Summary
Luke Skywalkerhas undoubtedly been an essential part ofStar Warsfrom the very beginning of the franchise, but I don’t think Luke (or Mark Hamill) will be back inStar Wars’upcoming movies—and that’s probably for the best. Luke Skywalker is easily one ofStar Wars’best characters. Not only is Luke one of the franchise’s original heroes, but he is also one ofStar Wars’most powerful Jedi. In fact, in a way, he isStar Wars’first true Jedi chronologically, as neither Obi-Wan Kenobi nor Master Yoda were at their full potential during the original trilogy.
Nevertheless, much has changed inStar Warsmovies and TV shows, and, as the franchise continues to explore new eras oftheStar Warstimeline, it’s become less clear how the Skywalker Saga and its major players fit into newer projects. In fact,this has become particularly complicated in light of shows likeThe Mandalorian,The Book of Boba Fett, andAhsoka, which take place during the New Republic era, when Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa were very involved. Now,Star Warsmust address this issue directly in its upcomingThe Mandalorian & Grogumovie.
Everything We Know About The Mandalorian & Grogu Movie
The Mandalorian’s story will continue with a Star Wars movie. Here’s everything we know about the project, including cast, release, and timeline.
Luke Skywalker
As mentioned,Luke Skywalker was quite active during the Mandalorian era. Not only was he establishing his Jedi Temple at this time, as shown in bothThe MandalorianandThe Book of Boba Fett, but he undoubtedly would have played a major role in picking up the pieces of the galaxy once the Empire fell. In fact, in this era, he also would have been an essential support to his sister, Leia Organa, who was massively influential in establishing the New Republic.
It would be quite odd for Luke not to be a part ofThe Mandalorian & Grogu.
In light of that, it would be quite odd for Luke not to be a part ofThe Mandalorian & Grogu. In fact, the movie seems primed to seeGrand Admiral Thrawnattacking the galaxy alongside other Imperial remnants—a threat that would certainly benefit from the help of Luke Skywalker. Despite that, it’s unclear whether Luke Skywalker (or Mark Hamill) will appear in eitherThe Mandalorian & Groguor any other upcomingStar Warsshow or movie, andI think it’s best he doesn’t.
Mark Hamill Doesn’t Seem Keen To Return To Star Wars
Mark Hamill has never been shy about voicing his disappointment with theStar Warssequel trilogy. In the years sinceStar Wars: The Force Awakenswas released,he has made a number of very public jokes about Luke’s absence in the movie, his lack of lines, and the terrible turn his character’s story took in the trilogy. In fairness, Hamill is far from the only person with this opinion; rather, the sequels faced major backlash in large part because of the way the movies handled Luke Skywalker’s arc.
Mark Hamill has never been shy about voicing his disappointment with theStar Warssequel trilogy.
Despite those grievances, Hamill has continued to appear inStar Wars. More recently, he has had incredible cameos inThe MandalorianandThe Book of Boba Fett, and he has an upcoming voice role as Luke Skywalker inLEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. However, it’s clear thatMark Hamill’s sentiments aboutStar Warshave shifted since the sequel trilogy.
In fact,at Fan Expo Chicago, during his panel, “Mark Hamill Live,” it was quite clear that Hamill was working to avoid questions aboutStar Wars, even making jokes about that topic being what the audience wanted to hear. Instead, Hamill focused on his other upcoming projects and his other prior roles, avoiding mentioningRebuild the Galaxyaltogether. That isn’t to say that Hamill doesn’t still loveStar Warsand its fans—he voiced both things during the panel—but it’s clear that times have changed.
Have We Seen The Last Of Live-Action Luke Skywalker?
Mark Hamill delighted viewers by having a cameo inThe Mandalorianseason 2 ending, and there was incredible franchise-wide fanfare about his return. However,that doesn’t change the fact that Hamill’s role in the future ofStar Warsremains unclear.The Mandalorian & Groguwill prove particularly interesting because it must address this issue head-on. Luke Skywalker would absolutely have been involved in a fight to defend the galaxy during that era, soStar Warsmust make a decision.
The Mandalorian & Grogumust either include Hamill, recast Luke, or offer some major excuse for Luke’s absence.
Presumably,The Mandalorian & Grogumust either include Hamill, recast Luke, or offer some major excuse for Luke’s absence. Hopefully, it isn’t the latter, as that would repeat the sequel trilogy’s mistakes. Regardless, it’s more than time forStar Warsto grapple with what it means if it’s time for Mark Hamill to walk away. Of course, that is something that only Mark Hamill andStar Warscan decide, but it’s possible that live-action Luke Skywalker has already been seen on screen for the last time.
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Cast
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a Star Wars movie directed by Jon Favreau that continues Disney+’s immensely popular TV Show, The Mandalorian.
