As a Star Wars fan, I had been eagerly waiting to see Prime Luke in live-action. Finally, in the season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, I got to witness this momentous occasion. Though the CGI was a bit off, it didn’t diminish the significance of the experience for me.
It’s worth noting that we have yet to witness Luke Skywalker at his absolute best. While we did see him triumph over Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi, this was not his prime. Many of his lightsaber techniques appeared unrefined and lacked the precision we know he possesses after this.
We next encounter him in The Last Jedi (not taking into account his short scene in The Force Awakens), where he discards his lightsaber and adopts an unpleasant demeanor. Mark Hamill himself has acknowledged that Rain Johnson’s portrayal of the character was largely unsatisfactory.
We get an amazing scene at the end of the film where he fights Kylo Ren using force only and then dies. In movie form, this is the most “prime” we’ve ever seen Luke and it didn’t even last long.
It is important to consider that Luke Skywalker is the child of The Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker. Had Obi-Wan Kenobi not defeated him, Anakin would have become the most formidable force user in history. Despite his confinement to a suit, he remained one of the most powerful Sith Lords to ever exist.
Luke possesses the same genes that make him inherently stronger with the force than most individuals, like Anakin did. In various media, including comics and Legends, Luke’s character arc results in him becoming what Anakin Skywalker was meant to be. Palpatine’s intense interest in turning Luke to the dark side can be attributed to this potential.
Luke’s ability to resist the Dark Side and defeat the Imperial Empire is truly remarkable. His victory in RoTJ, including taking down the Death Star through the force, sets him apart from other Jedi, including Yoda and Kenobi.
Many fans feel that Luke Skywalker was mistreated in the sequel trilogy and only somewhat redeemed in The Mandalorian. The advancements in de-aging CGI are evident when you compare Secret Invasion and the upcoming Indiana Jones movie, which showcase how much the technology has improved in a short period. This proves it could be done in a series or movie by bringing Mark Hamill back.
It’s worth noting that Sebastian Stan bears a striking resemblance to Luke Skywalker, especially with the appropriate haircut and makeup. With some minor adjustments, such as makeup and styling, Stan, who is 40 years old, could convincingly portray a younger Luke, who would have been around 28 during the events depicted in The Mandalorian.
We as Star Wars fans deserve to see the character who the entire franchise began with in his prime. It’s a crime that Star Wars has these goldmines ready but don’t pull the trigger. A Luke show or movie would go down well with fans. It’s like I’ve always said, a Darth Vader series would also be great.
The comics depict Luke engaging in numerous captivating adventures. He comes close to successfully rebuilding the Jedi Order, but unfortunately, Kylo destroys his efforts. It would be great if Disney could eventually bring some of these stories to life in live-action.
