Mark Hamill has shared insights into the personal backstory he envisioned for Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, while clarifying his earlier critiques of director Rian Johnson's narrative choices.
Hamill has openly expressed reservations about Luke's abrupt retreat into solitude, as depicted in the 2017 film. In The Last Jedi, Skywalker blames himself for Ben Solo's fall to the Dark Side, leading him to abandon the Jedi Order entirely—a decision starkly at odds with Hamill's own interpretation of the character. Now, years after the film's release, the actor reveals his alternative rationale for Luke's self-imposed exile.
During an interview on Bullseye with Jesse Thorn promoting his new film The Life of Chuck, Hamill addressed his initial discomfort with Luke's hermit arc.
He prefaced his remarks by praising Johnson's directorial prowess: "Let me be clear—Rian Johnson is among the most talented filmmakers I've collaborated with," Hamill stated. "His vision for the climactic confrontation between Kylo Ren and Luke was masterfully executed. The visual storytelling where Adam Driver's character reveals the red terrain beneath the snow, while my illusion remains untouched? That's brilliance."
"My public criticism of Luke's characterization may have created misunderstandings," Hamill acknowledged. "I repeatedly questioned Rian—'Wouldn't trauma make Luke more determined?' His response was that Luke's entire academy had been destroyed. But I countered that Skywalker witnessed planetary genocide earlier. Adversity should have strengthened his resolve."
This refers to the pivotal flashback where Ben Solo destroys Luke's temple, murdering his students before fleeing to become Kylo Ren.
"Eventually, Rian granted me creative liberty," Hamill explained. "I needed psychological justification beyond simple failure. So I crafted a far bleaker backstory—one involving profound personal loss."
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Hamill's unused backstory took a decidedly tragic turn:
"What could make a Jedi renounce their beliefs? Love," he elaborated. "Imagine Luke marrying, leaving the Order, having a child. Then a horrific accident—their toddler activates an unattended lightsaber. The mother's subsequent suicide from grief? That level of trauma could realistically break someone."
The actor drew parallels to real-world tragedies involving children and unsecured firearms, emphasizing how such loss could shatter even a legendary hero.
"While I fundamentally disagreed with Rian's approach," Hamill clarified, "I committed fully to realizing his vision. Any suggestion of personal animosity is completely false—I admire his work immensely."
These reflections follow Hamill's recent confirmation that he won't reprise his role in future Star Wars projects, humorously dismissing the idea of returning as "a naked Force ghost."
The Star Wars saga continues with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's upcoming Rey-centric film, set fifteen years after The Rise of Skywalker, chronicling her efforts to restore the Jedi Order. Meanwhile, The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in 2026, followed by Shawn Levy's Starfighter starring Ryan Gosling in 2027.
