Although The Force Awakens gave us very little to go on in terms of Luke Skywalker’s situation, he apparently underwent a significant transition between J.J. Abrams’ film and Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Fans left theaters fuming (yes, again!) after Abrams’ revival of the saga gave them 2 hours and 16 minutes of full-on Star Wars action, but only approximately 30 seconds of a stoney, silent Skywalker. Although it worked a treat in terms of ramping up anticipation for the next installment (oh, if only we knew then what we know now), it gave next to nothing away about Skywalker’s progression from the Original Trilogy into Episode VII and beyond. But that wasn’t always going to be the case.
Speaking to IGN in a recent interview, Mark Hamill told it how it was, saying that the initial plan was to show Luke’s power in that final scene.
J.J. said, ‘Oh and by the way I’ll probably put in a couple of floating boulders to show the Force emanating from you, as strong as it is.’ So I’m thinking for VIII, I’m going to have Force Lightning coming out of every orifice of my body. You know, lifting an eyebrow and toppling AT-ATs like dominoes. That would have been fun to be that powerful! Plus, I wouldn’t have to do much. They wouldn’t have to teach me choreography to do lightsaber duels. I’d just have to do this [points] and let the special effects guy do everything.
Of course, what we actually see in Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a cynical and jaded Luke Skywalker, closed off from the Force and afraid of the ill it can cause. But what remains is the fact that, according to Hamill, Rian Johnson’s film could have been very different indeed if they stuck with Abrams’ original vision for that final scene in The Force Awakens.
Having said that, powerful with the Force though he is, the actor’s never been the best judge of the direction in which Luke’s character will progress. Famously, Hamill envisaged his return in Return of the Jedi as being clad in black robes, with a robotic hand and well on his way towards the Dark Side. Well, two out of three ain’t bad!
Tell us, do you think Luke will be back in Episode IX? Or has Skywalker had his last dance in Star Wars: The Last Jedi? Let us know in the comments section below.