1/6 Hot Toys - Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Luke Skywalker-CRAIT (Force Projection) -

[SilverStar17]

If that’s who it actually was intended to be, people would then say that the likeness is way off, and that all they see is this:

 

[TaliBane]

Ultimately I don’t like the idea of him not being present for his death. It just feels cheap that he essentially used too much of the Force and that killed him. For being a Jedi Master I just don’t think that was a fitting death.

I feel like in the case of someone like Obi-Wan his fate was different. He probably knew that it was his time and he probably wouldn’t have defeated Vader. I just feel like for a character of Luke’s caliber to have him go out like he did is just a disservice to him, the franchise, and the fans.

I didn’t want a super action packed prequel style duel with Luke or anything but I’d have liked him to have been present and done something more rather than dying in isolation on a planet from using too much Force power.

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Having your more hip-dressed or younger-looking - often dyed hair - virtual self kickin' it and being bad-ass (apparently doing something bold that others wouldn't be brave enough to do) for everyone to see... when behind the scenes it's all just a carefully manufactured/choreographed ruse on your behalf that is in essence "faked'... is so very social media.

Isn't that what everyone does on Instagram and Facebook? Make yourself look younger/cooler and more important/braver and more risk-taker/self-sacrificing than you really are, and make sure everyone sees it... but doesn't find out it's all a ruse?

It's actually a kinda genius and very timely filmmaker creative choice - total commentary on social media. Many people, even older Facebookers, can totally relate to it, and most don't even view the fakery as fakery.

 

[Khev]

Having your more hip-dressed or younger-looking - often dyed hair - virtual self kickin' it and being bad-ass (apparently doing something bold that others wouldn't be brave enough to do) for everyone to see... when behind the scenes it's all just a carefully manufactured/choreographed ruse on your behalf that is in essence "faked'... is so very social media.

Isn't that what everyone does on Instagram and Facebook? Make yourself look younger/cooler and more important/braver and more risk-taker/self-sacrificing than you really are, and make sure everyone sees it... but doesn't find out it's all a ruse?

It's actually a kinda genius and very timely filmmaker creative choice - total commentary on social media. Many people, even older Facebookers, can totally relate to it, and most don't even view the fakery as fakery.

Interesting take. Though I'm not sure that Luke's projection is as specifically "2018 Social Media" as you are suggesting. Since he really did die physically as a result of the projection to me that makes it less "fake" and more of a risky and legitimately dangerous virtual battle not unlike other "if your avatar dies then you die too" scenarios that we've seen in the various Nightmare on Elm Street films, Dreamscape, and The Matrix. I know that Luke didn't die because his projection "died" but rather due to the exertion of the concentration itself but I don't think that that detail is enough to separate it from the overlap with the other films I mentioned in regard to how "real" the danger was.

Regarding doing it for everyone to see, well yes that was definitely Luke's intention but again the difference between him doing that and your average internet attention whore is that Luke didn't seek attention for his own personal glory and gratification, very different than those who constantly brag or humble-brag online in this day and age.

 

[TaliBane]

Interesting take. Though I'm not sure that Luke's projection is as specifically "2018 Social Media" as you are suggesting. Since he really did die physically as a result of the projection to me that makes it less "fake" and more of a risky and legitimately dangerous virtual battle not unlike other "if your avatar dies then you die too" scenarios that we've seen in the various Nightmare on Elm Street films, Dreamscape, and The Matrix. I know that Luke didn't die because his projection "died" but rather due to the exertion of the concentration itself but I don't think that that detail is enough to separate it from the overlap with the other films I mentioned in regard to how "real" the danger was.

Regarding doing it for everyone to see, well yes that was definitely Luke's intention but again the difference between him doing that and your average internet attention whore is that Luke didn't seek attention for his own personal glory and gratification, very different than those who constantly brag or humble-brag online in this day and age.

