One of the biggest takeaways from the final, awe-inspiring trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer – you know, aside form the overwhelming nostalgia – was the absence of one Luke Skywalker.
Aside from voicing the second teaser for the sci-fi sequel, not to mention cropping up in a behind-the-scenes snap, the one-armed Jedi legend has been conspicuously absent from the marketing campaign thus fear, fuelling speculation that he is, in fact, the film’s main antagonist.
[zerg]There’s no question that Mark Hamill is in The Force Awakens, but now that the missing Jedi doesn’t feature on the poster or merchandise from the film, many are beginning to question his allegiance to the moral side of the Force. Taking place a full 30 years after the defining events of Return of the Jedi, we know that Luke Skywalker has went into hiding since the destruction of the second Death Star, but could the character have been corrupted during his self-imposed exile?
When quizzed about the nature of the beloved character, director J.J. Abrams remained mum on the specifics, simply stating that “these are good questions to be asking. I can’t wait for you to find out the answer.” Keeping the finer details to a minimum, Abrams did note that it is “no accident” that Luke has remained in the shadows of the film’s excellent marketing campaign, which really raises more questions than answers.
All will be revealed – and no doubt teed up for Episode VIII – when Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrives in theaters on December 18 in North America.