The Disney Plus release of Star Wars: A New Hope allows fans to watch some rare deleted sequences, the most interesting of which is Luke Skywalker’s original introduction. It sees Luke witnessing the battle between Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer and Leia’s ship from Tatooine, before going to see his friends at Tosche Station. Though fans at last have easy access to this scene, Mark Hamill would have preferred it to have remained in the movie all along.
The sci-fi legend spoke to Anthony and Joe Russo, as part of their Russo Bros. Pizza Film School virtual interview series, and explained why he thinks this would’ve told the audience so much about Luke’s character had it been left in, from his social status to his lack of political leanings.
“There a couple of things that are good for the character,” said Hamill. “No. 1, he is ridiculed roundly by his peers. So he’s not particularly cool or popular. Koo Stark is the only other female actor in the movie… and she calls me ‘Wormie’. So I am not popular.”
The second point of interest is that Luke’s interactions with pal Biggs Darklighter (who later appears in the film as one of the Rebels) reveal that he actually likes the sounds of joining the Empire, though just because he wants to explore the galaxy and not because he supports their ideology.
“And then I bump into Biggs Darklighter, played by Garrick Hagon, and I go ‘Wow!’ You can see we’re good friends. He’s dressed in an Imperial uniform and I’m going, ‘Wow! That’s so great! I can’t wait until I can get off the dump of a planet and join with you.’ And he takes me outside and says, ‘Luke, as soon as I get the chance, I am going to jump ship and join the Rebels.'”
Hamill finds this fascinating as it informs us that Luke has “no political persuasion” and no real understanding of the evil going on in the galaxy, a sharp contrast to how he’ll end up.
“The only reason that is interesting to me is that Luke has no political persuasion. He thinks it’s great he is in the Empire! Luke wants to be in the Empire if it will get him off the farm! So he is completely pure in that he is not politically motivated in any way, shape or form.”
The actor makes some good points in his chat with the Russos. Having this scene tell us that Luke was a bit of a social outcast and politically neutral would’ve brought his arc across the movie into even sharper focus, as he rises up to become the galaxy’s greatest hero and the biggest enemy of the Empire.
Though George Lucas pulled it from the final cut, at least fans watching Star Wars: A New Hope on Disney Plus can now view the deleted sequence, which should please Hamill somewhat.