On Star Wars, the Heroes We Wait For, and the Only One Who Ever Truly Came to Save Us
Star Wars is one of my favorite stories. The most cherished time I heard “The Throne Room and End Titles” by John Williams was not during the actual movie when Princess Leia is bestowing medals, but was when I walked back down the aisle with my husband. I had dreamed about that moment for years. Being declared “you are now husband and wife” and then hearing those infamous trumpet staccato notes making up the first song I heard as a married lady. It was one of the most thrilling moments of my life. I have the footage of bouncing down the aisle to prove it. And while there has been a rise of nerdcore incorporation into weddings this decade, I think this still serves as an indicator that I’m a true fan.
Sometime in the 90’s, my brothers and I would have “kid meetings” talking about when the next episodic movies would be released and what would happen to Luke Skywalker well before the announcement of episode I. Even when those prequel films arrived I still held out hope that my favorite hero would have an epic saga continued. Though I read the Timothy Zahn books as a young aficionado, I wanted to see Luke Skywalker himself kicking butt in all of his ferocious yet zen and hopeful green lightsaber wielding heroism. We will skip past the nonsense and slop that were the sequel trilogy, most especially the Rian Johnson directed film whose name will forever be synonymous with a contemptuous, undermining traitor. Just as bad as Darth Vader himself, one might say.
And then, that darling series, The Mandalorian released its second season and I saw on screen what I had been anticipating since I was four years old. The young Luke Skywalker fighting to protect good and overcome evil. I can’t even begin to explain the fangirling that I experienced. I held it together but as a 30 something year old lady, I just started sobbing at the end of the episode. Much to the chagrin and confusion of my then boyfriend as we had only recently started dating. As my now husband contemplated what he was getting himself into, I felt that rescue scene so deeply it touched something long buried from girlhood. I needed to see a true hero again.
A true hero.
I was struck with the juxtaposition of watching my hero come to life, but amidst so much craziness going on in the world. Mind you, this episode came out near the end of 2020. None of us escaped some kind of mind-melting paradigm shift. The media, including the Disney company, didn’t escape it either. Even though I love this company and I have made my peace with not being on board with everything it stands for, I can’t help but see that Star Wars went from George Lucas telling a story he loved by the skin of his teeth to this huge conglomerate telling assembly line stories. And there I sat seeing one of my heroes on screen. And I only just then noticed. While I can often suspend my disbelief long enough to enjoy a story and see how it reflects real life, it came crashing down on me that he isn’t real. Luke Skywalker isn’t going to save anyone from this mess of our culture. Right now, six years later, more than ever, we still need heroes. Real heroes.
It makes me wonder, what is a real hero? The irony is not lost on me that while learning about the Hero’s Journey in high school, Luke’s story was the prime example that my teacher used. And yet, here I am asking what a hero looks like. Luke Skywalker was flashy when he was dueling with his saber or fighting off a bunch of snarling bounty hunters, but when it came to it, he not only helped to save the universe, he saved his father. Those are the hero stories we need today. The ones that will help an old lady across the street or take a grenade for his fellow soldier. The one who will listen to the beginning, middle and end of a story, an argument, a perspective and still hold space that there is hope for every one of us. The one that will make a difference in the lives of those in their community. A person who will hold firm to what is right and to their true selves.
Honestly, the reason I was shaken to my core that day watching a story about a little green baby alien, wasn’t even all of that. It was that I was waiting, holding on in my heart a story to finish for which I had waited a long time. It wasn’t the conclusion of Luke’s story on the planet Crait in Episode VIII, it was that moment on that Imperial light cruiser that felt like the resolution of Luke Skywalker to me. The conclusion was the hero continuing on and being his brave self in the face of corruption that he couldn’t possibly overcome by himself. But he continued on anyway. The version of Luke we see at the end of Return of the Jedi was a wholly different one than we see in the Mandalorian. It wasn’t the same Luke that saved everyone but still grieved what could have been as he stood before a future filled with hope. This Luke kept on standing firm. And that is where the young Jedi and the grizzled war hero meet. It was how he held onto hope for his father and hope that eventually the good fight would be won in the galaxy. It makes me think of this phrase that is repeated throughout the New Testament, my favorite being found in Ephesians, chapter 6. It says to stand firm against the schemes of darkness. Stand firm.
Stand firm.
This all makes me wonder, what else am I holding onto that lets someone else dictate something in my own heart? Is what I am holding onto and standing firm on and against worthwhile? Perhaps I need to let go of my disdain for Rian Johnson for starters. I do think there are real places in my heart where I can have more grace. For in a charged and breaking world, stories of redemption and forgiveness sustain us, and the heroes in them who stand firm, hold to their values, and stay true to themselves inspire us.
Turning from our beloved green saber-wielding Jedi to someone who is real, let’s look at the life of Jesus. The ultimate act of forgiveness is and always will be Jesus Christ’s work on the cross. While Vader’s story moves us, Jesus’ story has redeemed us.
While Luke Skywalker isn’t real, though it pains me to say, I believe he can yet inspire us. Inspire us to be more Christ-like. And though I can’t imagine a worse ending for Luke than the one written for him in the sequels, I maintain that is not my head canon. In my mind and heart he had his family and his adventures as we see in the now “Legends” Universe. And he is out there somewhere still, fighting evil but also holding space for redemption. While I can’t fight alongside Luke, I can set my feet on the same path. The path to stand firm and leave room for forgiveness, with or without a lightsaber. Come on though, you know I totally have one.
References and Inspirations:
Abrams, J. J., and Rian Johnson, directors. Star Wars sequel trilogy (Episodes VII–IX). Lucasfilm, 2015–2019
Lucas, George, creator. Star Wars original trilogy (Episodes IV–VI). Lucasfilm, 1977–1983.
Lucas, George, creator. Star Wars prequel trilogy (Episodes I–III). Lucasfilm, 1999–2005.Spotify. Best of Star Wars.
Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DXaUaRhCgtpCo. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Zahn, Timothy. Star Wars Legends (Thrawn and related novels). Bantam Spectra and Del Rey, 1991–2018.