Luke Skywalker is back on-screen thanks to a new Disney+ special. The Jedi Master, most notably played by Mark Hamill, has had a life far beyond the original Star Wars movie trilogy, with Skywalker showing up in novels, video games, and some of Star Wars' live-action TV series. Fans will see Luke Skywalker next in an unexpected Disney+ special, dedicated to The Mandalorian.
Disney+ recently released a trailer for its upcoming special, LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian, which is set to release on the streamer on September 2nd. The project is something of a re-telling of The Mandalorian, the live-action Star Wars series which ran for three seasons on Disney+ before transitioning to the big screen in The Mandalorian & Grogu. The original series is now being commemorated in LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian, which also includes Luke Skywalker's memorable appearance in the show.
The trailer for LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian is a crash course in some of The Mandalorian's most iconic moments, and naturally, that contingent has to include the appearance of the original Star Wars hero himself. Skywalker appeared in a surprise cameo in the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, arriving on Moff Gideon's ship to slice through Dark Troopers and collect Grogu for his Jedi training.
At this point in the timeline, Luke Skywalker is only a few years older than when he was in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, so a body double and CGI were used to recreate Hamill's younger self in the show. Skywalker's cameo remains one of the standout moments in The Mandalorian's run, and LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian reinvents that moment in signature LEGO style in the trailer.
LEGO Luke Skywalker appears right at the end of the trailer for LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian. The scene sees the Jedi tear through Dark Troopers with his green lightsaber, just as the character did in the live-action show.
The scene takes place during a moment when all seems lost for the Mandalorian, who is trying to rescue his young ward, Grogu, from the clutches of Moff Gideon. Skywalker, having heard Grogu's message from earlier in the season, arrives in the nick of time, and his Jedi skills assist in taking down the dangerous Dark Troopers.
The scene is a very faithful recreation of how the combat sequence goes down in the show, but not without classic LEGO charm.
Skywalker dramatically lifts his hood to reveal his identity, only for the Mandalorian and Bo-Katan in LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian not to recognize him. "I'm kind of a big deal!" Skywalker impresses upon them in the trailer:
The Mandalorian: "It looks like you're expecting us to know who you are?"
Luke Skywalker: "I'm Luke Skywalker... My father was Darth Vader... Oh come on, I'm kind of a big deal!"
The Mandalorian: "If you say so."
LEGO Luke Skywalker's outfit in the special reflects that of his appearance in the show, with the character wearing plain black robes and a belt with his lightsaber.
LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian is one of four major releases from the Star Wars universe this year. The LEGO special will begin streaming on Disney+ on September 2, the same date that The Mandalorian & Grogu arrives on the streaming service.
Luke Skywalker's Star Wars Future
Luke Skywalker is easily one of the most important characters in Star Wars canon. After Hamill got his start as the hero in the iconic first trilogy, he and his co-stars Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher reprised their roles as Luke, Leia, and Han Solo in the Sequel trilogy at Disney. Luke was killed off in Episode VII: The Last Jedi, effectively precluding him from appearing in any future Star Wars projects, but that hasn't stopped Lucasfilm from finding ways to bring back the iconic Jedi.
The Mandalorian was one such project, as was The Book of Boba Fett, which drew upon a younger version of Luke Skywalker to fit their timeline. Skywalker is also being integrated into other media, including the upcoming Marvel x Star Wars comic crossover. The character is also regularly featured in Star Wars LEGO projects.
On the live-action film side, it's unlikely that Hamill will ever return as Skywalker after his character's demise, although if Daisy Ridley's Rey movie project ever makes it off the ground, perhaps there would be a place for a force ghost appearance from Hamill as Luke.
The MandoVerse's future also seems to be in doubt following the release of The Mandalorian & Grogu, so it's unclear if The Mandalorian's version of Skywalker will have the opportunity to return.
