‘Star Wars’: Did Mark Hamill Really Hate ‘The Last Jedi’?
No one likes to see their heroes brought low, especially in a franchise like Star Wars. Many fans were bitterly disappointed about the way Luke Skywalker was portrayed on the big screen, and they weren’t the only ones. Mark Hamill, who played the legendary hero, had some harsh criticism for how Skywalker was portrayed in The Last Jedi.
Now fans have taken to Reddit to discuss what Hamill said, and voice their own opinions.
Luke Skywalker was a beloved ‘Star Wars’ character
Luke Skywalker was the heart of the Star Wars saga in many ways. His coming of age story was what really drew fans in. Learning that Darth Vader was his father, getting his hand cut off, and learning from the legendary Yoda made for scenes that filmmakers still try to mimic to this very day.
While he didn’t have a legendary love story like Han Solo and his sister Princess Leia, fans were still rooting for Skywalker. His arc of growing up from the young man who watched his mother get killed to someone who could go toe to toe with the Emperor was invigorating.
In the end, his choice to sacrifice himself to save the universe paid off. He got the happily ever after that he deserved. Or so everyone thought.
Marc Hamill was not thrilled with ‘The Last Jedi’
The Last Jedi was a disappointment for many Star Wars fans who wanted to see more Skywalker. Hints were dropped quite frequently that Skywalker would once again be the hero who saved the day in The Force Awakens, and the truth was hard to handle for many.
When Rey finally tracks down Luke Skywalker, he is not the man he once was. No longer was Skywalker a man who was willing to sacrifice it all for those he loved. He was a hermit living on an island by himself, and he wanted nothing more to do with the force. Much of the movie was spent with Rey trying to convince him to at least train her, so she could save the universe.
In an interview with The New York Times, Hamill stated, “That’s the hard part. You don’t want to admit how possessive you’ve become. There are times where you go, ‘Really? That’s what they think of Luke? I’m not only in disagreement — I’m insulted.’ But that’s the process and you thrash it all out.”
Fans who had been dying to see Skywalker back on the big screen were also bitterly disappointed. While it was great seeing a female lead take up the mantle of the hero who would save the day, they didn’t like seeing Skywalker as a bitter man who just gave up.
Fans try to dissect Hamill’s words
Given the fact that Hamill was one of three actors that helped make the franchise so spectacular, fans were a little alarmed that he didn’t like The Last Jedi. Many couldn’t agree on whether he simply hated it, or just didn’t like how it turned out for Luke Skywalker.
One fan stated, “Dislike it? No. Love it? No. He (validly) wanted the sequels to be the adventures of Luke Skywalker and his friends part 2.”
Another fan wrote, “He doesn’t and already talked about that in the beginning he was skeptical, but after everything, even in disagreement, he understands and supports the decisions about the character.”
Everyone seemed to agree that while the movie didn’t turn out the way he would have desired, Hamill still played Skywalker the way the directors’ envisioned it.
Other actors have detested their characters for various reasons
Like Hamill, Harrison Ford was not a fan of his character Han Solo. Even though he played the character to perfection, Ford just didn’t like the character.
In fact, Harrison wanted Solo killed off in Return of the Jedi, according to Vanity Fair. Harrison felt that Solo was “dumb as a stump,” and didn’t want to play him anymore. That wish was finally fulfilled in The Last Jedi, although it left many fans heartbroken.
