Luke Skywalker’ssequel trilogy arc remains controversial, yet his actions inStar Wars: The Last Jediperfectly reinforce his most iconic line fromReturn of the Jedi—and honorAnakin Skywalker’sredemption and legacy. AlthoughtheStar Warstimelinehas expanded considerably sinceReturn of the Jedi,Luke Skywalker is still the quintessentialJedi for many. It is perhaps for this reason that many viewers bristled to see Luke isolated on Ahch-To, certain that the Jedi were inherently flawed and convinced he could do no more to help the galaxy.
There were unquestionablyproblems with the sequel movies, and some of those issues do pertain to Luke’s story. Yet, many of the moments inThe Last Jedithat created the most outrage and backlash are consistent with Luke’s actions and beliefs throughoutStar Warsmovies and TV shows. Two key events in particular became extremely controversial, but in truth, they reinforced Luke’s perception of the Jedi way and his dedication to honoring his father’s memory.
Anakin’s Redemption Redefines What It Means To Be A Jedi
Luke Saved His Father—But Not By Fighting
InReturn of the Jedi, Luke famously came face-to-face with Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious, who was goading Luke, just as he had once done to his father. Unlike Anakin, Luke was able to resist the temptation either to join Palpatine or attack him, but that came down to one key choice he made.As he stood before Palpatine, Luke cast aside his lightsaber, confirming he wouldn’t fightand uttering his iconic line,“I’m a Jedi, like my father before me.”
Not only did this help Luke to avoid the draw to the dark side—as his battle with Darth Vader had already made clear how close he was to tapping into his anger—but it also revealed something significant about the Jedi. For so long (in-universe), the Jedi had been seen as and acted as warriors. This was true throughout the prequel trilogy era, especially once the Clone Wars began. The Jedi were constantly igniting their lightsabers, jumping into battle, and cutting down adversaries, whether that be General Grievous, Count Dooku, or thousands of battle droids.
The Jedi were constantly igniting their lightsabers, jumping into battle, and cutting down adversaries.
Yet, Luke redeemed his father by doing just the opposite.To save his father, Luke turned off his lightsaber and tossed it aside, embracing the peace and acceptance that was meant to define the Jedi. In doing so, he saved the soul of his father, turning him back to the light side of the Force in that moment, after so many had tried and failed. This was an incredible lesson about the Jedi, dispelling so much of what had been believed about them up until that point.
“This Weapon Is Your Life”: George Lucas' Entire Skywalker Saga Proves Obi-Wan’s Most Famous Lesson Was Wrong
This lightsaber is actually not your life, as Star Wars has proven time and again that Jedi have to do more than fight to serve the light.
The Last Jedi Confronts One Simple Truth: Viewers Don’t Really Understand The Jedi
The Backlash To Luke’s Rejection Of His Old Lightsaber Misses The Point
Although it proved incredibly unpopular, as did most of the characterization of Luke Skywalker in the sequel trilogy,The Last Jedireinforced this message fromReturn of the Jediwhen Luke tossed his old lightsaber (Anakin’s lightsaber) aside after Rey handed it to him on Ahch-To. While Luke’s decision to turn off his saber and throw it down inReturn of the Jedihad been a rejection of what Palpatine was asking of him, Luke’s response to seeing the lightsaber he had lost in battle with Vader inThe Empire Strikes Backechoed those actions.
Luke tossing the lightsaber behind him inThe Last Jedimay have seemed like a betrayal of who his character once was, which was largely what the outage and backlash were about, but it actually reinforced what he learned inReturn of the Jedi. Luke was rejecting the idea that the lightsaber is paramount to a Jedi and the notion that he must fight; he had come to understand the exact opposite in the original trilogy. Rey’s belief in this version of the Jedi, which she shared with most of the galaxy, was precisely what Luke was dismissing.
This is why Luke mocks Rey for believing he can take down the entire First Order with a"laser sword.“It could be misconstrued as Luke acting out of character or undermining the Jedi he once was, but it’s really a rejection of this misunderstanding about the Jedi. Despite all that had been believed about the Jedi as warriors—a word Obi-Wan Kenobi explicitly used to describe Anakin inA New Hope—Luke’s definition was again about peace and acceptance. He remembered that it was those aspects of the Jedi way, not battle, that saved his father.
He remembered that it was those aspects of the Jedi way, not battle, that saved his father.
Luke Defeats Kylo Ren By Playing To That False Idea As Well
Luke’s Final “Battle” Confirms His Beliefs About The Jedi
Luke’s confrontation with Kylo Ren at the end ofThe Last Jedireinforces these ideals as well. Like Rey,Kylo Ren expected a lightsaber battle with Luke, and that assumption worked to Luke’s advantage. Because Kylo Ren was so focused on fighting Luke (and was so full of rage and hate), he was distracted enough that he completely ignored the signs that Luke wasn’t really standing before him at all.
Luke never intended to fight Kylo Ren. He had instead used Astral Projection, one of the rarerForce powers inStar Wars, and meant only to distract Kylo so that the Resistance could escape. Once again, Luke approached a confrontation completely opposite to how many would expect given the common perception of the Jedi.Luke’s strategy was not one of a warrior but rather one of a true Jedi. In the end, Luke defeated his enemy, and he did so without striking him with a lightsaber.
In the end, Luke defeated his enemy, and he did so without striking him with a lightsaber.
Not only did this reinforce what Luke had long established about his own interpretation of the Jedi way, but it was also the perfect way to honor Anakin Skywalker’s redemption.Luke never lost sight of what truly saved his father, and he let that be his guiding principle through to the end of his life. Particularly because Anakin struggled so extensively with the paradoxes of the prequel trilogy’s Jedi Order, this was a wonderful way to keep Anakin’s legacy alive.
Luke’s arc in the sequel trilogy remains unpopular, but that perception of the movies ignores the ways in which Luke’s decisions to throw his lightsaber aside in front of Rey and refuse to fight Kylo Ren are continuations of his greatest moment in the originalStar Warstrilogy. In the end, Luke was consistently a Jedi who chose peace, acceptance, and trust in the Force over picking up a lightsaber and engaging in battle. These two controversial events inThe Last Jediare therefore waysLuke Skywalkercontinued to honor Anakin Skywalker’s memory, even afterReturn of the Jedi.
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Cast
Return of the Jedi concludes George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy with Luke Skywalker and his allies seeking to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and facing a renewed threat as the Emperor attempts to obliterate the Rebellion through a second Death Star, broadening the epic battle between good and evil.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi
Star Wars: The Last Jedi continues the saga as Rey hones her powers under the guidance of Luke Skywalker. As her abilities unsettle her mentor, the Resistance faces the First Order in a pivotal battle.
