Mark Hamill is not afraid to voice his opinion, and he has recently spoken out about how Luke Skywalker’s original introduction scene was cut from Star Wars: A New Hope, leaving out an extra dimension to the character. Fortunately, the scene is available to watch on Disney+.
While appearing on a recent episode of Russo Bros. Pizza Film School (an Instagram Live series the Marvel directors started during the pandemic), Hamill opened up about why the cut introduction – which sees Luke look up and witness Darth Vader’s assault on Princess Leia’s ship, before heading to Tosche Station – is so important in establishing the character’s motivations and nuances.
“There a couple of things that are good for the character,” said Hamill. “No. 1, he is ridiculed roundly by his peers. So he’s not particularly cool or popular. Koo Stark is the only other female actor in the movie… and she calls me ‘Wormie’. So I am not popular.
“And then I bump into Biggs Darklighter, played by Garrick Hagon, and I go ‘Wow!’ You can see we’re good friends. He’s dressed in an Imperial uniform and I’m going, ‘Wow! That’s so great! I can’t wait until I can get off the dump of a planet and join with you.’
“And he takes me outside and says, ‘Luke, as soon as I get the chance, I am going to jump ship and join the Rebels.'”
He continued: “The only reason that is interesting to me is that Luke has no political persuasion. He thinks it’s great he is in the Empire! Luke wants to be in the Empire if it will get him off the farm! So he is completely pure in that he is not politically motivated in any way, shape or form.”
If you have Disney+, or any of the other formats that this scene is available on, what do you think of the cut scene?
