Luke Skywalker Missing: Dark Side Rumors Increase Because Of Mark Hamill’s Absence From ‘The Force Awakens’ Posters

Luke Skywalker is missing from the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens character posters released this week and it has only served to increase rumors that the Jedi portrayed by Mark Hamill has potentially turned to the Dark Side.

Theories abound about why director J.J. Abrams has purposely kept the beloved original character out of all trailers and other promotional items continue to flourish. It is clear the reason Luke Skywalker is missing is very deliberate on the part of the studio and will certainly be a major part of the Star Wars plot moving forward.

In a related post by the Inquisitr, a Luke Skywalker photo leaked from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens set last summer, is the only image of Mark Hamill in costume fans have seen thus far. It is not known whether this image is authentic, but the general consensus is that it is real.

Let’s look at what Abrams’ motives may be to keep the master Jedi under wraps ahead of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens release on December 18. First, it is a central theme throughout the franchise that good characters turn to the Dark Side and one of the major protagonists has already done so.

Case in point is Anakin Skywalker, who turned into the legendary Darth Vader after he couldn’t resist the pull of the Dark Side. It wouldn’t be far fetched to think it could happen again with his son, Luke Skywalker. With Luke missing from all the footage and recent promotional posters, it only adds fuel to the fire in the rumor department.

The title, The Force Awakens — which fans didn’t necessarily approve of when it was first announced — may also be a clue about why Luke Skywalker is missing. There are some reports that confirm the hero Jedi has lived in seclusion since fans last saw him at the end of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, 30-years prior to the events of Episode VII.

Reports that Mark Hamill was spotted filming scenes in the remote Irish island Michael Skellig were rampant this past summer and the same reports suggest the Star Wars original cast member is back at this location for Episode VIII.

Why would Luke Skywalker turn to the Dark Side after he almost lost those he cared most about fighting the powerful Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine? He suffered, lost his biological hand (it was replaced by a bionic one), and was heartbroken to find out his father was his mortal enemy. Luke also discovered that Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) was his sister.

It’s not so far-fetched to think that Luke Skywalker turned to the Dark Side in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In the Expanded Universe, the Jedi fell to Emperor Palpatine’s alluring grip as explained in this passage from Wookepedia.

“When Palpatine returned in the form of several clone bodies, Luke temporarily fell to the Dark Side and became the resurrected Emperor’s apprentice. He was later redeemed with the help of his friends, and continued with his goal of reviving the Jedi Order.”

Disney and Abrams have insisted that the EU is out the window; however, we wouldn’t put it past them to still incorporate popular elements from the expanded universe in the new tale. It is also worth mentioning that there are some holes as it comes to Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy.

One of the major points of contention is that Luke never finished his training with Yoda and one could argue that fact alone means Luke is not as strong as say, Obi Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness). This alleged weakness could also mean Luke Skywalker is more vulnerable to the Dark Side. The character certainly turns more serious as the Star Wars original trilogy develops and by Return of the Jedi he is completely different from the boy we met in A New Hope.

Aside from the theory that Luke Skywalker missing from trailers and posters means that he has turned to the Dark Side, another prevailing rumor is that Luke is dead but lives in an alternative universe, much like Obi Wan does in the original trilogy. It is certainly plausible to think Luke has become a larger than life figure in the galaxy far, far away.

Will we be in for a big shock as to why Luke Skywalker is missing from all the promotional footage for Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Let us know what you think.

[Image via Lucasfilm]