The Last Jedi Luke Skywalker's role in "The Last Jedi": Did you like it?

[InCali]

It baffles me why people just want Luke to be the same Luke he was in the original trilogy. What the hell’s point in that? Where’s the drama, or the tension in an all powerful Obi Wan Lukobi?

That ending was brilliant. It absolutely gave Luke the hero’s end he deserved. He took all of that guilt, anger and shame, and turned it around to save the only people left in the galaxy that he loved. He performed an act of such power with the force, it’ll never be matched by anyone again.

What difference does it make if he dies in this movie or the third? As long as his death serves the story, and carries a lot of weight and dramatic impact, it works.

I get the impression a lot of people think this trilogy is about the characters from the original trilogy. It’s not. They are supporting characters. They don’t have many of the big hero moments here, because they had them all in the last three movies. And Luke still gets the biggest hero moment of this film anyway, and yet some folks aren’t happy because he didn’t twiddle a lightsaber round?

I had no interest in more Star Wars films with Luke Skywalker as the hero. I had those. They were amazing. Now I want something different. I want Rey to be the hero of this story. I want Luke to be a supporting character that helps to enable her hero’s journey. And that’s exactly what I got.

Which Luke in the original trilogy? The one that was whining at the beginning about power converters, the dumb ass that wouldn't listen to his teacher, or the hero? Glad he didn't change in in episodes 4-6....I would have been very disappointed.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

So what did people want from Luke's exit? Did you want episode 9 to end with him killing Snoke and celebrating or getting medal for saving the galaxy?

 

[writer0327]

I don't understand...

Did people expect Luke to remain the same character, with no development or growth over a 30 year span?

 

[Brother Jack]

I don't understand...

Did people expect Luke to remain the same character, with no development or growth over a 30 year span?

I don't think most have a problem with Luke being flawed and broken, just how he's flawed and broken. Some think him having even a slight, momentary inclination towards killing his nephew was going a step too far. I don't agree, but I understand why one might think that.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I don't think most have a problem with Luke being flawed and broken, just how he's flawed and broken. Some think him having even a slight, momentary inclination towards killing his nephew was going a step too far. I don't agree, but I understand why one might think that.

You have a chance to kill teenage Hitler...

What do you do and why?

 

[blake c]

Which Luke in the original trilogy? The one that was whining at the beginning about power converters, the dumb ass that wouldn't listen to his teacher, or the hero? Glad he didn't change in in episodes 4-6....I would have been very disappointed.

One thing that doesn't change about Luke is his love for his friends. The moment he sensed Han and Leia were in trouble, he ended his training immediately. He didn't even care if he put the galaxy in danger. This is why I don't understand how Luke could remain in exile for so long knowing the threat Snoke was. Not to mention once Kylo kills Han.

 

[Spider-Fan]

One thing that doesn't change about Luke is his love for his friends. The moment he sensed Han and Leia were in trouble, he knew he had to end his training, even if it endangered the galaxy. This is why I don't understand how Luke could remain in exile for so long knowing that both Han and Leia were in danger.

He was ashamed to face them after they entrusted their son to him, and he failed them.

 

[blake c]

You have a chance to kill teenage Hitler...

What do you do and why?

Luke didn't kill adult Hitler, nor did he contemplate it.

 

[blake c]

He was ashamed to face them after they entrusted their son to him, and he failed them.

So he lets Han die and leaves Leia in danger? I just don't see it.

 

[Herolee10]

So what did people want from Luke's exit? Did you want episode 9 to end with him killing Snoke and celebrating or getting medal for saving the galaxy?

Well for starters I would have preferred for him to die at the end of Episode 9 instead.

Also, I wish they would have allowed him to successfully rebuild the Jedi Order and redeem the Skywalker Legacy, along with having formed a strong bond with Rey as well.

And while I wouldn't have had him kill Snoke, I certainly wouldn't have had him fed to Kylo.

Why did he have to share the same fate as Yoda and Obi-Wan, where he becomes a recluse hermit who dies so miserably at the end?

At least with Obi-Wan, he was able to become a mentor to Luke and started his path on the ways of the Jedi before he died.

 

[Greens]

Luke didn't kill adult Hitler, nor did he contemplate it.

Plus, this potential future Hitler is his own nephew. I would have a pretty damn hard time killing the child of my sibling because of a Force vision that may or may not be true.

 

[Herolee10]

I don't understand...

Did people expect Luke to remain the same character, with no development or growth over a 30 year span?

It's not so much remaining the same as opposed to having the chance to correct his mistakes and not die where your past sins overshadowed your entire life.

 

[Mjölnir]

Which Luke in the original trilogy? The one that was whining at the beginning about power converters, the dumb ass that wouldn't listen to his teacher, or the hero? Glad he didn't change in in episodes 4-6....I would have been very disappointed.

You highlight well why both you and the poster you quote either misunderstand what people are saying, or deliberately try to misrepresent it.

You show that Luke had plenty of character development in the first three movies without ever losing the core base of his character. The trait you could see in everything from the whiny farmhand to the Jedi Knight. The point people are making that this time they didn't manage to preserve that while writing his character development.

