Luke Skywalker The sequel trilogy’s arc remains controversial, but its actions in Star Wars: The Last Jedi perfectly reinforces its most iconic line of Return of the Jedi—and honor the redemption and legacy of Anakin Skywalker. Although the Star Wars The schedule has expanded considerably since Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker is still quintessential Jedi for many. Perhaps it’s for this reason that many viewers were angered to see Luke isolated on Ahch-To, certain that the Jedi were inherently flawed and convinced that they could do nothing more to help the galaxy.
There have unquestionably been problems with the film sequels, and some of those issues concern Luke’s story. However, many of the moments The Last Jedi that created the most outrage and backlash are consistent with Luke’s actions and beliefs throughout Star Wars movies and TV shows. Two important events in particular became extremely controversial, but actually 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
In Return of the JediLuke came face to face with Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious, who was taunting Luke, just as he had once done to his father. Unlike Anakin, Luke was able to resist the temptation to join Palpatine or attack him, but it came down to one important choice he made. When standing before Palpatine, Luke put aside his lightsaber, confirming that he would not fight. and uttering his iconic phrase, “I am a Jedi, like my father before me.”
Not only did this help Luke avoid being drawn to the dark side – as his battle with Darth Vader had already made clear how close he was to exploring his anger – but it also revealed something significant about the Jedi. For a long time (in-universe), Jedi were seen and acted as warriors. This was true throughout the prequel trilogy era, especially after the Clone Wars began. The Jedi were constantly igniting their lightsabers, leaping into battle, and eliminating adversaries, whether they were General Grievous, Count Dooku, or thousands of battle droids.
The Jedi were constantly igniting their lightsabers, entering battle, and eliminating adversaries.
However, Lucas redeemed his father by doing exactly the opposite. To save his father, Luke turned off his lightsaber and threw it asideembracing the peace and acceptance that should define the Jedi. In doing so, he saved his father’s soul, turning him 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 much of what was believed about them until then.
The Last Jedi Confronts a Simple Truth: Viewers Don’t Really Understand the Jedi
The reaction to Luke’s rejection of his old lightsaber misses the point
Although it proved incredibly unpopular, as did most of Luke Skywalker’s characterization in the sequel trilogy, The Last Jedi reinforced this message from Return of the Jedi when Luke threw his old lightsaber (Anakin’s lightsaber) aside after Rey handed it to him on Ahch-To. Although Luke’s decision to turn off his saber and throw it to the ground Return of the Jedi was a rejection of what Palpatine was asking of him, Luke’s response to seeing the lightsaber he had lost in the battle with Vader in The Empire Strikes Back echoed these actions.
Luke throwing the lightsaber behind him The Last Jedi may have felt like a betrayal of who his character once was, and was largely the reason for the interruption and backlash, but it actually reinforced what he learned in Return of the Jedi. Luke was rejecting the idea that the lightsaber is fundamental to a Jedi and the notion that he must fight; he came to understand exactly the 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 in one blow. “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 that misunderstanding about the Jedi. Despite everything that was believed about the Jedi as warriors – a word Obi-Wan Kenobi explicitly used to describe Anakin in A New Hope—Luke’s definition was again about peace and acceptance. He recalled that it was these aspects of the Jedi path, not battle, that saved his father.
He recalled that it was these aspects of the Jedi path, not battle, that saved his father.
Luke defeats Kylo Ren by playing on this false idea too
Luke’s final “battle” confirms his beliefs about the Jedi
Luke’s confrontation with Kylo Ren at the end of The Last Jedi it also reinforces these ideals. Just like Rey, Kylo Ren expected a lightsaber battle with Luke, and that assumption worked in Luke’s favor. Because Kylo Ren was so focused on fighting Luke (and so filled with rage and hatred), he was distracted enough to completely ignore the signs that Luke wasn’t actually in front of him.
Luke never intended to fight Kylo Ren. Instead, he used Astral Projection, one of the rarest Force powers in Star Warsand intended only to distract Kylo so the Resistance could escape. Once again, Luke approached a confrontation completely opposite to what many would expect given the common perception of the Jedi. Luke’s strategy was not that of a warrior, but that of a true Jedi. In the end, Luke defeated his enemy, and did so without hitting him with a lightsaber.
In the end, Luke defeated his enemy, and did so without hitting 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 pay homage to Anakin Skywalker’s redemption. Luke never lost sight of what really saved his fatherand he let that be his guiding principle until the end of his life. Especially because Anakin struggled so much with the paradoxes of the Jedi Order from the prequel trilogy, this was a wonderful way to keep Anakin’s legacy alive.
Luke’s arc in the sequel trilogy remains unpopular, but this perception of the films 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 original. Star Wars trilogy. In the end, Luke was consistently a Jedi who chose peace, acceptance, and trust in the Force over picking up a lightsaber and going into battle. These two controversial events The Last Jedi are, therefore, ways Luke Skywalker continued to honor the memory of Anakin Skywalker even after Return of the Jedi.