StarWars.com just unveiled the subtitle for the next film in the Star Wars saga. The full name of the Rian Johnson directed film, due out next winter, will be Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. Naturally this reveal has lead to a flurry of speculation as to what “The Last Jedi” could possibly mean. Who is the last Jedi? Why are they the last Jedi? And does that refer to “Jedi” singular or plural? Rest easy, folks, because we have a few favorite theories.
The obvious answer is that “The last Jedi” refers to Luke Skywalker. He became the last Jedi back in Return of the Jedi when Yoda died and The Force Awakens confirms that status hasn’t changed in the last thirty years. In the opening crawl of Episode VII, we learn that the evil First Order “will not rest until Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi, has been destroyed.” Of course that answer may be a little too obvious. You have to assume that the title holds some secrets about the upcoming film, right?
It seems pretty likely that Rey will undergo Jedi training in Episode VIII. Does this mean she’ll be the last Jedi? If so, something bad will have to happen to Luke. Could this be his last appearance in the franchise? Or at least his last appearance in non-Force-ghost form? However it’s hard to imagine that Lucasfilm would want to get rid of one of the few remaining ties to the OG trilogy. But how could Rey complete her Force training and Luke still be The Last Jedi? Perhaps the answer lies on the Dark Side. In The Force Awakens, the Sith have been replaced by a new order of Dark Siders called the Knights of Ren. Could a similar re-branding be in store for the Light Side? Or maybe the Dark side/Light side dynamic doesn’t even apply here; maybe Rey will create a whole new order that incorporates both sides, finally bringing that promised balance to the force.
Or maybe the “Jedi” in the title really is plural and it refers to Luke and Rey and a whole bunch of other “Last Jedi.” Could this mean the return of Kit Fisto, Mace Windu and all our other favorite Prequel Jedi. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!