Discussion: Luke Skywalker/Mark Hamill

The greatest character in the saga deserves his own thread.  This is the thread to discuss the greatness that is Luke Browalker  (the character, not the poster.)
- How powerful do you think Luke is in TFA?
- Will he be reluctant to train Rey?
- How does he feel about Ben Brolo?
- What will his relationship with Leia be like?
Etc

Luke Browalker wrote:The greatest character in the saga deserves his own thread.  This is the thread to discuss the greatness that is Luke Browalker  (the character, not the poster.)
- How powerful do you think Luke is in TFA?
- Will he be reluctant to train Rey?
- How does he feel about Ben Brolo?
- What will his relationship with Leia be like?
Etc

I think, based on the rumor from Latino Review, that Leia's injury from FO attack may just lure Browalker out if his hiding. he and Leia have a bond and she can feel if he's alright or not, so I guess it goes both ways. Leia seems to have similar bond with Ben.

I think it's possible that Luke will refuse to train Rey at first because he failed with Ben. I hope they talk about Ben Brolo a lot for obvious reason, ha,ha.

I think Luke might be a bit rusty - given his years of solitude and only having rocks for company.
I do think he'll be reluctant to train Rey as @vaderito said because of what happened with Ben.
Ben is his nephew but also the cause of his current situation so it's hard to say how he feels about him.
I like to think that the bond with Leia will grow once again, when they're all on the same page and walking along the same path.

I think that Luke will be more of a Yoda in ESB-like jedi, all telekinesis and no or not much saber action. He's old so slapping mark's face on some young stuntman's body a la Dooku (ugh) would be dumb. Plus, real powerful masters don't need sabers.

I do not see Luke having problem with Rey s training.
However I am pretty sure (due to the all sorts of leaks so far) that he will not be eager at joining Leia in her fight at first.
There must be a reason why he did not do it at the start of the conflict.
Perhaps the old jedi ways not to interfere in the matter of politics (Prequel Trilogy) was the reason, somehow I think his decision to stay away is not related only to Ben Brolo disaster.

Luke will be the one to tell us (and Rey) Ben Solo's backstory!

Beyond that (and the leak that there's a scene where he's looking for someone in a casino), I'm not sure. I'm in the camp that we won't see a whole lot of him training Rey, although I'm on the fence as to whether it's because he's reluctant, the training gets cut short (by Leia's injury and/or the KOR), or both.

Luke has to have a really good excuse for taking off to the other side of the galaxy when things got bad. (I'm not saying that in an insulting way, but in the sense that the storytelling demands it, IMHO.)

My guess is that Luke's been looking for a deeper understanding of the nature of the Force; in order to understand something, you have to go back to the beginning, hence the first Jedi temple.

Luke isn't the type to run away from conflict. I think he might be looking for a solution that doesn't involve fighting.

Those are the important questions of ST, Broda...because he is such a myth to us and we don´t have much info on what has he been up to in the past 30 thirty years...

I hope that when he establishes the New Order it will incorporate the full view of the force, both aspects...so it would be something like a Dark Jedi Order...even though I often wonder about his practical knowledge of the dark side...OTH he did kiss hiss sister, so he might know a thing or two

@Armadeus I think so too...about trying to find more spiritual solution to the conflict....although undoubtedly he is a very good swordsman with more than 30 years of practicing the forms. I am quite intrigued about Luke´s development, TBH and looking forward to seeing it in ST

Arcana wrote:I think so too...about trying to find more spiritual solution to the conflict....although undoubtedly he is a very good swordsman with more than 30 years of practicing the forms. I am quite intrigued about Luke´s development, TBH and looking forward to seeing it in ST

Glad to see you're on team Luke now

I'm not sure if Rey went to find Luke to get training, or if she went to the island to get him to come back. I mean, the whole premise outlined in the opening crawl is that Leia and The Resistance desperately want Luke to come back, and Rey went with their blessing and backing. She wouldn't have gone there at all without the map which The Resistance ultimately put together. Why would their agenda change from, "we must find Luke!" to, "Well we'll just send this girl so she can get training". Maybe everyone just assumes there'll be training because this is the middle episode like ESB which had the hero training with the wise old mentor?

What really intrigues me is the first Jedi temple business. What is this temple??

Someone has suggested that Luke went to the temple to find some answers, or something that could be instrumental in defeating Snoke. Judging by his glum expression though, it seems he hasn't found anything yet.