Yeah, it's always interesting how filmmakers can (often just very abstractly, as you're alluding to) channel social trends. Star Wars was so chock full of social trends right from the very start.

For example, Ben Kenobi was in some ways the very first inspirer of the man-bun generation - a culturally appropriating white man adopting the clothes, ways and beliefs of (to us) a non-Western culture in order to reject/fight the fascist (a part of Western...) ways of the powers at be. Ben could have been sitting around strumming a Sittar with the Beatles - his whole essence was inspired by the youth movements of the 1960s. I'm still convinced that Lucas cast Guinness as Kenobi due to his role as a (in Asian make-up, obviously viewed as controversial today) Japanese buinessman in "Majority of One" fifteen years earlier. Guinness often wears a Kenobi-like Japanese tunic in that movie.

And I still love the term "humble-brag."

 

[davejames]

The big problem I have with it is that I don’t think Rian Johnson did it because that’s what he thought was best for the character or to the overall arching story of the Star Wars saga. He made a film that was very much about putting his own stamp on and in doing so basically spat in the face of a bunch of others fans.

He did it along with a number of other things in the film seemingly to pull the rug out from the expectations of what most fans thought would happen next. He tried doing something more artsy than was called for in my opinion with the entire film.

I like his other films but it kind of seems like he was the wrong choice for a Star Wars film or at least for one of the main saga films. He didn’t want to play by the rules of a franchise film and did what he wanted, fans be damned.

I don’t feel like he respected the character of Luke or really the franchise and it’s fans. Hell even Hamill has been pretty vocal about not liking how Luke was handled.

I actually liked the film at first but the more I watch it and really think about it I can’t stand it. That sucks to say as I liked The Force Awakens despite being safe and had high hopes for the sequels. I hope Abrams rectifies some of the wrongs in Episode IX but the damage has been done.

Personally I love how it subverts expectations and doesn't follow the same predictable path we've seen in countless other SW stories, and isn't afraid to depict a more flawed older Luke or do things like kill off the new Emperor in the second movie. Although even then, there was nothing that happened that felt that outrageous to me, and I'm frankly still a bit baffled as to why fans found it so horribly offensive.

 

[Sixth Scale Man]

Personally I love how it subverts expectations and doesn't follow the same predictable path we've seen in countless other SW stories, and isn't afraid to depict a more flawed older Luke or do things like kill off the new Emperor in the second movie. Although even then, there was nothing that happened that felt that outrageous to me, and I'm frankly still a bit baffled as to why fans found it so horribly offensive.

Gotta agree with you on everything there!
Personally, I liked Luke’s journey from someone who has “lost the faith”, to finding the will to fight for what’s right again (and becoming stronger in the process). He was grieving, ashamed and hopeless when Rey meets him, and I think Hamill gave one of his best performances. If he was a wise, old bad-ass from the beginning, it wouldn’t have affected me as much. I know that a lot of people hated this movie, I’m just talking about my own reactions.[emoji846]



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[SilverStar17]

Interesting take. Though I'm not sure that Luke's projection is as specifically "2018 Social Media" as you are suggesting. Since he really did die physically as a result of the projection to me that makes it less "fake" and more of a risky and legitimately dangerous virtual battle not unlike other "if your avatar dies then you die too" scenarios that we've seen in the various Nightmare on Elm Street films, Dreamscape, and The Matrix. I know that Luke didn't die because his projection "died" but rather due to the exertion of the concentration itself but I don't think that that detail is enough to separate it from the overlap with the other films I mentioned in regard to how "real" the danger was.

Regarding doing it for everyone to see, well yes that was definitely Luke's intention but again the difference between him doing that and your average internet attention whore is that Luke didn't seek attention for his own personal glory and gratification, very different than those who constantly brag or humble-brag online in this day and age.

Interesting take indeed, but I would concur with this. I don't think it was intended to be a false sense of bravado. He was obviously still putting himself at risk to do what he did and likely knew that he would be doing so.

