[Explanation] Thoughts About Luke Throwing His Lightsaber After Rey Hands It To Him

At the beginning of Star Wars VIII, we see Rey handing over the lightsaber to Luke, someone who she thought was a mere legend. After such a harrowing experience in the past few days, Rey must have felt an intense emotion at that moment.

Some people believe that when she gave back the saber to Luke, she was crying. However, if you look closer at the video below, she wasn’t crying at all.

There are theories that she looked sentimental because she finally remembered that Luke was her father. But that’s been debunked in Star Wars IX.

She could have been emotional at that particular moment because Luke really was the pillar of hope that the rebels held on to. At that moment, the rebels were in a difficult position and to finally find Luke was such a relief and reignited hope.

After all the destruction, deaths, and pain inflicted by the First Order, many held on to the idea that Luke could save them. This is why the map was so important, they risked their lives so they can find Luke.

To me, she looks more like she is pleading for him to take the lightsaber and to come with her to save the galaxy. So, perhaps these are the reasons why Rey had an emotional expression on her face.

Luke Throws Away The Lightsaber

This is definitely one of the scenes in the movie I found funny and had a deeper implication. After Rey gives Luke the lightsaber, he looks at it in his hands and throws it over his shoulder nonchalantly.

While it’s a funny scene, many fans wonder what exactly came across his mind during that time. After the saber was lost for so long, it’s only rational to think that he would be happy to see his father’s weapon.

It wasn’t made known, but there was something that went through Luke’s mind at this moment, and fans are left to speculate on their own. Here are a few of my speculations on why I think he tossed the weapon.

It Was A Bitter Reminder

Luke redeemed his father and switched him back to be good. He used love, not violence to convince Anakin back to the light.

Seeing his father’s lightsaber was just a direct reminder of Anakin’s fall to the dark side. It was a weapon used to take so many lives, even children.

He proved that his father had good in him, and his father was redeemed when he passed away. Therefore, he must have felt repulsed by the weapon as it symbolized Darth Vader, the side that he didn’t want his father to be solely associated with.

He Wanted The Jedi Order To End

One thing that Luke was adamant about was that he wanted the Jedi Order to end. Logically, the lightsaber meant nothing to him anymore because it was the primary weapon and symbol of the Jedi.

In the video below, Luke explains his problems regarding the Jedi Order. He also reveals to Rey some details about what happened with Ben Solo.

He Wanted Nothing To Do With The Fight

Luke ran away to that abandoned planet to steer clear from the whole ordeal. He had a vision about Ben Solo being so powerful and engulfed by the dark side.

He felt ashamed that he was about to kill Ben Solo in his sleep. In addition, he was also fearful of how Kylo Ren will further descend into the dark side.

At the sight of Rey handing him the lightsaber, he knew exactly what it meant. It meant that people needed his help but he just didn’t want to do that. So tossing the lightsaber was him saying that he didn’t want to fight. We can see him try to shoo Rey away for a period of time before he finally relented to giving him 3 lessons.

He Didn’t Like Violence

Even when he was younger, during the time he faced Palpatine, he tossed his saber to the side. Watch the video below and see how he just throws away the saber.

He faces Palpatine’s wrath and takes on his Force Lightning unarmed. Of course, Palpatine doesn’t care and just electrocutes him without a second thought.

To see him do it again in Star Wars VII is quite reassuring because it shows that he’s still the same old Luke. He’s older and maybe his ideas about the Jedi have changed, but he still wasn’t an immediate supporter of violence.

In truth, the Jedi never did think of the lightsaber as a weapon, but rather a tool for peace. If peace can be achieved without whipping out your blade, then that’s the route Luke will surely choose.