Mark Hamill reflects on Luke Skywalker and General Leia Organa’s kiss from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which summed up his feelings about the late Carrie Fisher. For most of Episode VIII, Luke is a broken man filled with regret, wishing to remain in isolation on Ahch-To, far away from the conflict spreading across the galaxy. But following his interactions with Rey and one final lesson from Yoda, Skywalker came around and returned for one final heroic moment. Using the full extent of his Force abilities to astral project himself on Crait so he could distract Kylo Ren, allowing the Resistance to get away to safety.

Before Luke stepped out on the battlefield, he had one final moment with his close friend and twin sister, Leia. For many reasons, the scene is one of the most emotional in all of Star Wars, with Luke apologizing for his past mistakes and saying goodbye prior to his noble self-sacrifice. Almost a year and a half after The Last Jedi premiered, it remains a sequence that stands out in fans’ minds, and Hamill took a little bit of time to reflect on his experience filming it.

Responding to a fan praising the scene on Twitter, Hamill discussed how “emotionally charged” the set was that day due to the gravity of what was happening. He reiterated that the kiss Luke gives Leia at the end was ad-libbed, but fit perfectly because it summed up not just Luke’s feelings about Leia, but also Hamill’s about Fisher. Check out his post in the space below:

When The Last Jedi was released in December 2017, this scene took on an added layer of significance due to Fisher’s passing in 2016. Going in, many viewers hoped the film featured some kind of reunion between the Skywalker twins, making the Crait sequence exceptionally cathartic. That it represented Luke’s farewell was secondary to the fact this was the last time Hamill and Fisher filmed something together for a Star Wars movie. During their time on the original trilogy, the two formed a strong bond that lasted for four decades and loved each other as if they really were siblings. Obviously, the Crait scene was never conceived with its ultimate magnitude in mind, but several people are thankful and grateful Hamill and Fisher got one last moment that felt like a pure and honest portrayal of their relationship.

Luke and Leia still have a role to play in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Episode IX features Hamill reprising his role (most likely as a Force ghost), while Fisher will appear via unused footage from the earlier films. It’ll be interesting to see how they factor into the narrative and if they have another interaction thanks to movie magic. Regardless of what happens in the saga finale, fans will always have this touching Last Jedi moment to look back on.

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Source: Mark Hamill

  • Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker Release Date: 2019-12-20