Slowly but surely, writer-director Rian Johnson has been running a fine-tooth comb over The Last Jedi to uncover secrets, Force ghosts, and potential loose ends that may well be tied up in Episode IX.
The result is a candid, spoiler-heavy analysis of Lucasfilm’s Star Wars sequel, with a big, big emphasis on the word ‘spoiler.’ Because as part of his latest interview, Johnson offered a frank assessment of what is arguably Leia’s greatest moment – fitting, really, considering The Last Jedi marked Carrie Fisher’s final appearance in the series.
It’s one that unfurls soon after Kylo Ren spares her life – reluctantly, we might add – as the First Order fleet, led by Snoke’s imposing Supremacy, hunt down the remnants of the Resistance. This is your final warning!
If you’re still reading this, we’re going to assume that you’ve already seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi and laid eyes on that poetic, dream-like sequence in which Leia channels her dormant Force abilities in order to rejoin the Resistance.
Remember, she is a Skywalker, so it’s not exactly outside the realm of possibility that Carrie Fisher’s General can survive a little longer in the vacuum of space. And, you know, weave her way back to the cruiser.
Here’s Rian Johnson’s take, courtesy of The Los Angeles Times:
That was something Kathy [Kennedy] was always asking: Why has this never manifested in Leia? She obviously made a choice, because in Return of the Jedi Luke tells her, ‘You have that power too.’ I liked the idea that it’s not Luke concentrating, reaching for the lightsaber; it’s an instinctual survival thing, like when you hear stories of a parent whose toddler is caught under a car and they get superhuman strength, or a drowning person clawing their way to the surface. It’s basically just her not being done with the fight yet. I wanted it to happen [for Carrie] and I knew it was going to be a stretch. It’s a big moment, and I’m sure it will land different ways for different people, but for me, it felt like a really emotionally satisfying thing to see.
China notwithstanding, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is currently playing in theaters across the globe. And it’s only taken seven days for the Lucasfilm sequel to break past $500 million worldwide.
