very best portrayals across all media. Luke was, in so many ways, a perfect hero in the original trilogy, and it’s for that reason that the character became such an idol for young viewers all around the world.
However, Luke needed to evolve in the sequel trilogy. He couldn’t be the same exact hero that he was all those years before, and Rian Johnson took that new approach. In doing so, Luke’s arc ended up being the highlight of The Last Jedi, and one of the standouts of the sequel trilogy overall.
Luke Skywalker In His Prime Can Be Explored In Other Stories
Ultimately, The Last Jedi, and the sequel trilogy more broadly, simply wasn’t the place to show Luke Skywalker in his prime. He was no longer the central hero of the story, and new characters had come in to fill that void and usher in a new generation. Luke still belonged in the story, but he wasn’t the only driving force behind the trilogy, unlike the original set of films.
However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t space to show a younger version of Luke Skywalker in future Star Wars projects. There are always new stories to tell in a galaxy far, far away, even with older, pre-established characters. Because of this, Luke can (and likely will) continue to show up in new Star Wars projects in the coming years.
In fact, Luke in his prime is already involved in current Star Wars stories, particularly The Mandalorian-era shows. He made his triumphant return in the season two finale of The Mandalorian, ultimately taking Grogu with him to train at his new Jedi temple (which is the same one that Ben Solo later destroyed). Luke also appeared in The Book of Boba Fett, playing a role in two episodes of the show.
It’s in these sorts of stories that this version of Luke Skywalker belongs in Star Wars. During the time of the New Republic, Luke was at the height of his powers, acting as the leader of a new Jedi Order and an overall protector of the galaxy. His struggles haven’t yet come at this point in canon, which gives the creative minds at Lucasfilm a perfect opportunity moving forward to show the version of Luke Skywalker that fans have waited so long to see.
- TV Show(s)
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The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
- Cast
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Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
- Movie(s)
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Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order