'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Cast & Plot News: Mark Hamill Assures Fans That Luke Will Not Turn to the Dark Side
When Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) appeared at the end of 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," fans could not help but wonder what he had been up to during his disappearance.
When the trailers for the next film, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," starting pouring out, there began speculations that the Jedi has joined the Dark Side, considering the traumatic experiences that he has gone through, and especially because his whereabouts after the First Order took over still remains a mystery.
In a recent interview with Disney Insider, as reported by Screen Rant, Hamill explained that despite everything that happened in the past, which has continued to haunt his character, Luke has not really changed. He has not gone to the Dark Side like his father did.
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"In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Luke has lost confidence in his ability to make good choices. It haunts him to the core," the actor said. "But he hasn't gone to the dark side. This isn't an evil version of him. But it's still an incarnation of the character I never expected. It has pulled me out of my comfort zone. It's a real challenge," he added.
Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) had already tried to lure Luke into the dark side in "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi," which premiered in 1983. However, unlike his father, Anakin (Hayden Christensen), who fell for the trap and turned into Darth Vader, as seen in "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith," Luke stood his ground and declared himself a Jedi, one that would never join the dark side of the force.
Meanwhile, in another interview with New York Times, Hamill admitted that although he respected the filmmakers' decisions in the "Star Wars" franchise, he could not help but express his opinions about how Luke was being portrayed in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which was a self-exiled Jedi master, and in the upcoming film "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."
"That's the hard part," he told the publication. "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," the actor added.
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" opens in cinemas on Dec. 15.
