Ever since the title of ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ was announced, fans have been debating as to just who ‘The Last Jedi’ is.
‘The Force Awakens’ ended on a literal cliffhanger, with Rey tracking Luke Skywalker to the planet Ahch-To, the location of the first Jedi temple. Luke retreated there to live in isolation after a tragedy involving Ben Solo’s conversion to the Dark Side.
Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill said:
“[Luke] made a huge mistake in thinking that his nephew was the chosen one, so he invested everything he had in Kylo, much like Obi-Wan did with my character. And he is betrayed, with tragic consequences. Luke feels responsible for that. That’s the primary obstacle he has to rejoining the world and his place in the Jedi hierarchy, you know? It’s that guilt, that feeling that it’s his fault, that he didn’t detect the darkness in him until it was too late.”
But there is now some connection between Rey and Luke, but where will it lead.
This is not the innocent farm boy turned war hero we last saw.
Hamill explained:
“The fact that Luke says, ‘I only know one truth. It’s time for the Jedi to end…’ I mean, that’s a pretty amazing statement for someone who was the symbol of hope and optimism in the original films.
“When I first read it, my jaw dropped. What would make someone that alienated from his original convictions? That’s not something that you can just make up in an afternoon, and I really struggled with this thing.”
Just how dark has Luke become? Perhaps moreso than fans are ready for. After the death of Han Solo, Leia embraced Rey in a sequence that some found odd.
Don’t expect anything so warm and fuzzy in ‘The Last Jedi’. Luke’s reception is decidedly colder toward his new would-be protegée.
Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey commented:
“She’s so hopeful to everything. And obviously there’s a hint of, ‘What the hell?’”
She contrasts the interaction between the legend of Skywalker that she has created in her head to the real life relationship she had with Han Solo:
“’Oh my God, this other man that I lost within a couple days was somewhat of a father figure. Now he’s gone, and instead I’m with this grumpy guy on an island who doesn’t want me here.’”
Of course, it didn’t seem that Yoda wanted Luke on Dagobah either. And the creators are not likely to retread the same training sequences in ‘The Last Jedi’…. I mean, imagine Rey lugging Luke around on her back through a swamp or facing off against Kylo Ren only to behead him and see her own face inside. Too much.
But from the title, it seems that there will in fact only be one Jedi at the end… I’m guessing it’s not Luke.
What do you think? What is Luke’s secret tragedy? Just who the hell is Rey? Sadly, we’re Forced to wait a few more months to find out.
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ directed by Rian Johnson, stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, Any Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Billie Lourde, Laura Dern, Benicio del Toro, Kelly Marie Tran, Tim Rose, Mike Quinn and Lupita Nyong’o with Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Warwick Davis, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels and Jimmy Vee. Its “pew pews” into theaters on December 15th, 2017.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
