The role of the Jedi in the galaxy has been a central part of every Star Wars film except Rogue One. We’ve seen the Jedi all over the universe—and we’ve seen how their numbers have dwindled. How will Episode VIII, the next part of the Skywalker saga, carry the torch forward? The just announced title might give us a hint. Episode VIII is Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
StarWars.com revealed the title for the film written and directed by Rian Johnson on January 23. Oh and hey, they showed off a logo:
What could it mean? The Force Awakens hinted at Luke Skywalker being the last of the Jedi. He did train others in the way of the Force, but something happened to his students and whether or not that was the cause, Luke withdrew from the galaxy. He seemingly fulfilled Yoda’s, “When gone I am, the last of the Jedi will you be” statement in Return of the Jedi.
But then came Rey. She demonstrated strength with the Force, and with the help of the map from Lor San Tekka and incredible pluck and determination, she found Luke and returned his lightsaber. Given that information, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities to assume the film is Luke-centric and that he’ll be training an apprentice.
In an interview published earlier in January, Johnson told USA Today the movie will explore the relationship between Luke and Rey. He said, “It very much feels like what we all go through in adolescence, the dawning of this new chapter of our lives.” He explained neither character knows how it’s going to go. In the same interview, he said the big question at the center of Episode VIII is “What’s going on with Luke Skywalker?”
To me, it seems like Luke will be training Rey. That’s not any huge revelation. The Last Jedi could see Luke pass on his knowledge to Rey and perish. Jedi is both singular and plural, so it doesn’t necessarily refer to a single character.
Finally: the red font used for the Episode VIII logo isn’t new. We’ve seen it used for Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith logos. However, it’s interesting to note those films are the final installments of their respective trilogies, while The Last Jedi is the second film. The title also doesn’t fit the mold for the other second films: Attack of the Clones, The Empire Strikes Back. Each are four words and feature some sort of action. Am I reading too much into everything? Yes, because I like Star Wars and it’s what I do.
What are your theories about The Last Jedi? Tell us all your thoughts in the comments.
Images: Lucasfilm
