THE MANDALORIAN January 29, 2024 at 9:48 am
Luke Skywalker receives his father’s lightsaber from Rey in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Instead of accepting it properly, he throws it away. Why?
Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) lives in seclusion in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and wants nothing to do with the Jedi anymore. (Source: Disney)
- Rey (Daisy Ridley) travels to Ahch-To to be instructed in the Jedi arts by Luke (Mark Hamill).
- Once there, she gives him his father’s lightsaber, but Luke simply throws it away.
- Luke throwing away the sword has to do with why he turned away from the Jedi in the first place. We create clarity!
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a controversial Star Wars film among fans, but what film isn’t controversial among Star Wars fans? In the film, Rey (Daisy Ridley) travels to Ahch-To to find Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). She wants to be taught the motives of the Force by the legendary Jedi, but things turn out differently…
When she holds out the lightsaber to Luke, which once belonged to Luke’s father, Anakin (Hayden Christensen), and which Luke once used himself, Luke looks fatefully at the sword and Rey, he takes the sword in his hand – and throws it away. A quick laugh? A significant moment? It’s incomprehensible to many fans why Luke treats his father’s lightsaber with so little respect.
Why does Luke just throw away his father’s lightsaber in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”?
Star Wars – The Last Jedi: Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) (Source: Lucasfilm / Disney+ screenshot: Netzwelt)
To understand Luke’s action, we must first examine the question of why Luke is in exile in the first place. The Jedi founded his own Jedi school after the events of “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi”. Little by little he taught more students, but then along came his nephew, Ben Solo (Adam Driver).
Ben is gifted with power, but also vulnerable to the Dark Side of the Force. Influenced by Snoke (Andy Serkis), he feels increasingly drawn to the Dark Side. When Luke senses this, he makes the fatal decision to kill his nephew before the dark side takes over. It’s only a split second and the moment Luke pulls out his lightsaber he wants to sheathe it again, but it’s too late.
Ben has already seen the lightsaber and understood: his own uncle gave up and betrayed him. This is the tipping point that drives Ben to the Dark Side. Luke is ashamed of his actions and goes into exile.
Luke has lost faith in the Jedi, and the lightsaber reminds him of this
When Rey stands in front of Luke with the lightsaber, which he received from Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness), he is reminded of his first days as a Jedi. The lightsaber also represents the old Jedi order in which Anakin was. It represents the failure of the Jedi Order, brought about by Luke’s own father.
The tables could also be turned: Anakin has switched to the Dark Side due to the failure of the Jedi Order. No matter how you turn the tables, this lightsaber is tied to memories and reopens old wounds. Luke had sought out exile so he wouldn’t have to remember it.
The failure of the Jedi – this is how Luke and the Republic failed
Anakin was disappointed by the Jedi Order at the time of the Republic, because love and compassion were preached, but there were narrow structures, constraints and little room for freedom or one’s own opinions. Anakin was never able to make his love for Padmé (Natalie Portman) public or save Ahsoka from being cast out by the Jedi Order.
The hypocrisy of the Jedi Order and the arrogance of not looking beyond their own structures caused the fall. And that’s exactly what happens to Luke with Ben. He is short-sighted and quick to judge, acting contrary to everything he and his new order want to stand for.
While the Jedi Order failed Anakin, Luke never doubted that he would save his father. And this unbroken optimism ultimately brings Darth Vader back to the light side. The fact that Luke himself comes to such drastic conclusions about his own nephew embarrasses him.
Interpretation
As an art form, films naturally want to be interpreted, at least on a scientific level. Therefore, these are interpretations of Luke’s behavior based on scenes from “The Last Jedi” and other “Star Wars” films.
Luke’s transition from optimist to pessimist may be because he was able to work wonders with his father by remaining optimistic. When Luke founds his new order, he wants to convey these values and, through Ben’s conflict, he realizes that even his teaching of values is not enough to make the Jedi Order functional.
This realization makes him doubt the Jedi and the whole idea of a Jedi Order. Finally, Luke throws the lightsaber away because it reminds him of everything he has failed at.
We’ll probably see Luke Skywalker again in the upcoming “The Mandalorian & Grogu” film, but at the latest in Dave Filoni’s “Ahsoka” film. We list all new “Star Wars” releases for you!
The Mandalorian rateGenreDrama, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & FantasyFirst broadcast
12.11.2019
First broadcast in Germany
01.01.2020
Homepagedisneyplusoriginals.disney.comOther SourcesNetworkDisney Play Production Lucasfilm, Walt Disney Studios, Fairview Entertainment, Golem Creations Seasons
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