After The Force Awakens premiered, fans had to wait two years to get satisfaction in seeing the movie’s massive cliffhanger resolved. Two years of wondering what Luke would say to Rey as she handed him his lightsaber, what he would do, if he would recognize her, and what his return to heroism would look like.
Now, that cliffhanger was great. It was a grand, majestic way to end the movie that relaunched the franchise and the anticipation it stirred up was exciting. But a video editor named Jacob Martin has posted an alternate version to Twitter, which imagines what the film might have looked like if it went on just a few seconds longer. (Well, not technically longer, since that shot of Rey holding out the lightsaber went on for days. But you’ll see what I mean.)
@HamillHimself I made an alternate ending for The Force Awakens. Feeling like JJ really missed an opportunity here… https://t.co/z50AmfsxVk
— Jacob Martin (@jacobdontcare) March 15, 2018
Obviously, this version wasn’t ever an option, since J.J. Abrams didn’t know where Rian Johnson would go with The Last Jedi. So this is all purely hypothetical. Still, hypothetically speaking, I’m head-over-heels in love with this ending and I wish I could visit the alternate timeline where this movie exists.
Not only is the lightsaber toss a great button on a dramatic moment, but imagine the two years of speculation we would have gotten from this ending. Personally, I felt that Luke’s journey as a recluse who’s shut himself off from the Force was well-justified and adequately developed, I get that not everyone shares that opinion. And Johnson’s hard turn in this moment was shocking. If we’d had years to wonder what this moment was about, rather than years to dwell on the epic drama of finally seeing our hero again, would The Last Jedi have been differently received? We can’t know the answer to that, but this short clip certainly gives us plenty of fodder for a Star Wars fan’s favorite pastime: speculation.
What do you think of this ending to The Force Awakens?
(via i09, image: Disney)
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