Of the many criticisms Star Wars fans voiced about The Last Jedi when it first released, Luke Skywalker's characterization stood among the most common complaints. "Luke would have never run away from the First Order," many said. "He never would have thrown that lightsaber or refused to help people in need."
Even though Luke is a well-known hero, he is often wrongfully painted as a saint. In reality, he's a human being who makes mistakes, leaps before he thinks, and doesn't always get it right the first time. Rian Johnson understood this, which is why The Last Jedi, in many ways, got Luke just right.
1. Luke Skywalker has always run from his problems
This Jedi may be the hero of the Skywalker Saga, but that doesn't make him perfect. All the way back in the Original Trilogy, even his initial call to action involved running away. The moment he learned his aunt and uncle had been killed, he left Tatooine and everything he'd known behind without a second thought.
In The Empire Strikes Back, he also ran from Dagobah and Master Yoda to save his friends -- despite the latter's warning not to. Rather than allowing Yoda to help him learn to face his fears, Luke instantly hopped in his X-wing and chose the easier, more heroic-feeling option. And according to The Last Jedi, he never really learned from his mistakes. Not until the very end.
2. He's always been a bit of a drama queen
The men of the Skywalker family aren't known for being calm, cool, or collected. Anakin Skywalker frequently jumped from moving airspeeders, lunged toward Sith lords, and fell hard in love with politicians without ever stopping to think about the real potential consequences of any of it. His son is no exception to the rule.
Luke tossing aside that lightsaber at the beginning of the movie was one of the most glaring displays of how alike he and Anakin really are. He went so far as to project himself onto a distant planet to annoy his nephew. Growing older only made him lean harder into his tendency to do everything with just a little bit more drama than necessary -- just like his dad.
3. He always does the right thing in the end
It may have taken him a while to get there, but Luke eventually ended up on the right side of history. After years of running and hiding, the Jedi Master finally faced the personification of his failures and ensured an open escape route for the Resistance. It cost him his life, but he knew it had to be done if the galaxy were to truly be saved.
That is the true definition of a hero; even when you stray from your destined path, you always eventually find your way back. The Last Jedi couldn't have concluded Luke's winding, complicated hero's journey any better than that final act of bravery.
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