Mark Hamill came up with a seriously dark backstory to explain why Luke Skywalker is a reserved loner in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
“I thought, what could make someone give up a devotion to what is basically a religious entity, to give up being a Jedi. Well, the love of a woman,” Hamill explained on the Bullseye with Jesse Thorn podcast. “So he falls in love with a woman. He gives up being a Jedi. They have a child together. At some point the child, as a toddler, picks up an unattended lightsaber, pushes the button and is killed instantly. The wife is so full of grief, she kills herself.”
In The Last Jedi, Rey (Daisy Ridley) attempts to recruit Luke to the Force, but he refuses to at first, telling her that he believes there should be no more Jedi. He even contemplates burning down the Jedi library before the spirit of Yoda appears and does it for him.
It’s worth noting that in the Star Wars Legends continuity, Luke has a wife named Mara Jade and a son named Ben – neither of which are dead. However, the Legends series isn’t considered canon, and George Lucas has remained adamant about the fact that Jedi should be alone. Still, we appreciate Hamill’s creativity.
The Last Jedi is streaming now on Disney Plus. For more, check out our list of the best Disney Plus movies to stream right now, or, check out our list of all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows you need to know about.
