It's no secret that Mark Hamill was unhappy with the direction Rian Johnson took Luke Skywalker in back in 2017's The Last Jedi. However, the actor has since managed to find a measure of redemption on Disney+ thanks to Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.
Reprising his role as the younger Luke in The Mandalorian's season 2 finale, we got to see just how powerful the Jedi had become since defeating Darth Vader and The Emperor. Later, The Book of Boba Fett had him meet Ahsoka Tano and briefly train Grogu before The Child chose to return to Din Djarin.
Clever de-ageing technology and an A.I.-created voice helped create the younger Luke, though Hamill was on set to perform all his scenes alongside body double Graham Hamilton.
Talking to Esquire, Hamill started by reflecting on the apparent end of his Star Wars journey.
"When I read The Last Jedi's script, I said, 'OK, well, that's it for me,'" he admits. "And you start that process of disengaging from something that's been a part of your life."
Adding that he was "very impressed" with The Mandalorian, Hamill confessed that the process of playing Luke alongside Hamilton was an odd one. "It is unusual to see yourself like that," he said, rightly pointing out "It can't be cheap." Does this close the door on a spin-off series starring Hamill's younger self then?
"People say, 'Oh, now you're going to be able to do a whole series of Luke post-Return of the Jedi.' I said, 'I don't think so.' First of all, they don't need to tell those stories, but if they do, they could get an age-appropriate actor."
It sounds like Hamill is happy to pass the baton to a younger actor to play Luke, and his interest in filling in the gaps between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens now appears minimal. That's understandable, but surely we'll see the hero return in Dave Filoni's crossover movie which is expected to adapt elements of Heir to the Empire?
Here's hoping...