After 34 years, Mark Hamill is going to reprise his role as Luke Skywalker in the upcoming “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” This will be the first time since 1983 that fans will once again see the Jedi knight in his full glory opposite the saga’s new protagonist Rey (Daisy Ridley).
The 65-year-old iconic star said before that he is not going back to do the epic movie franchise. But, when he read the eighth episode’s script, he knows he has to. In the cover story of Vanity Fair’s commemorative edition for “Star Wars” 40th anniversary, the voice actor talked about his return and what actually happened to his character.
The Jedi’s return
“When I read the script for ‘Episode VIII,’ I went, ‘Oh my God, we’re going back?’” Hamill told the publication. Fans get the first glimpse of Luke at the end of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” However, as he is getting back in shape to appear in the movie, he later knew that he would be just seen in the film’s very end and would not even deliver a line.
But, although he only has a minor role in the previous 2015 movie, he will have a lot of screen time in the coming “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” This includes a lot of talking and dialogues.
The backstory of Luke
Moreover, fans last saw Luke in the original trilogy of George Lucas. To recall, in the end of the 1983 “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,” he was celebrating the victory of bringing the Dark Side down with Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and the Ewoks with a dance party.
The moment he turned away from the celebration, he saw the apparitions of his late Jedi masters, Yoda (Frank Oz) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness). His masters were along with his young father Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), who was seen in his normal human self, without a scar after he saved him from Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) that cause his death.
As he went on his separate way from Leia and Han, some expected that he would meet a girl and have a child somewhere in a safe and peaceful planet. But, just like the favorite “Star Wars” couple, which relationship didn’t last that long, although they had a child named Ben Solo that became Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the Jedi knight had a meltdown.
Hence, in his return, he was in Ahch-To, wearing a heavy cloak, a hood, and nestling in what-seemed-to-be a damaged place alone.
As many wonders what happened to Luke, Han told Rey and Finn (John Boyega) in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” that he had run a Jedi academy when his apprentice turned against him and destroyed everything. The protégé is believed to be Ben who turned to be Kylo Ren. Thus, Luke went on his way and tried to find the Jedi temple, which happened to be Ahch-To. From here, the new Jedi story will start.
