Summary
One shockingStar Warstheory suggests the title ofReturn of the Jedimight not really be aboutLuke Skywalkerafter all.Return of the Jediis largely considered one ofStar Wars’best movies, perhaps third only to its predecessors,A New HopeandThe Empire Strikes Back. Undoubtedly, the movie also represents a pivotal point intheStar Warstimeline.
Not only is this movie the end of the original trilogy, but it also solidifies Luke Skywalker’s new role as a Jedi, and it concludes Darth Vader’s story beautifully. Indeed,Return of the Jedistands out as particularly important amongStar Warsmovies and TV shows. However,that makes one theory that the movie’s title has long been misunderstood all the more surprising.
What If Anakin Skywalker Survived In Return Of The Jedi? Here’s What Would Have Actually Happened
Darth Vader’s redemption might have come at the expense of his life, but what would have happened if Anakin had survived to escape the Death Star?
Luke Skywalker
The most obvious interpretation ofReturn of the Jedi’stitle is that it references Luke Skywalker bringing the Jedi backafter they had been nearly eradicated during Order 66. This is even more prominent given the context provided by the prequel trilogy. As two of the fewsurvivors of Order 66, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda specifically saw Luke as their future hope, sending him to Tatooine with Obi-Wan so he could be protected until he was old enough to be trained.
It’s clear, given this, that Obi-Wan and Yoda considered Luke the future of the Jedi. Luke also famously told Palpatine,“I am a Jedi, like my father before me"when he refused to turn to the dark side. Undoubtedly, each of these points is valid and suggests that Luke is in part whoReturn of the Jedi’stitle references. However, it seems this is not the only meaning behind the movie’s title.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
While the title ofReturn of the Jedidoes refer to Luke restoring the Jedi as a group, there is also a singular Jedi the title references. Namely,the titular Jedi inReturn of the Jediis really Anakin Skywalker. Yes,Return of the Jedisignals that the Jedi, as a collective, are returning to the galaxy (although that becomes complicated in the sequel trilogy). However, the conclusion of the movie is all about one key Jedi’s return to the light side of the Force.
The conclusion of the movie is all about one key Jedi’s return to the light side of the Force.
This concept is given even more weight in light of the fact that George Lucas himself has describedStar Wars, the original and prequel trilogies in particular, as the story of Darth Vader. In that sense,Return of the Jediis effectively his final triumphant moment in this larger arc. Finally,Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi who Darth Vader was always meant to be, was restored.
Star Warshas since made this meaning even clearer, with Anakin Skywalker’s time as a Jedi following the original trilogy being expanded through his Force ghost. While he first appeared as a Force ghost inReturn of the Jedi,Ahsokaseason 1 has now made it clear that Anakin remained active and, presumably, his time inStar Warsstill isn’t over yet. While it doesn’t negate that Luke Skywalker brought the Jedi back to the galaxy, this theory suggests thatReturn of the Jedialso refers to Darth Vader’s return as Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi.
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Cast
Return of the Jedi concludes George Lucas’s original Star Wars trilogy with Luke Skywalker and his allies seeking to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and facing a renewed threat as the Emperor attempts to obliterate the Rebellion through a second Death Star, broadening the epic battle between good and evil.
