Star Wars: Why Luke throws away the lightsaber in The Last Jedi

• Rey (Daisy Ridley) seeks out Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”
• She brings him his father’s lightsaber and hopes to be taught the Jedi arts.
• Luke looks at her with fate, only to take the lightsaber and throw it away. Why?

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“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is a controversial film among fans, but what “Star Wars” film isn’t? In this film, Rey (Daisy Ridley) travels to Ahch-To to find Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). She hopes to gain insight into the Force from the legendary Jedi, but things turn out differently…

When Rey holds out to Luke the lightsaber that once belonged to his father Anakin (Hayden Christensen) and that Luke himself once wielded, he looks fatefully at the sword and then at Rey. He grabs it – and throws it away. A brief humorous moment? A significant moment? For many fans, it remains unclear why Luke shows so little respect for his father’s lightsaber.

Why does Luke just throw away his father’s lightsaber in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”?

To understand Luke’s plot, we must first ask why he is in exile in the first place. After the events of “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi”, the Jedi founded his own Jedi school and gradually taught more and more students until his nephew, Ben Solo (Adam Driver), appeared.

Ben is gifted with power, but also vulnerable to the Dark Side of the Force. Under the influence of Snoke (Andy Serkis), he feels increasingly drawn to the Dark Side. Sensing this, Luke makes the fatal decision to kill his nephew before the Dark Side gains the upper hand.

It’s only a split second in which this thought occurs to him, and the moment Luke draws his lightsaber, he already regrets it and wants to put it back, but it’s too late.

When Ben sees the lightsaber, he realizes: his own uncle has given up on him and betrayed him. This is the crucial moment that finally drives Ben to the Dark Side. Luke, filled with shame for his actions, then retreats into exile.

Luke has lost faith in the Jedi, and the lightsaber reminds him of that

When Rey stands in front of Luke with the lightsaber that he once received from Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness), it reminds him of his beginnings as a Jedi. The lightsaber also symbolizes the ancient Jedi Order to which Anakin belonged, and commemorates the failure of that order caused by Luke’s own father.

The tables could also be turned: Anakin was pushed to the Dark Side by the failing Jedi Order. No matter how you look at it, this lightsaber is tied to memories and reopens old wounds. Luke sought exile so he wouldn’t have to face these memories.

The failure of the Jedi – this is how Luke and the Republic failed

By the time of the Republic, Anakin was disillusioned with the Jedi Order. Although love and compassion were preached, there were narrow structures and little room for freedom or one’s own opinions. Anakin was never able to publicly show his love for Padmé (Natalie Portman) or save Ahsoka from being expelled from the Order.

The hypocrisy and arrogance of the Jedi Order, which failed to look beyond its own structures, led to its downfall. This is exactly what happens again with Luke and Ben. His short-sightedness and hasty judgments contradict everything Luke and his new order want to stand for.

While the Jedi Order failed Anakin, Luke never hesitated to save his father. His unwavering optimism ultimately leads to Darth Vader’s return to the Light Side. But now that Luke comes to drastic conclusions about his own nephew, he feels ashamed.

Luke’s transition from optimist to pessimist may be because he was able to work wonders with his father by remaining optimistic. When Luke founds his new order, he wants to convey these values ​​and, through Ben’s conflict, he realizes that even his teaching of values ​​is not enough to make the Jedi Order functional.

This realization makes him doubt the Jedi and the whole idea of ​​a Jedi Order. Finally, Luke throws the lightsaber away because it reminds him of everything he has failed at.

We’ll probably see Luke Skywalker again in the upcoming “The Mandalorian & Grogu” film, but at the latest in Dave Filoni’s “Ahsoka” film. We list all new “Star Wars” releases for you!