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The Last Jedi: What Does the Title of the New Star Wars Movie Mean?

The Last Jedi: What Does the Title of the New Star Wars Movie Mean?

By Sanket Vijayasarathy | Updated: 24 January 2017 15:49 IST

Highlights

The Last Jedi could refer to Luke Skywalker
The red logo has an ominous feel to it
A possible tribute to Carrie Fisher seems the most far-fetched

The title for Star Wars: Episode VIII has finally been revealed by Disney and Lucasfilm and it's called The Last Jedi. The movie a direct sequel to The Force Awakens, which came out in 2015, and the second in the planned trilogy.

The official title along with the logo of the upcoming movie has Star Wars fans all over the world trying to come with possible theories and implications to what exactly the title seems to suggests. We got our thinking caps on as well and we look at some of the possible implications behind the loaded title - some are a little far fetched, admittedly.

The Last Jedi a nod to Luke Skywalker
Let's begin with the most obvious assumption. Since the latest instalments in the Star Wars arsenal began, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the Jedi protagonist from the original trilogy, has been teased to play a significant role in the upcoming movies.

Luke makes a very quick appearance towards the end of The Force Awakens when Rey (Daisy Ridley) finds him in exile on an oceanic planet. Given the events that took place prior to this scene, one can assume that Luke will train Rey in the ways of the Force.

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There have been a number of suggestions in The Force Awakens and the original trilogy that Luke is in fact the last Jedi. During Master Yoda's final moments in the Return of the Jedi, he tells Luke that he is the last of the Jedi before revealing that Princess Leia is his sister, which makes her a Skywalker as well.

If that wasn't enough, the opening crawl in The Force Awakens reads that the First Order is searching for Luke and "will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi, has been destroyed." That almost clearly hints that the title of the upcoming movie revolves around Luke Skywalker and the Jedi Master's return.

The collective Jedi
The Last Jedi as a title is not as simple as it sounds. The plural of Jedi is Jedi, which could mean that the title could be talking about a group of Jedi. This is supported by the fact that Rey herself has Jedi-like capabilities, and she has the Force to prove it. Her ability to use Jedi mind tricks on a Stormtrooper, her lightsaber battle with Kylo Ren are some hints that the Force is with her and it has indeed, awoken.

Rey's character has been kept a mystery in The Force Awakens. We do not know if Rey is directly related to Luke Skywalker and many fan theories in the past have suggested that she could be Han and Leia's daughter, and Kylo Ren's sister. Other theories also link Rey to Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. While the upcoming movie may shed some light on Rey's past, it's quite certain that, either way, the Force is strong with her.

Meanwhile, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), formerly Ben Solo, also trained under Luke Skywalker before turning to the Dark Side. His confused state of being throughout The Force Awakens suggests that there is a part of him that's still very Jedi. Ren is also not a Sith Lord like his grandfather Darth Vader, as much as he aspires to be one. He is in fact one of the Knights of Ren and an apprentice of Snoke.

Is it possible for Kylo Ren to come back from his dark path? If so, who will take his place as the trilogy's main antagonist? Or is the title hinting at a battle between the last Jedi (Luke or Rey against Kylo Ren)?

The ominous red logo
The Last Jedi reveal is interesting in more ways than one. The title sounds too pessimistic for Disney's own good, given that The Force Awakens resembled A New Hope and the The Last Jedi seemingly takes hope away.

Only two other films in the Star Wars saga have used the red logo, The Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith, both of which were the final chapters of their respective trilogies. Both of those movies also signaled death in certain ways - Darth Vader dies in the Return of the Jedi, while Anakin Skywalker symbolically kills his identity to become Darth Vader in the Revenge of the Sith.

Many have speculated that Luke will die in The Last Jedi and become one with the Force, similar to the end of Obi Wan Kenobi in A New Hope. If this theory holds true then this would leave Rey as the possible last Jedi.

Given how the previous movies have turned out, The Last Jedi certainly feels a lot more ominous with the red logo.

A tribute to Carrie Fisher
Probably the most far-fetched theory, for a number of reasons, but the title could also be a tribute to Carrie Fisher, who played Princess and General Leia Organa. Fisher passed away in December and the title of the upcoming movie could be a tribute to her memory. After all, Leia is Luke's sister and there have been hints that she has the Force too.

After learning about his sister, Luke speaks to Leia about the Force in The Return of the Jedi, telling her, "You have that power, too. In time you'll learn to use it as I have. The Force is strong in my family. My father has it, I have it, and my sister has it."

From sensing Luke in trouble in the Empire Strikes Back to Han Solo's fate in The Force Awakens, it is well documented that Leia could feel a disturbance in the Force.

Before her tragic death, Carrie Fisher shot her scenes for The Last Jedi and given her importance in the Star Wars series, the film and its title would be a great tribute to the actress, though it's unlikely that a multi-billion dollar franchise will be so swayed by sentiment.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi has fans going nuts already and the title has greatly increased our anticipation for the trailer, which should come out anytime soon. There's still a long way to go before the release of the movie so you can expect more fan theories to pop up on the Internet. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is scheduled to release on December 17, 2017 and is written and directed by Rian Johnson.

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