Star Wars: Luke’s Exile Will Be Explained In The Last Jedi

While Star Wars: The Force Awakens introduced the world to a new slate of fan-favorite characters, the film also set up some major mysteries to be explored and answered in future installments.

Who is Supreme Leader Snoke? Why did Kylo Ren turn? And, perhaps most important, why is Luke Skywalker in hiding?

That question is central to the plot in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and writer/director Rian Johnson determined to create a compelling reason behind the exile. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Johnson said that motivation is “what the entire movie explores.”

“Figuring out where his head was at was the very first thing I had to do when writing the movie,” Johnson said. “I had to crack this. And it had to be something for me that first and foremost made sense. Why did Luke Skywalker go off to this island?”

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Rey, Chewbacca, and the recently awakened R2-D2 track down the Jedi Master to the deserted planet of Ahch-To, home to the first Jedi Temple. Luke had been in exile after his nephew Ben Solo was seduced by the Dark Side and “destroyed everything,” according to his father Han Solo.

Now going by Kylo Ren and fighting for the First Order, the character has been on a hunt for his former master to ensure the Jedi never return. But why would Luke go into hiding and not take on the threat head on, especially if his actions eventually lead to the Dark Side’s return to prominence?

“There has to be a good reason that makes sense to him,” Johnson said, “and to some degree makes sense to us.”

Looks like we are set to learn more about Luke’s bad motivator when Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15.

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MORE STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI NEWS: Last Jedi Director Made Major Change To End Of The Force Awakens / John Boyega Talks Finn’s Choice Between The First Order & Resistance / Mark Hamill Addresses Yoda/Luke & Luke/Rey Comparisons / Daisy Ridley On What Overwhelms Rey In The Last Jedi

Star Wars: The Last Jedi, from writer/director Rian Johnson, is in post-production now for a December 15, 2017, release. The film follows-up and continues the story of the next generation of the saga as Rey, Poe, Finn, and Kylo Ren find their place in the galaxy and follow the legacy of Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Han Solo. Daisy Ridley returns to star as Rey, with other returning stars John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Peter Mayhew, Andy Serkis, Anthony Daniels, Lupita Nyong’o Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa. Benicio Del Toro and Laura Dern join the cast in as-yet-unrevealed roles.