While reactions to Disney’s Star Wars Sequel Trilogy have generally been mixed, most people would agree that the division in the fandom largely centers around Rian Johnson’s middle act, The Last Jedi.
Luke Skywalker’s character, in particular, drew the most controversy when the movie released in 2017. After nearly 40 years and a none too adequate cameo at the end of The Force Awakens, the legendary son of Darth Vader came back to the big screen in full force in Episode VIII. Though instead of the protagonist that everyone had grown to love, Johnson reintroduced us to a broken man who had no bearing of the heroism that gave rise to his popularity.
Indeed, the director opted for a subversive approach, showing that even the very best of us can lose sight of who we are. A lot of fans didn’t take a liking to this philosophy, and Mark Hamill has said on numerous occasions that he clashed with Johnson during the production of the film. In his eyes, Luke would’ve always remained an optimistic figure. So, you can imagine how excited the actor must have felt when Jon Favreau asked him back for the second season of The Mandalorian to depict the hero in exactly that manner.
Now, Hamill has responded to a tweet by director Peyton Reed, who helmed the recent finale of the aforementioned show, saying that he’s grateful to have been able to revisit his character “when he was still a symbol of hope & optimism.”
Dear @MrPeytonReed,
I am so grateful to have been given the unexpected opportunity to revisit my character when he was still a symbol of hope & optimism.
Your assured direction & kindness was a crucial element in the experience & means more to me than I can say.#ThankYOU🙏 https://t.co/yNngOQdJRS
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) January 16, 2021
Hamill is obviously throwing shade at the direction that Lucasfilm decided to take with Luke in the Sequel Trilogy. Though if the latest reports are any indication, the House of Mouse is finally rectifying their mistakes, to the point that we wouldn’t be surprised to see a young version of the character appear more frequently in future Star Wars projects.