Mark Hamill Reveals His Dark Luke Skywalker Backstory

Mark Hamill has shared his personal backstory for Luke Skywalker's portrayal in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, following his earlier clarification about his dissatisfaction with Rian Johnson's narrative direction.

Hamill has been open about his disagreement with Luke's on-screen motivations for exiling himself and becoming the reclusive figure Rey encounters in 2017's The Last Jedi. As depicted in the film, Luke holds himself responsible for Ben Solo's descent to the Dark Side, leading him to abandon the Jedi path. When Rey locates him in an effort to enlist his help for the Resistance, he declines.

Now, eight years after the film's release, Hamill has elaborated on his own imagined rationale for Luke's departure from the Jedi Order.

In an interview on Bullseye with Jesse Thorn to promote his new film, The Life of Chuck, Hamill was questioned about his initial discomfort upon learning that Luke would become a recluse in The Last Jedi.

Hamill began his response by affirming his admiration for Rian Johnson, describing him as a talented director who created "a great movie."

"Let me clarify this: Rian Johnson stands out as one of the most gifted directors I've collaborated with," Hamill remarked. "He's approachable, enjoyable to work with on set, and highly intelligent. His filmmaking is exceptional. I particularly admire the staging of the final confrontation between Kylo Ren, Adam Driver, and myself—it's brilliantly executed. The subtle hint that I'm not physically present is masterfully done. When Adam clears the snow to reveal the red surface beneath, while my action only uncovers more snow—it's a nuanced touch. I'm a fan of Knives Out, Brick, and Looper. He ranks among my favorite directors.

"My public expression of dissatisfaction with Luke's transformation into a reclusive, defeated character may have skewed perceptions, and perhaps I should have kept those thoughts private. Still, I repeatedly suggested to Rian, 'This situation would only strengthen Luke's resolve…' to which he responded, 'Your entire Jedi Academy class was annihilated.'"

This refers to the scene where a young Ben Solo collapses a structure on Luke Skywalker, destroys the Jedi temple, and slaughters his students before fleeing to eventually become Kylo Ren.

"I countered, 'Rian, I've witnessed entire planets destroyed! If anything, Luke would become more determined and resilient when faced with adversity.' That was my perspective," Hamill clarified.

"I asked, 'Can I develop my own backstory to explain his current state? I don’t want to imply he's suffered brain damage from a head injury.' He agreed, saying, 'Sure, create whatever backstory you need.' So I devised a much darker narrative to rationalize his behavior."

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Hamill then disclosed this backstory, which takes a decidedly dark turn:

"I pondered, what could drive someone to renounce their commitment to what is essentially a religious institution, to forsake being a Jedi?" Hamill began. "The answer: love for a woman. He falls in love, abandons the Jedi path, and they start a family. At some point, their young child finds an unattended lightsaber, activates it, and is fatally injured. Overwhelmed by grief, his wife takes her own life."

This imagined scenario, Hamill explained, would provide a plausible justification for Luke's actions and his decision to withdraw into self-imposed exile.

"I felt that would be compelling—especially given the tragic real-life incidents where children accidentally harm themselves with unsecured firearms," he continued. "That idea resonated deeply with me as a potential explanation. However, I understand Rian didn't have the screen time to delve into such an elaborate backstory. He needed a concise rationale, but to me, it didn't fully justify Luke's transformation.

"Despite my disagreement with his creative choices for Luke, I assured him I would dedicate myself to bringing his vision to life as effectively as possible. Unfortunately, this has led some fans to mistakenly believe I harbor ill will toward Rian Johnson, which is absolutely untrue."

These comments follow Hamill's recent confirmation that he will not reprise his role in any future Star Wars film, stating definitively: "There's no way I'm going to appear as a naked Force ghost."

Rey is scheduled to return to the Star Wars universe in a sequel directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, which follows the heavily criticized Star Wars: Episode 9 - The Rise of Skywalker. The story will focus on Rey's efforts to restore the Jedi Order approximately 15 years after the events of that film.

In the nearer future, The Mandalorian and Grogu is slated for a 2026 release. Star Wars: Starfighter, Shawn Levy's Star Wars film featuring Ryan Gosling, is expected in 2027.