Will Star Wars: The Last Jedi become more powerful than fans can possibly imagine and feature Force ghosts? We already know Episode VIII is bringing back a lot of classic original trilogy elements, and are now beginning to suspect the blue spirits will be there alongside A-Wings, AT-M6s and TIE Silencers.The fires of speculation have been stoked recently by an Obi-Wan Kenobi ghost Black Series figure released on Force Friday. Of course, Hasbro's made clear this toy is based on the character as seen in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi - and per Rian Johnson himself the toys don't contain any major plot spoilers. However, that does still raise the question of whether they could appear. Here's why Force ghosts might just make a return.
How Force Ghosts Have Changed Since The Original Trilogy
First, though, it's worth clarifying how Force ghosts (or spirits, as George Lucas preferred) actually work given how much they've changed since their first appearance in Empire. At the end of the original trilogy, a redeemed Anakin Skywalker (looking like Sebastian Shaw or Hayden Christensen depending on which version you're watching) appears alongside Obi-Wan and Yoda on Endor. This made it seem like any Jedi could become a ghost upon death, but the prequels altered that - the process of immortality and being able to convene with the living was only discovered by Qui-Gon Jinn after his death in The Phantom Menace and conveyed to Yoda in Revenge of the Sith. He and Obi-Wan learned how to retain physical form in the decades before the first film, with Anakin presumably helped along somehow by his redemption.
This means that when we're saying Force ghosts, we're talking almost exclusively about Obi-Wan, Yoda and Anakin; There's not going to be any old ancient Jedi popping up or a Samuel L. Jackson return. Qui-Gon is also an outside shot, although it's less likely given how he's only ever appeared in a physical form in visions in The Clone Wars.
Aside from limited numbers, there are potentially other restrictions. In the non-canon Legends, Force ghosts weren't a permanent state but an interim purgatory between the land of the living and the Netherworld of the Force; Obi-Wan eventually moved on about five years after the end of the original trilogy, around the time Luke's son Ben was born. Think of it as a physical representation of Star Wars' cross-generational themes; the elders are able to oversee the future before fading into memory. Whether this is true of the new mythology hasn't been divulged, but could be used a shield by Lucasfilm should they choose not to do it.
What Role Can Force Ghosts Play in The Last Jedi?
We don't know much about the story of Episode VIII. True, from the trailers, toys and magazine exclusives we can get a solid idea of the first act and a good overview of what happens afterward, but what exactly the drive of the film - specifically in regards to Luke and his status even as a hero or villain - is as vague as Rey's parentage. However, we have enough to still speculate on how Force ghosts would fit into the movie.
The first half will have Rey and Luke on Ahch-To in a battle of the minds; we know the last Jedi will initially be reluctant to even acknowledge the new arrival's Force adeptness and harbors strong reservations about giving the Order a future in general, but will come round to train her. Within that conflicted arc is a dissection of what the Force means and the mystical underpinnings of the franchise.
It's easy to see how any or all of the trio of ghosts could fit in here. They can be advisers or combatants to Luke, alternative mentors to Rey, or thematically used to represent the strengths/weaknesses/dogma/persistence of the Jedi. Which avenue exactly depends on what Rian Johnson's going for, but the important thing is that they should be able to go beyond fan service and accentuate the movie - as long as they don't undermine Luke in a more experienced role. But will they turn up at all?
Lucasfilm Almost Had Force Ghosts in The Force Awakens
If there are Force ghosts in The Last Jedi, then Lucasfilm are doing a good job of keeping it under wraps. In terms of real evidence, there isn't much; aside from completely unverifiable speculation from notoriously unreliable (yet inexplicably popular) YouTubers, most rumors come from vague studio sources to similarly questionable publications. They are mentioned in the discussion, but primarily in clearly fake leaks. However, that shouldn't mean there isn't anything there.
Indeed, this is a question that Disney-era Lucasfilm has actually already grappled with. Early concept art for The Force Awakens featured Force ghosts, most notably Anakin being a half-Jedi/half-Sith spirit that embodied Kylo Ren's conflict. This was nowhere to be seen in the finished film (and would have been hard to fit once the decision was made to hold back Luke until the very end), although dead Jedi still had a presence care of Rey's vision; you could hear Yoda say "it's energy" and Obi-Wan "Rey, these are your first steps" (the former a lift from The Empire Strikes Back, the latter a composite of reconstituted dialogue from Alec Guinness and a new recording from Ewan McGregor).
Episode VII thus proved three things: they have seriously considered using Force ghosts; in canon the specters of our original Jedi still exist at the time of the sequel trilogy; and Ewan McGregor was happy to return to lend his voice at the very least.
How Easy Would It Be To Have (And Hide) Force Ghosts?
It shouldn't be too surprising that we haven't heard much given how Force ghosts would be achieved in 2017; while they were traditionally realized with the actors/puppet on set and various types of pre-digital special effects, with modern technology it would be easy to have any of them done in post where minimal people get involved. Yoda would simply require bringing in Frank Oz for vocal works then using a CGI model, while McGregor would need at most to be on set for a day or in lieu could be captured on a green screen (and we know they've had him return secretly before).
Has this happened? Curiously, Oz has been coy about his potential involvement, although it's unclear if he's actually hiding something or simply bowing to the might of Lucasfilm. McGregor, meanwhile, has been absent from recent major Star Wars-related events - he was the biggest name not to appear at Star Wars Celebration - so has avoided similar direct questioning.
But that is in itself intriguing. The ever-game McGregor shirking responsibility even Harrison Ford took up was actually taken as prevaricating over the long-mooted Kenobi standalone, something a ghost appearance would serve as a handy entrance point for; it would see McGregor come closer to Guinness than ever before, testing his acting chops, the makeup and audience reception.
All that said and high probability considered, the only true suggestion of either of these are CGI markers on set reported by totally unverifiable sources. However, there is another.
Will Hayden Christensen Return?
In September 2015, around the time Star Wars 8 rumors really began (including the potential casting of Benicio del Toro), it was reported that Hayden Christensen had starting training ahead of a return as Anakin Skywalker. Quite what the supposed part entailed wasn't stated at the time - as this was pre-The Force Awakens, nobody really knew what Darth Vader's sequel role would be - but the most logical scenario would be a Force ghost (a la that early concept art). Whether this was true or not still remains to be seen (although its source has since proven reliable), but timeline-wise the rumor fit and it makes Hayden the only prequel actor prominently linked to the film.
Of course, Christensen is a controversial figure in the fandom due to being at the center of Episodes II and III, thus getting much of the flack for their failure to properly convey Anakin's fall to the dark. While this has made him seem done with Star Wars - and blockbuster acting in general - he's since begun to work his way back into fans affections; an appearance at Star Wars Celebration that could be read as groundwork for an on-screen cameo got a standing ovation.
None of this is hard proof, but the prospect of Christensen's return is tangibly in the ether. After all, out of the four Jedi we're playing with, Anakin is the one whose presence would be most relevant to both Luke and Kylo's arcs. It's a gamble given how knee-jerk pockets of the audience can be, yet tricky to rationally discount.
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Given how new Star Wars has marked itself out with a strong reverence for the original trilogy and use of legacy to tell new stories, it would be strange if we got to the end of Episode IX without seeing a Force ghost return in some form. If that happens in The Last Jedi, though, Lucasflim have kept it a pretty good secret so far.
