Is there another Star Wars movie as divisive as The Last Jedi?
Probably not, but Rian Johnson, the creative mind responsible for Episode VIII, has welcomed the at-times heated debate on the belief that The Last Jedi is a movie worth debating. And that’s putting it mildly.
But thanks to the film’s novelization, these past few weeks have brought forth new intel on Leia’s fate, Luke’s long-lost wife, and the scrapped romance between Rey and Kylo Ren (or should that be Reylo?). Though most movie novelizations nowadays don’t hold too much interest for fans, that’s not true when it comes to Star Wars, as the books based on the hit films always feature some intriguing new details and scenes that weren’t depicted on the big screen, helping to flesh out the world and its characters just that little bit more. And when it comes to The Last Jedi, it’s no different.
Case in point: Screen Rant has now combed through the pages of the novel to put together an exhaustive list of every major reveal, and there’s a ton of interesting stuff for fans to dive into. Though none of it will change your opinion on the movie itself, those yearning to learn a little bit more about the characters and their stories will surely find lots to enjoy.
For starters, the novelization paints a picture of an even more world weary and depressed Luke Skywalker, as we see him dreaming of an alternate life, one where he’d chosen a different path. Here, Luke stays on Tatoonie, becomes a moisture farmer and grows old with his wife, Camie. Eventually, he wakes up from the dream, only feeling even more confused and conflicted, giving us a small moment that’s another interesting bit of characterization for him.
Sticking with Mark Hamill’s Jedi Master, there’s also a scene in the novel where he’s actually willing to leave Ahch-To with Rey to go help out Leia and the Resistance. He’s all ready to go, in fact, until he sees Rey communicating with Kylo in her hut, when they have their fight. It’s at this point he realizes that Ben Solo is too far gone and Rey needs to learn on her own that things aren’t going to go the way she thinks they will.
Moving on, and one of the novelization’s most talked about scenes is, of course, Han Solo’s funeral. Unfortunately, The Last Jedi didn’t have much time to spend focusing on the loss of the fan favorite character, but in the novel, the Resistance actually holds a memorial service for him, with Leia making a speech to honor the fallen hero.
Speaking of which, Carrie Fisher’s princess also gets a nice moment in the book, as she shares a private scene with Chewbacca in the Falcon’s cockpit. Taking place after having escaped the mineral world of Crait by the skin of their teeth, Leia and the remnants of the Resistance begin making preparations for life after Luke Skywalker. It’s here that Leia looks up to her Wookiee ally and says “it’s just us now.” We’re not crying, you’re crying!