Mark Hamill will return as a Force Ghost in Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker

“No one’s ever really gone,” Luke Skywalker says in the trailer for Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker — and as it turns out, that sentiment applies to him as well. Most fans assumed that Luke would return as a Force Ghost in the upcoming film, but Mark Hamill essentially confirmed it for us.

In an interview with AP Entertainment, he admitted that Luke will appear as a Force Ghost in the upcoming film, following in the footsteps of his mentors, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker.

Hamill also expressed that he’d like his appearance in Episode IX to be his “curtain call,” making it his last ever in a Star Wars movie. Given that The Rise of the Skywalker rounds out the story told by the first three trilogies, it does feel like the perfect time for Hamill to retire from his tenure as a Jedi; and it’s hard to argue with the reason he’d like this film to be his last. “I had closure in the last one,” he explained.

“The fact that I’m involved in any capacity,” Hamill continued, “is only because of that peculiar aspect of the Star Wars mythology where, if you’re a Jedi, you get to come back and make a curtain call as a Force Ghost.” That certainly is a good way to keep deceased characters like Luke in the loop, all while giving them epic last stands like the Luke vs. Kylo Ren scene at the end of The Last Jedi.

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It’s also fitting that Hamill’s final Star Wars film will also be a send-off for his longtime co-star and friend, Carrie Fisher. Fisher, who passed away in 2016, will make her last appearance as Princess Leia in The Rise of the Skywalker — something that’s likely to be emotional for fans and her former cast members alike.

As for what a Jedi Master does after retiring, Hamill recently expressed interest in reprising his role as Firelord Ozai in Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series. He’s also got quite the CV of impressive roles under his belt, with voice acting included.

Luke Skywalker’s journey might be coming to an end, but Star Wars fans might see more of Hamill elsewhere, and that’s always a good thing.

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