Personally I love how it subverts expectations and doesn't follow the same predictable path we've seen in countless other SW stories, and isn't afraid to depict a more flawed older Luke or do things like kill off the new Emperor in the second movie. Although even then, there was nothing that happened that felt that outrageous to me, and I'm frankly still a bit baffled as to why fans found it so horribly offensive.

Same here.

While I didn't care for TLJ overall as a film, I found Luke's character arc in the ST to be agreeable with me. While there were some moments I personally would have liked to seen done differently (such as the lightsaber toss over the shoulder, even though I perfectly understood what it was meant to convey and has already been discussed before ad nauseam), Luke's character arc was one of the very few things I liked about TLJ.

 

[xipotec]

I was hoping for Luke to be struck down like Old Ben except by Kylo. Not only would it pay nod to the original but provide the legitimate reason for a force ghost luke/projection at all. (guiding rey in the last episode as a ghost just and kenobi did in ROTJ)

And just horribly boring, repetitive and derivative. I can only imagine he backlash that would have wrought.


Sent from the inside of a giant slug in outer space.....

 

[Creighton]

And just horribly boring, repetitive and derivative. I can only imagine he backlash that would have wrought.


Sent from the inside of a giant slug in outer space.....

I don't know, "see ya round kid- jay Z shoulder dust off wasn't the most edge of your seat material either. lol

 

[SilverStar17]

And just horribly boring, repetitive and derivative. I can only imagine he backlash that would have wrought.


Sent from the inside of a giant slug in outer space.....

Agreed.

 

[TaliBane]

And just horribly boring, repetitive and derivative. I can only imagine he backlash that would have wrought.


Sent from the inside of a giant slug in outer space.....

I get the need for "nods to originals" and homage and the whole "all stories are the same" and "circle of myth" and all that... but isn't turning ST Luke into a carbon copy of OT Ben Kenobi (bearded Jedi robes-wearing hermit-in-hiding that a young force-sensitive hero seeks out for help on behalf of the rebels) a little on the repetitive and derivative side too? I mean... he even tells a story about a young former pupil of his who went all dark side and took off, a student who he has to go off later and confront; a confrontation that kills him.

Seriously, the only thing in this ST take that isn't repetitive and derivative is that ST Luke is initially reluctant to help (note: the burnt-out/bitter former hero who's "out of the game" but is won over by youthful passion/purpose for one last mission is also a standard movie trope,) and that he has the off-the-wall "I'm not really there" holo-projection intervention idea.

Yet he ends up "dueling" his former student in front of us anyway (ok, ok - the sabers never clash, so totally different!), and he ends up being killed by the duel anyway. Just like the OT duel. And his duel death is even intentionally done (ie ends up almost suicidal) as both a sacrifice so others can escape nearby, but also as an attempt to "mythologize" the struggle (ie knowing who was witnessing the death and the effect it would have on them.)

All I'm saying is - why pick on the "how Luke dies" aspect as derivative or not, when the entire throughline for ST Luke is repetitive and derivative (recycling OT ideas and aping very standard movie tropes,) even if it has a few - in the end, pretty minor - twists they've added to disguise that derivativeness?

 

[Khev]

Seriously, the only thing in this ST take that isn't repetitive and derivative is that ST Luke is initially reluctant to help (note: the burnt-out/bitter former hero who's "out of the game" but is won over by youthful passion/purpose for one last mission is also a standard movie trope,)

I would argue that Luke being reluctant to help isn't just a standard movie trope but is actually a trope we've even seen in Star Wars before: with Yoda initially being reluctant to train Luke due to his age and recklessness. Also the first thing that both ESB Yoda and TLJ Luke did when a new pupil showed up was run off to eat something gross! (Yoda's nasty stew/Luke's green milk)

I do find TLJ fascinating in how it weaves very familiar sequences into the narrative in ways that often don't telegraph themselves as being such. And the sequences that *do* telegraph themselves (ROTJ throne room being repeated on Snoke's ship) end up zigging when you think they'll zag (Snoke dying in the second film for instance.) I honestly do understand why someone would just write those sequences off as just another form of plagiarizing the OT (and even I'll fully admit that Hoth Battle 2.0 pretty much does just that) but luckily for me at least RJ's approach worked more often than it didn't.

