Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame has resolved an online debate concerning the final scene in The Empire Strikes Back. In the final scene of The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker (Hamill), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and droids C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) stare out the window of a starship out into the void of space, with John Williams' music conveying a much-needed sense of hope after the recent unfortunate events. Darth Vader had just revealed to Skywalker that he is his father, after cutting off his hand in an intense lightsaber duel. Han Solo has been frozen in carbonite and is being delivered to the crime lord Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine. After being rescued by his friends in the Millenium Falcon, Skywalker now has a new prosthetic hand, but morale seems to be running low. Really, it's the Williams' underscore that gives any sign that things might get better.
Recently, a couple of fans were conversing about the second Star Wars film's final scene. They tossed around some behind-the-scenes images trying to decide whether or not this scene was a reshoot. After enough discussion, the fans couldn't reach a clear answer, so they decided to turn to the esteemed actor himself, and he sorted out the issue.
Hamill revealed via his Twitter account that this final scene was not a reshoot, but rather an added scene that was shot four months after the principal photography had ended. He explained that the filmmakers were worried about the film's pessimistic finale and wanted the movie to end on a higher note. Read his words below:
Hamill recently came back to the world of Star Wars, making appearances as the heroic Jedi in both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. He is known for being active and gracious to his many fans on Twitter, so it's no surprise he stepped in to settle this recent debate among fans. About a week ago, he responded to a viral video of a Luke Skywalker cosplayer using sign language to talk to a Star Wars fan, claiming that the cosplayer is not him, but a "Lukealike."
Hamill's message about the truth of The Empire Strikes Back's final scene is an uplifting one. Seeing as the filmmakers didn't want the film to end with a depressing tone, they decided to convey that there is always hope for the future. A more disheartening feeling may have been more realistic, but given that the Star Wars franchise is set in fantasy, the hopeful message isn't a problem in that respect. In fact, given the state of the world, it's usually encouraged. Quite a few films these days have endings similar to the one in The Empire Strikes Back, and it's proven to be very popular with audiences all across the galaxy.
Source: Mark Hamill
