“Because I was Luke Skywalker. Jedi Master. A legend.”

It honestly, truly blows my mind that some people don’t see (or don’t want to see) how #LukeSkywalker in #TheMandalorian connects so beautifully to Luke in #TheLastJedi. It adds immense emphasis to so much of what TLJ is.

When we find Luke in #TheLastJedi, he’s broken because of a fall from grace we didn’t see. But we understand that it’s because the heights he fell from were so great. He distances himself from the Skywalker of old because he sees himself as a microcosm of a failed way of life.

He speaks multiple times about the inherent pressure & the fallibility of his legendary status. He even goes so far as to say “You don't need Luke Skywalker. You think what? I'm gonna walk out with a laser sword and face down the whole First Order?”

And the question is: WHY is that line relevant? Is he insinuating he couldn’t do that? Of course not. The point is that he could. The point is that there was a large period of time where he probably would, very dramatically, and with a heroic intensity fitting of a legend.

And building off of that, the question for Luke becomes threefold: “What did that get me? What did that get my family? What did that get the galaxy?”

We are witnessing the man gain the mythical status & aura that make him feel invincible. It’s underlining his fall.

And it’s not just the hubris within his knighthood. It’s also his belief that he can continue the tradition without being doomed to any cyclical consequences. It is SO important that the story shows us #Ahsoka refuting the old ways. Refusing to take #Grogu . But Luke does.

And we shouldn’t be mad at Luke for this! That’s not what this is saying. It’s showing us that #Ahsoka had a lived experience that granted her perspective. #LukeSkywalker at this point is coming off of changing the galaxy & beginning a journey of rebuilding.

Luke wouldn’t know to build it any other way. He was brought up under Obi-Wan & Yoda. #Ahsoka is already looking beyond the pile of old books, so to speak. So when we see Luke in this #Mandalorian finale, it’s somewhat highlighting a hubris & an ignorance in Luke.

But at the end of the day, he’s doing what he thinks is right! Which is great and we love him for it. He wants #Grogu ’s safety and he even said he’d give his life for our little baby. Which is amazing. But it’s a hard call for him to make nonetheless. A call full of pressure.

Pressure & consequence. We know he’s destined to fail as a Master of his own temple, and as Ben Solo’s Master. And we find him in the wake of that failure, probably thinking about situations where he foolishly felt untouchable: Like when he saved #Grogu 25 or so years earlier!

So what does he do in response? Once Rey, Leia, & Yoda all contribute to this redemptive wake up call? He projects, quite literally, a fusion of the Luke that we see in #TheMandalorian , & the Luke that he’s become now that he’s processed these lessons.

The Force projection Luke Skywalker on Crait IS the incredibly badass #LukeSkywalker that people seem to think they never got until the #Mandalorian finale. BUT, he’s altered the approach from *heroics* to *wisdom.* He’s attained Mastery.

And this is not to say that his actions in #TheMandalorian weren’t Jedi actions. Oh no. They were. In taking out these Dark Troopers so spectacularly, he was protecting & defending. He was left with no choice. That decision to draw the sword is one a Jedi must make, on occasion.

But they are also adventurous, exciting, & flashy actions in ways that echo Anakin very much on purpose. It’s cool that it feels like the Rogue One Vader scene on purpose. It should. And it should raise the question “How long are those methods sustainable?” For any hero?

On the left we have a heroic knight in action using warrior skills to win a battle. And on the right we have a heroic Master using his mind to STOP a battle from taking place (for his nephew and for the Resistance). You need one to evolve into the other.

So no, #Mandalorian fans. The show isn’t giving you the badass Luke that Last Jedi “didn’t give you.” And no, #TheLastJedi fans. Mandalorian isn’t refuting Old Luke with a badass cool Luke that’s all action. Neither of those are the case. And both are, frankly, reductive.

There is no better “better” look at post-ROTJ Luke in #Mandalorian . It isn’t Lucasfilm refuting #TheLastJedi. It isn’t pandering to the crowd that didn’t get what he dealt with in his old age. And I encourage my fellow TLJ fans to see that.

He is WIELDING the legend like a sword that doesn’t actually draw blood. He’s wearing a black outfit for a reason. Yes, in story, it’s to provoke Kylo Ren because we know he wore that during their time together. But it’s a signal to us that he’s purposefully crafting the myth.

This is the black clad Luke filtered through the lessons of Dagobah. Filtered through a humbled old man. It’s all about acknowledging the past. Remembering lessons. Building on a foundation for what other people NEED. Fulfilling potential.

The man on the left couldn’t exist without the man on the right. They need each other to flesh out a narrative. So yes, the version on the right is badass, but he’s a contextual cautionary tale. And the version on the left validates the version on the right.

What @Jon_Favreau, @dave_filoni, & @MrPeytonReed did here was help paint an even more *complete picture* of Luke Skywalker. And having Mark add this crucial note? It’s just phenomenal. A phenomenal piece of this tapestry.

It all felt like getting to know a loved one even better than I already did. Because this is an exercise in providing a metaphor for our lives. A parable to engage in. A legend about *fleshed out people.*

Adding a tweet to this thread...and it’s very simple:

@rianjohnson, please direct an episode of #TheMandalorian next season!

Since this has blown up a bit, I’d like to take a second to direct you to the #TransRightsAreHumanRights - #ThisIsTheWay fundraiser. The page is still up for donations even though Mando S2 has ended. Check it out & donate if you’re able to. #TransRights: https://www.gofundme.com/f/trans-rights-are-human-rights-this-is-the-way