It's greatest sins IMO will always be those various undercooked elements throughout like not showing a definitive shot of Luke's non-functioning X-Wing, not adding an extra line of dialogue from Leia indicating that she knew Luke was there to be nothing but a diversion, etc.

 

[Khev]

Yeah, it's always interesting how filmmakers can (often just very abstractly, as you're alluding to) channel social trends. Star Wars was so chock full of social trends right from the very start.

For example, Ben Kenobi was in some ways the very first inspirer of the man-bun generation - a culturally appropriating white man adopting the clothes, ways and beliefs of (to us) a non-Western culture in order to reject/fight the fascist (a part of Western...) ways of the powers at be. Ben could have been sitting around strumming a Sittar with the Beatles - his whole essence was inspired by the youth movements of the 1960s. I'm still convinced that Lucas cast Guinness as Kenobi due to his role as a (in Asian make-up, obviously viewed as controversial today) Japanese buinessman in "Majority of One" fifteen years earlier. Guinness often wears a Kenobi-like Japanese tunic in that movie.

You still might be on to something with regard to Luke's Force Projection. I mean if there's one thing that toxic SJW's excel at it's "projecting" their own behavior onto others and even though I liked TLJ I can't deny that RJ has been absolutely *terrible* on Twitter. Calling TLJ critics "manbabies" while releasing footage of himself dancing around and giggling with his hands in the air in a freaking bounce castle?? So who knows, maybe he sees himself as projecting in a good way and fancies himself another Crait Luke.

And I still love the term "humble-brag."

I'm glad you caught that. It's a funny term and even funnier that it does seem to be a pretty apt one for many people as well, lol.

 

[vito81]

Who cares about the movie? Let's talk about the figure...

Boots are not accurate! xDDD

 

[Protozaius]

Also I find it interesting that Luke hangs his lightsaber on the right side of the belt buckle in this film rather than on the his left... the way Luke has it in the OT. In fact don't most, it not all Jedi have it on their left, particularly if they are right handed?

Perhaps it was a conscious decision... that this Luke was a "mirror image" of himself.

Or perhaps it has just a mistake.

 

[Khev]

Rian Johnson *knew* you'd be expecting the saber to be hanging on his left side instead of right. Subverted expectations yo!

 

[ajp4mgs]

Who cares about the movie? Let's talk about the figure...

Boots are not accurate! xDDD


View attachment 430236

I think Luke is basically using a dirtier version of his TFA boots (with darker leg wrappings) in the Crait projection. Hot Toys seems to be going with a brown base color instead of a "dirty" or weathered look. They did the same thing with Finn's boots by making them a dark and grayish brown - forgetting that those were supposed to be his white Stormtrooper boots that just got really dirty on Jaaku.

The shot that focuses on Luke's foot gliding across the salt without leaving a print is probably the best view we get of the boots, but it's still hard to tell.

 

[Mandible]

Rian Johnson *knew* you'd be expecting the saber to be hanging on his left side instead of right. Subverted expectations yo!

This is a legitimate t-shirt you can actually buy. The respect and love for this man has transcended into t-shirts.

 

[Hoody999]

This is a legitimate t-shirt you can actually buy. The respect and love for this man has transcended into t-shirts.

I was innocently scrolling through the shoe comments, and then this !! Made me laugh so hard !! Hilarious !

 

[Mandible]

I was innocently scrolling through the shoe comments, and then this !! Made me laugh so hard !! Hilarious !

Likewise! A friend of mine actually ordered one and sent me the link - I was in tears.