Rian Johnson comments on meaning behind The Last Jedi’s cave scene
Star Wars: The Last Jedi had many moments that were left up to the interpretation of the audience. Director Rian Johnson has been mostly quiet about the specific meaning behind some of these scenes, but now he has shed some light on one of the movie’s most talked-about moments.
The moment in question has come to be referred to be fans as the mirror cave scene. The climactic event involves Rey (Daisy Ridley) being sucked into a dark side nexus on the island planet of Ahch-To. There, she comes face to face with numerous mirrored versions of herself. However, in her quest to get answers about her background, Rey only ends up with more questions.
Per The Direct, Johnson provided his analysis of the mirror cave scene in an interview with USA Today bestselling-author Sariah Wilson. His answer is that the scene was always meant to be left open to interpretation and discussion.
“Similar to Luke going into the cave in Empire Strikes Back, it is left open to your interpretation,” Wilson tweeted. “He [Johnson] didn’t want to be definitive about it so that it wouldn’t take away from what you got out of it.”
Rian Johnson on the dark cave mirror after I asked if she saw Ben: Similar to Luke going into the cave in ESB, it is left open to your interpretation. He didn't want to be definitive about it so that it wouldn't take away from what you got out of it.
— Sariah Wilson (@sariahwilson) February 21, 2021
Will the World Between Worlds be in a movie?
Johnson also told Wilson that the scene was meant to symbolize her desire for belonging and knowing her place within the story and that he enjoys having the scene left up to debate. Wilson asked if the scene could be connected to the World Between Worlds, but Johnson didn’t think so. However, Wilson did tweet that “as a Star Wars fan, he [Johnson] hopes we’ll get more World Between Worlds content in the future.”
He saw the mirror/cave as an internal experience. I asked about it being connected to the WBW, but he reiterated that he saw it as internal for Rey. As a SW fan, he hopes that we'll get more WBW content in the future (but he doesn't have any info on it, he was just speculating).
— Sariah Wilson (@sariahwilson) February 21, 2021
It has been reported that Johnson’s upcoming Star Wars trilogy is still in the works. Given that Johnson is seemingly a fan of using this type of symbolism, perhaps he will take inspiration from Rey’s mirror cave scene to use in future films. The World Between Worlds has never been seen in live-action before, so perhaps his interview could’ve been a subtle hint.
It could also mean, however, that Johnson is simply trying to expand on his interpretation and help people’s understanding of The Last Jedi. The film is filled with symbolism and underlying meanings, perhaps more so than any other Star Wars movie. Even three years after its release, people are still debating the direction that the story was taken.
Related Story. Rian Johnson explains Reylo in The Last Jedi. light
Rian Johnson is seemingly happy that people are so willing to interpret the movie in their own way. His trilogy still does not have a release date, but given what was produced with his first Star Wars film, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise if there are similarly symbolic scenes in his next one.