Summary
DuringFan ExpoChicago,Star Warslegend Mark Hamill revealed that he’d been disappointed in one aspect ofLuke Skywalker’sstory inReturn of the Jedi—and his idea was so much better.Return of the Jedi, like the entire original trilogy, is considered one ofStar Wars’best movies, and it remains beloved amongStar Warsmovies and TV shows. In fact, many believe that this movie, which concluded the original trilogy, fully stuck the landing, giving the perfect ending to the stories of some ofStar Wars’best characters. However, Hamill’s original idea may have proven even better.
During the Fan Expo Chicago panel “Mark Hamill Live,” Hamill shared that when he had first read the script forReturn of the Jedi, he was surprised (and a bit disappointed) to see that Luke’s story wasn’t quite what he thought it would be. Rather, as revealed in a video shared byva.va.veraon TikTok,Mark Hamill expectedReturn of the Jedito see Luke Skywalker grappling with the light versus the dark side of the Force within himself to a much greater extent.
WhileReturn of the Jediis undoubtedly a brilliantStar Warsmovie,Hamill’s idea for the story would have made this franchise classic even better.
Is Luke Skywalker More Powerful Than Anakin?
Luke Skywalker and Anakin Skywalker are two of the most powerful Jedi in Star Wars, but, between father and son, who was the more powerful?
Luke Skywalker
It isn’t the case that Luke Skywalker didn’t face any temptation inReturn of the Jedi. In fact,Luke seemed dangerously close to tapping into the dark side during his fight with Darth Vader. When Vader threatened Leia, saying he would try to get Leia to join him if Luke wouldn’t, Luke briefly lost control, letting his anger consume him. Surprisingly, this anger and power nearly enabled him to kill Vader, although, because he hadn’t turned to the dark side of the Force, he was able to stop himself.
This temptation was minimal compared to what could have been inReturn of the Jedi.
However, this temptation was minimal compared to what could have been inReturn of the Jedi. Although Mark Hamill seemingly mentioned Luke’s black attire in the original trilogy’s third movie a bit cheekily, he wasn’t wrong;Luke’s stylization throughout much ofReturn of the Jediis more in keeping withStar Wars’villains thanStar Wars’Jedi, and not just because of the black clothing. As Hamill pointed out, this could have signaled a genuine pull to the dark side of the Force and a more significant conflict within him.
Arguably, this storyline would have been even more compelling. In the end, Luke still could have been a nearly perfect example of what a true Jedi should be inStar Wars, but he could have first truly grappled with a pull to the dark, specifically linked to his father and all that had transpired between them. Even without this story,Return of the Jediis an incredibleStar Warsmovie, but it’s nevertheless delightful to imagine what could have been had Mark Hamill’s idea forLuke Skywalker’sstory been used.
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Cast
Return of the Jedi concludes George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy with Luke Skywalker and his allies seeking to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and facing a renewed threat as the Emperor attempts to obliterate the Rebellion through a second Death Star, broadening the epic battle between good and evil.
