Mark Hamill Clarifies Luke Skywalker Criticism, Supports The Last Jedi Director

Mark Hamill has expressed mixed feelings about Luke Skywalker's portrayal in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson. While praising Johnson as a gifted director and endorsing many aspects of the film, Hamill has criticized the motivation behind Luke's isolation, suggesting he would have reacted differently to the tragedy of losing his Jedi students. Hamill shared his own alternate backstory where Luke abandons the Jedi after a personal tragedy involving his family, reflecting a darker, more tragic character that mirrors themes of loss and failure. This portrayal aligns with Johnson’s intent to showcase a vulnerable hero shaped by failure, though it polarized fans who expected a more hopeful Luke. Additionally, new Star Wars lore highlights a symbolic and physical closeness between Luke's training ground on Dagobah and Darth Vader's stronghold on Mustafar, emphasizing the narrative parallels between the two characters. Overall, Hamill's reflections reveal his complex relationship with Luke's evolution and the film's thematic ambitions.