Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is an incredible experience for fans of the franchise. Located in both Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, the 14 acre themed land is set in the village of Black Spire Outpost on the remote planet of Batuu.
When Galaxy's Edge was first introduced, there was an established narrative in which the main story of the land is set between the events of Episode VIII - The Last Jedi and Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker. This meant that the only characters you'd see inhabiting this area would be from the latest trilogy of movie, including Rey, Chewbacca and members of the First Order.
“While we as visitors may be able to experience different stories throughout Star Wars history, the characters on Batuu can not," explained Imagineer Scott Trowbridge back in 2022 when asked about storytelling in this new land. "They will remain in their specific story and timeline and won’t intersect with other characters or stories that would not be appropriate for them.”
Unfortunately, this meant that fan-favorite characters from the original movies were absent from the Galaxy's Edge. No Luke Skywalker, no Han Solo, no Princess Leia, R2-D2, C-3PO. It felt like a huge letdown for fans of the classic trilogy who grew up with these characters.
Over the years, Disney has sort of eased the restrictions of Galaxy's Edge timeline, introducing characters like the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda, Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, Sabine Wren, and Ahsoka. At some point, Disney must've figured out that money was more important than maintaining a consistent narrative that forced the new trilogy on parkgoers.
Even with all these new additions, there were no characters from the original trilogy. That could change though!
The official social media accounts for Disney teased the arrival of one of OG Star Wars' most iconic characters: Luke Skywalker. "A Jedi... like his father before him," the post reads alongside a video teasing Luke Skywalker in his signature black robe. The video shows the Jedi Knight walking in front of the Millennium Falcon, joined by his trusty droid R2-D2.
The post hints that more details about Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 in Galaxy's Edge will be shared on Monday, February 10, 2025.
It's most likely going to be a character meet and greet opportunity. It's worth noting that the post is tagged only with #Disneyland, which suggests this could be an exclusive character meet and greet for the California park only. As someone who resides in Florida and frequents Walt Disney World, this would be incredibly disappointing.
The post is also tagged with "SeasonOfTheForce." Season of the Force is an annual Star Wars-themed event at Disneyland Resort. It usually includes special Star Wars-inspired food and beverages, merchandise, ride overlays, and fireworks show. Season of the Force is a limited event, so it's possible that Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 won't be permanent additions to the park, but rather guest appearances specifically for this. This year' Season of the Force will take place from March 28 through May 11.