Mark Hamill Reveals Two Star Wars Scenes He Misses
Mark Hamill opens up about two deleted scenes from the original Star Wars trilogy, offering a rare look at how they could have deepened Luke Skywalker's story.
If you grew up with Star Wars or just have a soft spot for classic sci-fi, chances are you could rattle off nearly every moment from the original trilogy. From the first shot of Darth Vader storming Leia’s ship to the rebels’ medal ceremony and Chewbacca’s unforgettable roar, the films are etched into pop culture. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, was front and centre for most of it, but even he has a few gripes about what ended up on the cutting room floor.
Looking back, it’s easy to see why the original trilogy is still held in such high regard. George Lucas pulled off special effects that still hold up, and the casting was spot on. Every character, from Han Solo to R2-D2, feels irreplaceable. The films borrow from all sorts of influences—old war flicks, Kurosawa’s sweeping shots, a bit of Tolkien, and a dash of Flash Gordon. And, of course, John Williams’ score is legendary.
Hamill’s Take on Lost Moments
Hamill’s turn as the young hero was his breakout role, and it’s one he’s never really shaken off. Not that he seems to mind—after all, playing a character that’s become a household name isn’t a bad legacy. He returned as Luke in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and even now, well into his seventies, he’s still fielding questions about the saga.
On a recent film podcast, Hamill shared his thoughts on a couple of scenes he wishes had made the final cut. One was from Return of the Jedi, where Luke is seen putting together his new green lightsaber in a cave before heading off to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt. That entire sequence was dropped. Hamill gets why Lucas made the call, but he still feels the loss of another moment from the 1977 original.
Luke’s Early Struggles and Missed Opportunities
In the first film, there was a scene where Luke looks up from the desert and spots a battle raging in space between the rebels and Vader’s forces. He then rushes off to tell his mates what he’s seen. Hamill reckons this would have added a bit more depth to Luke’s character, showing him as a bit of an outsider who’s not exactly the cool kid in town.
“There are a couple of things that are good for the character. Number one, he is ridiculed roundly by his peers. So he’s not particularly cool or popular. In the final assault on the Death Star, we’re getting picked off left and right… But the thing that motivates me to turn off the targeting device and rely completely on the Force is the death of fellow rebel pilot Biggs Darklighter. It was later that they decided to dub in Obi-Wan’s voice saying, ‘Luke, use the Force’, and that’s when he decides.”
Legacy and Later Years
Hamill returned to the galaxy far, far away decades later in The Last Jedi, released in 2017. The film was a hit with critics, though it split the fanbase. Even so, Hamill’s connection to the role and his reflections on what could have been continue to fascinate both die-hard fans and casual viewers alike.