Which Character Is The Last Jedi In Star Wars: Episode VIII?

Now that the title of Star Wars: Episode VIII is revealed as “The Last Jedi,” we speculate: Which character is the last Jedi?

The title of Star Wars: Episode VIII is here, at last. Of course, it presents more questions than it answers. The biggest question on our minds now is this: Who is “The Last Jedi”?

In Return of the Jedi, Yoda told Luke Skywalker that the Tatooine farmboy was the last of the old Jedi Order. The idea Luke is the last Jedi still needs to be explained, however. We know that at least a few years prior, two Jedi were active: Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger from Star Wars Rebels. It is possible, however, Kanan and Ezra are dead by the events of Return of the Jedi. Barring any other surprise light-side Force users popping up, Luke really would be the last of his kind.

In the sequel trilogy, Luke could probably be considered the last Jedi because his students were slaughtered by Kylo Ren. But where does that leave Rey? The assumption is Luke trains Rey in Episode VIII to be a Jedi. Does she succeed in her training in the same movie? If so, Luke has to die in order for there to be a “last Jedi.”

Or does he? Jason Hamilton, @StoryHobbit on Twitter, pointed out the word “Jedi” is both singular and plural (there are no “Jedis,” sorry). “The Last Jedi” may refer to both Luke and Rey. They are the last Jedi, the last bastion of light against Snoke and Kylo Ren.

Image Credit: Lucasfilm

I prefer the latter idea because killing Luke off seems like the easy way out. It’s cliché and expected, just like we expected either Luke or Han Solo to die in The Force Awakens. Besides, Rey could not take on both Kylo and Snoke by herself. Luke would have to squeeze a lot of training into their time together in Episode VIII for her to be even remotely ready for such an ordeal.

But what if the title is that simple? What if it is really referring to Luke, who we know from Yoda is “The Last Jedi”? For once, I hope Lucasfilm and director Rian Johnson are going for a deeper meaning.

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi premieres in theaters December 15th, 2017.