Mark Hamill discussed two critical scenes that were cut from the original “Star Wars” trilogy of which he still regrets never having made it to the final version of the film.
The 68-year-old actor appeared at the Russo Brothers “Pizza Film School”, a show that the directors of “Avengers” created to discuss the art of the film during the coronavirus pandemic. In the last episode, Hamill was on hand to discuss the second film in the trilogy, “The Empire Strikes Back.” He noted that his character, Luke Skywalker, is featured organically in that film, noting that his original introduction was cut in the first and third films, “A New Hope” and “Return of the Jedi” respectively.
In “Return of the Jedi,” Luke was originally destined to be seen for the first time assembling his new green lightsaber in a cave, before going to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hut. Hamill said he didn’t care about the ending of the scene on the courtroom floor, but he still regrets the loss of Luke’s first performance in “A New Hope.”
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His first presentation, which is currently available on Disney +, sees Luke working on a platform in the middle of the desert as he looks up at the sky and realizes that the battle continues as Darth Vader pursues Princess Leia, who dispatches C droids. -3PO and R2-D2 to Luke’s planet.
Luke then goes to a local gathering place to tell his classmates what he has seen.
Luke Skywalker was originally presented in a different way in ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’.
(Lucasfilm)
“There are a couple of things that are good for the character,” Hamill told the hosts. “No. 1, his peers outright ridicule him. So he’s not particularly cool or popular. Koo Stark is the only other female actress in the movie … and she calls me ‘Wormie.'” So I’m not popular, and then I run into Biggs Darklighter, played by Garrick Hagon, and say ‘Wow!’ You can see that we are good friends. She is dressed in an imperial uniform and I say, “Wow! Great! I can’t wait until I can get out of a planet’s dump and join you.” And she takes me outside and says, ‘Luke, as soon as I get a chance, I’m going to jump off the ship and join the rebels.’ “
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Hamill added: “The only reason that is interesting to me is that Luke has no political persuasion. He thinks it’s great that he’s in the Empire! Luke wants to be in the Empire if he takes him off the farm! So he’s completely pure in that it is not politically motivated in any way, shape or form. “
Mark Hamill spoke about a scene from the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy.
(Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment via AP)
In addition to giving the audience a better understanding of who Luke Skywalker is before beginning his epic adventure, Hamill explains that the original opening inferred the famous climax.
“In the final assault on the Death Star, we are attacked from left to right … but what motivates me to turn off the targeting device and completely trust the Force is the death of Biggs Darklighter.” he said. “It was later that they decided to double down on Obi Wan’s voice saying, ‘Luke, use the Force’ and that’s when he decides.”
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Hamill returned to the franchise after decades away, when director JJ Abrams revived the series in 2015 with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
