Since the Disney Sequel Trilogy started, I have heard so many different opinions about who Luke Skywalker was and whether or not JJ and Rian got him right or wrong.
Older fans, for the most part, have had a hard time with how Luke was portrayed in this new trilogy. Younger fans seem to be more ready to accept this new Luke and the decisions he made.
Last night I was watching A New Hope in preparation for this week's Rule the Galaxy Podcast. During this movie it really hit me hard just what this young man faced in just this one movie. It started me thinking about what all he faced across the Original Trilogy and how he reacted to each of those difficult events.
A New Hope: Here is a young man that never knew his parents.
He was raised by his Aunt and Uncle that loved him but were doing everything they could to keep him from chasing his dreams.
He was living when the Empire ruled the galaxy and was doing its best to keep everyone under it's bootheel.
In a short time he chased after his new droid and was knocked out by Tusken Raiders. He learned that his father fought in the clone wars, was a great pilot and was murdered by Darth Vader. So he realizes that his Aunt and Uncle had lied to him his entire life. He saw the burning bodies of his Aunt and Uncle after they were killed by the Empire. He almost gets killed in a bar fight. He almost gets killed by a creature in the trash compacter. He witnesses his mentor's demise at the hands of Darth Vader and then blows up the Death Star.
After initially denying Obi-wan and the adventure he wants him to go on with him, Luke never turns away from another challenge and never runs away or hides from something that scares him.
Empire Strikes Back: Luke is now a hero in the ranks for the Rebels and yet he still goes and scouts out parts of Hoth which leads him to get his face torn up by the Wampa.
He loses his co-pilot and still does everything he can to help Wedge take down one Walker and then after his ship is shot down, he takes down another Walker on his own.
He follows the direction given to him by Obi-wan and crash lands his ship on Dagobah. He takes on the challenges and training from Yoda. He battles his biggest fear in the cave against Vader. He faces failure by not being able to get his ship out of the swamp.
When he sees his friends suffering he still rushes to their aid. Right or wrong he did not back down knowing that he would face Vader in reality this time.
He cannot save his friends, he gets his hand cut off and is told that Vader is his father.
Again Luke never turns away from a challenge and never runs away or hides from something that scares him. People might say that jumping away from Vader was running away but that was actually the brave thing to do as the easy thing is to save yourself and team up with this powerful being that just defeated you.
Return of the Jedi: Luke has created a new lightsaber. He has trained himself and become a Jedi basically on his own after being defeated by Vader. He puts himself in danger by going into Jabba's palace without his lightsaber. He defeats the Rancor with a bone and a rock. He then faces the Sarlacc pit and with some huge help from Han and Leia defeats Boba Fett and Jabba.
He then faces the truth from Yoda, that Vader is his father. He learns there is another Skywalker and then watches another mentor pass away right in front of him.
He goes off to face Vader and Palpatine by himself because he feels that he can save his father and defeat the Emperor. He turns his father back to the light and then watches him die.
That is quite a bit for a young man to face over a four or five year period. But he does it all and does not go and hide when things become difficult.
Now I hear plenty of people saying that it made sense for Luke to hide in isolation in the Sequel Trilogy after the run in with Kylo / Ben, because Obi-wan and Yoda both went and hid after Order 66. At that time, they thought that it was two Jedi against an entire Empire. They felt their best plan was to slowly build up Rebel cells against the Empire and wait for that New Hope.
But in the Sequel Trilogy, when the government that Luke helped get established was now in charge and supported him creating a new Jedi Academy, we are supposed to believe that Luke realizes that Ben is evil. Thinks about striking him down. Realizes his mistake and then goes off into hiding after Ben / Kylo burns down his new Jedi Academy. Luke had failed many times before but he always kept fighting. He always was there for his friends and for what was right. He was not alone once Kylo went to the Dark Side. He had friends. He had support from the galactic government. The real Luke Skywalker would have done exactly what the Force Projection of Luke Skywalker did at the end of The Last Jedi. He would have come and tried to fix his mistakes and save the day like he had done his entire life. He would not have gone into hiding for all those years. This is really the part of the Sequel Trilogy that does not sit well with me. If Disney wanted to get rid of Luke and let it be about the new characters, I do not think anyone would have had a problem with that. But instead of subverting our expectations of Luke, they should have started this Trilogy shortly after the Academy was burned and let Luke go and try to save the day and be struck down in a massive battle with Kylo and Snoke. A reversal of Duel of the Fates, two Dark siders against one Jedi. Rey could have still had Han and Leia as mentors over the next two films. Snoke could have struck the death blow against Luke so Kylo could have still been redeemed and not have to be killed off at the end of the Trilogy. Younger fans could still have their Reylo ending and older fans could have still seen Luke as the hero that we all know him to be.