You also misrepresent who Luke was in ESB. What's the classic heroic thing? To be obedient to your teacher and stay away when your friends are suffering, possibly dying, or to take a big risk to try to save them? Being heroic is very often foolish and risky.

 

[Mjölnir]

Luke didn't kill adult Hitler, nor did he contemplate it.

I agree, and funnily enough I just said a similar thing in a similar conversation in a different thread.

If you were powerful enough to possibly stop Hitler when he had risen to power, would you try to in order to save millions of lives? That's a very relevant question in the context.

 

[FunkMiller]

One thing that doesn't change about Luke is his love for his friends. The moment he sensed Han and Leia were in trouble, he ended his training immediately. He didn't even care if he put the galaxy in danger. This is why I don't understand how Luke could remain in exile for so long knowing the threat Snoke was. Not to mention once Kylo kills Han.

Because he was deeply ashamed of himself. He hated how things had turned out with Kylo. If you or I do something deeply shameful that made us question our own usefulness and judgement, we’d probably want to avoid situations where we might fail again.

 

[FunkMiller]

You highlight well why both you and the poster you quote either misunderstand what people are saying, or deliberately try to misrepresent it.

The only disagreement here is whether you’re okay with the character choices they made for Luke in this movie. I was, because it made him a far more interesting character, with a more satisfying pay off.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Luke didn't kill adult Hitler, nor did he contemplate it.

What do you mean?

It's easy to kill a teenage Hitler and damn near impossible to kill an adult Hitler.

So how about answer the original question?

 

[blake c]

Something that really bothers me is the fact that Luke mirrors the fall of the Jedi in the prequels. He becomes a Jedi knight that falls to only become an old hermit. This is similar to both Obi Wan and Yoda.

I was always under the impression that Luke learned from their failures. He sees that the force is not as black and white as the Jedi made it out to be. He shows this by refusing to kill his father. He also does not adhere to the Jedi by having attachments to his friends and family.

I don't see how this movie took risks, or how this movie showed character development for Luke.

 

[blake c]

Because he was deeply ashamed of himself. He hated how things had turned out with Kylo. If you or I do something deeply shameful that made us question our own usefulness and judgement, we’d probably want to avoid situations where we might fail again.

If I knew my family was in danger, I'd die trying to protect them.

Luke is the hero of the rebellion, not a normal person. I'm sure he would do the same. If not, then he is not the same hero he was in the OT. Its a bastardization of his character. Luke is a hero.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

So he lets Han die and leaves Leia in danger? I just don't see it.

Han is a smuggler and Leia is a rebel leader. They are constantly in danger.

Is he supposed to bail them out everytime with his lightsaber all by himself.

Is Luke supposed to pretend like the jedi order doesn't create more problems than they solve?

 

[writer0327]

Luke didn't kill adult Hitler, nor did he contemplate it.

Did you see RoTJ when he was hacking away at Vader? Full of rage and hatred?

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Well for starters I would have preferred for him to die at the end of Episode 9 instead.

Also, I wish they would have allowed him to successfully rebuild the Jedi Order and redeem the Skywalker Legacy, along with having formed a strong bond with Rey as well.

And while I wouldn't have had him kill Snoke, I certainly wouldn't have had him fed to Kylo.

Why did he have to share the same fate as Yoda and Obi-Wan, where he becomes a recluse hermit who dies so miserably at the end?

At least with Obi-Wan, he was able to become a mentor to Luke and started his path on the ways of the Jedi before he died.

I think LucasFilm is taking the stance that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

It sounds like the jedi order ruling as leaders of the galaxy is paradise until their best and brightest and power structure are used to establish a fascist dictatorship.

This can happen with any mega-powerful institution entrusted by the public no matter how noble the intentions initially.

 

[Mjölnir]

What do you mean?

It's easy to kill a teenage Hitler and damn near impossible to kill an adult Hitler.

So how about answer the original question?

It's not impossible for Jedi Master Luke to kill Snoke, so the question becomes what I wrote above: "if you were powerful enough to possibly stop Hitler when he had risen to power, would you try to in order to save millions of lives?".

It's not an entirely given answer for most of us to risk our lives. It's a bit of an easier answer if you're the biggest hero of your galaxy.

 

[Mjölnir]

Did you see RoTJ when he was hacking away at Vader? Full of rage and hatred?

Yes, we did. That was under the influence of the Emperor's temptation to the dark side (and Vader's too of course), and still he actually deliberately struck against the hand when Vader was finally exposed, and then never even raised his saber to strike against the incapacitated foe. He did raise his blade against his sleeping nephew though, in a situation where no dark side influence from a Sith Master was upon him.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Plus, this potential future Hitler is his own nephew. I would have a pretty damn hard time killing the child of my sibling because of a Force vision that may or may not be true.

So you would just dismiss a vision that told you your nephew would be responsible for billions being murdered and oppressed because of nepotism?

Also, Luke was a jedi master who had been with Ben since he was a kid. Of course he had a better read on him than a novice like Rey.