The Rise of Skywalker marked the ending of several storylines told over the course of the Skywalker Saga, and including the stories of the main characters from the original trilogy. The most recent Star Wars films completed the arcs of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Han Solo once and for all. And although Mark Hamill could technically still return to the franchise as a Force Ghost, it’s not looking likely that he will.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Hamill was asked if he’d ever return to Star Wars if the situation felt right. “Oh, I can’t imagine that, no,” he said. “I had a beginning, middle, and end. Those films gave me far more than I ever expected when we started out, so it never occurred to me. My farewell was in Episode IX, and it was bittersweet. I love all those people and I certainly have affection for George and the character he created. I’m full of gratitude for what it has given me and my career, but I don’t want to be greedy. There are still so many more stories to tell and so many great actors to tell them, they don’t need me.”
And as much as we love Luke Skywalker, it’s hard to argue with Hamill here. The Last Jedi emphasized letting “the past die,” and it seems that it’s time for the Star Wars franchise to do just that. With so many series and films planned for the future, it makes sense to dive into new characters and tell new stories. The Mandalorian on Disney+ has already begun to do that, and it’s felt like a breath of fresh air when compared to the three film trilogies, all of which tie into one another and have more than a few similarities.
There’s no doubt that Hamill’s legacy will live on in whatever movies follow The Rise of Skywalker — Taika Waititi is working on a new Star Wars film as we speak — but it’s past time the franchise moved on, and Hamill seems eager for it to do so. On the bright side, we’ll still be able to see Hamill in future projects, including Masters of the Universe: Revelation as the villain Skeletor.
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