To answer one of OP's questions, I think Luke feels guilty about Ben Brolo. He failed to help his nephew, the biggest factor could be he didn't know how huge Snoke's influence on Ben. I wonder if it led him to underestimate Ben's struggle. If Luke is the traditional, conservative kind of Jedi, he probably didn't know how to exactly address the dark side in Ben. It's like repeating the same mistake which the old Jedi did with Anakin.

Armadeus wrote:

Arcana wrote:I think so too...about trying to find more spiritual solution to the conflict....although undoubtedly he is a very good swordsman with more than 30 years of practicing the forms. I am quite intrigued about Luke´s development, TBH and looking forward to seeing it in ST

Glad to see you're on team Luke now

Well I am strong enough woman to admit when I´m wrong, if anything I must say that, although I have watched OT many times I have not really seen it the way I have seen it this last week. I was always a bit condescending about it and considered the movies quite shallow, I admit...
But then I had many insightful discussions with many many smart people on JCF about Star Wars world in the past 2 months and that really changed my perception of it...all of it...Luke the most...because I really coudn´t stand him before....but hey...better late than never, right? @Armadeus
btw good to see you here

A lot of people hate on Luke Browalker for being whiny, and rightfully so. He started the OT as a bit of a bratty teenager, but made quite the transition. By ROTJ, he's a serious Brodi who confronts the two most powerful Sith ever and is the only one that walked away. And didn't fall to the dark side. That's impressive.

Arcana wrote:

btw good to see you here

Good to be here

Glad someone got a place like this going.

Armadeus wrote:

Arcana wrote:

btw good to see you here

Good to be here

Glad someone got a place like this going.

This joint is better than the last, we´re all friends here with different opinions sometimes, but still friends

Luke Browalker wrote:The greatest character in the saga deserves his own thread.  This is the thread to discuss the greatness that is Luke Browalker  (the character, not the poster.)
- How powerful do you think Luke is in TFA?
- Will he be reluctant to train Rey?
- How does he feel about Ben Brolo?
- What will his relationship with Leia be like?
Etc

I just feel like we're getting to know Luke again since without the EU (which I didn't know anyways) there's a 30 year gap. A man can change a lot. Has anyone read the new canon books and comics?

Luke Browalker wrote:A lot of people hate on Luke Browalker for being whiny, and rightfully so.  He started the OT as a bit of a bratty teenager, but made quite the transition. By ROTJ, he's a serious Brodi who confronts the two most powerful Sith ever and is the only one that walked away.  And didn't fall to the dark side. That's impressive.

Well... I must say your opinion influenced mine to a degree...glad you agree with me that he was whiny in ANH and ESB
But what´s life without some darkness in it...can be actually quite motivational and constructive...can´t spend all your life pretending it´s not there...that´s why Jedi failed

I never really found Luke whiny, personally. At least, no more whiny than what would be normal for a guy his age. He might not be as immediately adorable as Rey in TFA, but Luke has dreams and ambitions and *wants* things. I much prefer Luke in ANH and ESB - he turns too much into a Smug Jedi in the last film for my liking, though of course his scenes with Vader and Palpatine are awesome.

I respect your opinion, but Luke in RotJ is the only Luke I can like....possibly in ST too, but what is he now? What has he become? This is the clue we need to unravel this mystery...

Saracene wrote:I never really found Luke whiny, personally. At least, no more whiny than what would be normal for a guy his age. He might not be as immediately adorable as Rey in TFA, but Luke has dreams and ambitions and *wants* things. I much prefer Luke in ANH and ESB - he turns too much into a Smug Jedi in the last film for my liking, though of course his scenes with Vader and Palpatine are awesome.

I like Luke more than Rey. I can identify with Luke, with his yearnings, even with his so called whining (perhaps cause I watched the OT as a child, and children sometimes feel their parents are being too bossy and stuff). I love ANH Luke!

I like ROTJ Luke as well, I think that's where his character was going, a smig jedi, I like his journey, but then he's not as relatable. In ROTJ Leia is my favourite character.

I want to see more Luke! Not Gandalf the White Luke. Maybe it was just a matter of not having two "wise masters" in TFA. (Cause as weird as it sounds, Han had the "wise old master" role in TFA)

Han, wise master who sacrifices himself! Wondeful character trajectory!

Luke Browalker wrote:- How powerful do you think Luke is in TFA?

Very powerful, with or without a lightsaber. I don't get why people would think he won't be good at lightsaber duels because of his advanced age; for example in the TFA novel it was expressed quite clearly that in the final fight Rey was able to beat him because she was stronger in the force (at the moment) - and force > physical strength.

Or how else do people explain to themselves that Rey was able to beat a guy a few heads taller than her? (Or maybe they just don't think that far - that would explain why so many people are still whining about Kylo being beaten by Rey...)

