Darth Vader Comic Fuels Theory Of Luke’s Return In Star Wars: Episode IX

Luke Skywalker has been the subject of so many Star Wars: Episode IX rumors and theories that you’d almost think he’s the only person in this picture. Of course, a more likely reason for why he dominates the discourse is the wishful thinking of fans who were either disappointed by the character’s portrayal in The Last Jedi, or simply don’t want Luke’s journey to end here.

This latest theory, for instance, has much the same fan-pandering vibe to it as we’ve got from previous reports, but at least it backs up its speculation with some canon material. The source in question is the latest issue of the ongoing comic book series Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith.

This saga has recently introduced a dangerous Sith named Lord Momin, who may be technically deceased but still lives on in a helmet that Palpatine gives Vader. Apparently, this sinister character knows the secret to raising the dead, and in his castle on Mustafar, Vader goes about trying to harness the site’s dark Force energy in order to bring Padme back to life.

From here, fans have speculated that this story hints at a method by which Luke could be brought back to life, and it’s a theory that’s full of problems. For one thing, since it’s hard to imagine any dark side figure wanting to resurrect Luke, that would likely leave the responsibility to a light side character. If so, the Jedi for the job would presumably be Rey, but seeing how the heroine has rarely suggested that she’s vulnerable to the temptation of such dark side antics, this seems pretty out of character. But perhaps more importantly, after Luke’s climactic send-off in The Last Jedi, bringing the character back from the dead seems like a narrative cheat that writer-director J.J. Abrams wouldn’t be willing to try.

So while it has indeed been confirmed that Mark Hamill is coming back for Star Wars: Episode IX, it’s probably best to expect something more in the vein of a flashback or a Force Ghost appearance than a full-on resurrection for Luke when the film hits theaters on December 20th, 2019.