Mark Hamill Says Luke Doesn't Turn To The Dark Side In The Last Jedi

Luke Skywalker's internal struggle between light and dark is at the heart of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and it's certainly been a focal point of the marketing, but actor Mark Hamill may have cleared it all up.

In an interview with Disney Insider, Hamill said that Luke is definitely "haunted" in the new trilogy, but he's essentially the same character that he's always been. "I don't think Luke's fundamental personality has changed, except that he is older and his life experiences have shaped his outlook the same way they do for all of us," Hamill said. 

We got just a glimpse of that in 2015's The Force Awakens, but Hamill explained what's really going on with Skywalker. "Luke has lost confidence in his ability to make good choices," Hamill said. "It haunts him to the core. But he hasn't gone to the dark side. This isn't an evil version of him. But it's still an incarnation of the character I never expected. It pulled me out of my comfort zone. It's a real challenge."

But what about that line in the teaser for The Last Jedi? The one in which Luke says it's "time for the Jedi to end?" Hamill hinted that it's not necessarily what you think.

"I'm sure this line is a great shock to the audience, so you can imagine how I felt!," he said. "This is a huge change for a character who once represented optimism and hope. It's a radical decision to drop out of everything he's ever believed in. The entire movie is filled with these kinds of jaw-dropping surprises, but you'll just have to see the film itself to discover what they are."

We'll get that chance when The Last Jedi hits theaters on Dec. 15.