As the much-awaited premiere of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" nears, theories about the plot and characters are flying fast along with fan questions. One of the big ones is whether Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who has been the beacon of hope and unabashed goodness in the "Star Wars" universe for the last 40 years, is finally going to the dark side in Episode VIII.
Apparently, the promotional materials and trailers for the upcoming film hint at the Jedi master becoming evil. An international poster advertising the IMAX version of the movie, for one, shows the characters from different sides in opposite panels. Interestingly, Luke is featured in both of them, calling to question where his allegiances lie.
In the trailers, he also says it was time "to end" the last Jedi, which is a sentiment one would hear from somebody trying to destroy the Jedi. This could be a byproduct of whatever has turned him into a villain, if he does turn out to be one.
However, Hamill is setting the record straight for this claim. In an interview with Disney Insider, the actor reassured fans of his character's unshakeable loyalty to the light. He is just discouraged by some bad choices from the past that led to some catastrophic consequences and that eventually stripped him of his confidence.
"In 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' Luke has lost confidence in his ability to make good choices," he explained. "It haunts him to the core. But he hasn't gone to the dark side. This isn't an evil version of him."
While he does agree that it is time to get rid of the Jedi and their established ways, Hamill insists that it does not necessarily spell abandonment of the good. "But it's still an incarnation of the character I never expected. It has pulled me out of my comfort zone," he said. "It's a real challenge."
This should relieve fans who were afraid that they might be losing "Star Wars'" biggest hero to the dark side. However, just because Hamill will not be joining the bad guys does not mean another hero will not be.
Rey (Daisy Ridley) is also rumored to turn her back on the light, but this will only be confirmed when "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" hits theaters on Dec 15.