Luke Browalker wrote:- Will he be reluctant to train Rey?

My thoughts on this;
- Option 1: He won't train her because he f!cked up last time.
- Option 2: He won't train her because he knows that Snoke knows and he can't be sure if she can withstand the temptation of the dark side.
- Option 3: He's happy to train her to make up for past mistakes.
- Option 4: Luke is urgent about training her because the FO is aware of her being force sensitive, so she needs any power available to defend herself in the future.
- Option 5: Rey doesn't want to be trained. She never asked for this. (Deus Ex: Human Revolution, anyone? )

Luke Browalker wrote:- How does he feel about Ben Brolo?

That's kinda up in the air IMO. Maybe Luke pitied him - but how much good will is left now that Kylo starts killing family? Or is he going to stand by his idealism aka there's always hope?

Luke Browalker wrote:- What will his relationship with Leia be like?

Overshadowed by painful history coming back to haunt them. But still good and trusting - but no more kisses please.

Luke Browalker wrote:Etc

I'm really open about he he'll play the mentor role. However, that's because I don't really have a good picture of his character to be honest; I didn't like the old movies and as if meh'ing and yawning myself through a movie wasn't bad enough (except for the Vader scenes) I didn't really see much of a personality in Luke in them except for "Daddy come baaaack!!!". But I really liked how Leia and Han turned out in TFA, so I have no doubt I'll like Luke in VIII.

@arcana I agree with your thoughts on Luke in the OT. The exact moment that I started to love him was when he faced Vader in Cloud City. I thought he was super whiny in ANH, every time he opens his mouth = nails on a chalkboard for me. In ESB the peak of my anti-Lukeness happens when he is training with Yoda, and immediately after the amaaaaazing "luminous beings are we" Yoda speech, Luke actually whines more and says "You want the impossible" and walks away. I mean, really Luke?? After all you've seen and heard? Ugh.



But then after that it's all uphill for me and Luke. I admire his courage so much for going to save his friends and doing what he believes must be done in spite of Obi-Wan and Yoda trying to manipulate him into doing what they want. (As an aside, I can't believe Obi-Wan says "I can't lose you to the Emperor like I lost Vader." He's a Force Ghost but he's still as foolish as any human being who wants to possess another (all of us to some degree I think, lol). It's not about Luke really, it's about Obi-Wan's loss.)

I felt an enormous compassion for Luke when he was hanging upside down with his hand cut off, and he's like "Leia. Hear me". *hugs Luke* And then in RotJ Luke is truly at his best, the hero some of us can only aspire to be like.  <3
I'll write more OT thoughts (in the appropriate thread, lol) after I rewatch ep VI.

As to Luke's future, I hope to see him be a mentor and father figure to Rey. I think he has already forgiven Kylo Ren (like Han), and wants him back (like Leia). Just my sense based on my understanding of Luke. I don't see him ever giving up on someone when he senses there is something there worth fighting for. What he said to Anakin Skywalker in the end: "You're coming with me. I'll not leave you here."

People can change in 30 years, but to me that boundless compassion, faith and loyalty are all core traits for Luke. I don't see him giving up on the boy that Ben Solo was, Leia's son, his nephew. I don't think so.

It does seem that he still has some stuff to work out himself though, judging by the look he gives Rey in the episode VIII teaser we saw earlier this year.



If I were to describe that look with one word it would be tortured. A second word would be conflicted. And a third word would be pissed. He didn't look the least bit happy to see her or the saber.

I think they owe it to us SW fans to have a perfectly good explanation as to why Luke was not involved in fighting off the FO and Snoke. Otherwise it would be a disservice to his character, imo.

Darth Rowan wrote:If I were to describe that look with one word it would be tortured. A second word would be conflicted. And a third word would be pissed. He didn't look the least bit happy to see her or the saber.

I think they owe it to us SW fans to have a perfectly good explanation as to why Luke was not involved in fighting off the FO and Snoke. Otherwise it would be a disservice to his character, imo.

@Darth Rowan

Wow... You couldn't have picked better words to describe his feelings!

The script says that there's "kindness in his eyes, but there's something tortured, too" when he looks at her, and that he "doesn't need to ask her who she is, or what she is doing here." | Plus the script also noted that Luke is both "amazed and conflicted" when Rey pulls out his lightsaber and offers it to him

source: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/what-the-official-screenplay-for-star-wars-the-force-awakens-reveals-about-the-ending-plus-new-images-20160103


Some people took it as proof for Rey Skywalker. #whatever