Star Wars ruined Luke's Jedi Academy story.
Making this leap forward in the Star Wars timeline for the sequel trilogy, with little to no previous extra material, squandered the potential to convey the most important aspect of Luke's story: restoring the Jedi Order. While Star Wars Legends provided extensive stories of how Luke established the New Jedi Order, Star Wars ignored this possibility and instead concentrated on a new era with new heroes. This was refreshing, to say the least, but it came at the expense of denying Star Wars fans the opportunity to see Luke at his peak.
If Star Wars had seen Luke actually creating his Academy, and thus the new Jedi Order, audiences might have been more willing to accept who he became later in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Again, there are some hints of this in Star Wars currently, but they are few and far between. Grogu's training with Luke is brief in The Book of Boba Fett, as it occurs at the very beginning of the Jedi Temple's construction on Ossus, and Grogu departs before Luke can even enroll anyone else. If Star Wars had seen Luke actually creating his Academy, and thus the new Jedi Order, audiences might have been more willing to accept who he became later in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This story of recreating the Jedi Order, however, can still be presented in Star Wars.
Rey's new Jedi Order will finally include a Jedi academy.
Star Wars can still portray the story of a thriving Jedi Academy through Rey, who will return in the forthcoming Star Wars: New Jedi Order film. At the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey is put on a new course. Finn's Force sensitivity, together with that of the other former stormtroopers, such as Jannah, means Rey already has a large number of potential trainees for a new Jedi order. This is the only confirmed narrative detail for Rey's future film, and it will undoubtedly expand on what would have been done for Luke.
Rey, the daughter of a "failed" Palpatine clone, became a member of the Force Dyad, a strange occurrence involving the Force that bonded her to Kylo Ren. Rey, who was trained by Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, fought alongside the Resistance against the First Order. She eventually defeated Palpatine himself, using the combined strength of all Jedi. Daisy Ridley's top ten best moments as Rey Skywalker in the Star Wars sequel trilogy highlight her charisma and acting abilities.
Rey will pass on everything she has learned, including from Luke.
Rey is the one who currently holds Luke's legacy as his final student, having been influenced sufficiently by Luke to assume his family name as her own. Rey will not only take what she has learned directly from him, but she will also heed Luke's warnings about the Jedi Order that came before his own. In The Rise of Skywalker, Rey established a link with all of the Jedi of the past, and if she can rekindle that connection, she may be able to obtain even more wisdom than Luke.
As a Jedi Master, Rey will be hesitant to give up on anyone, no matter how much fear attempts to distort her judgment. The master-apprentice relationship's purpose is for the apprentice to improve on what the teacher has taught them. As a result, Rey is in a position to learn not only from Luke's successes, but also from his mistakes. Her bond to Ben, previously Kylo Ren, and her drive to rehabilitate him have already demonstrated that Rey's Jedi Order will differ from Luke's - but only in the best manner. As a Jedi Master, Rey will be hesitant to give up on anyone, no matter how much fear attempts to distort her judgment.
Star Wars Has A Second Chance To Tell Luke's Most Important Story (With Rey)
Star Wars wasted an opportunity to tell an important Luke Skywalker tale, but they can do so again with Luke's former student, Rey Skywalker. Luke, the key character of the original Star Wars trilogy, had a storied past in the galaxy full with important stories, but one significant portion of his life has yet to be completely chronicled in canonical form. This vacuum, which spans the Star Wars timeline from Return of the Jedi to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, depicts Luke's most significant character development: his role as a Jedi Master.
This is unquestionably Luke's most important story, since he helped preserve the galaxy before taking on the work of restoring the Jedi Order. There have been snippets of it sprinkled throughout the Star Wars canon, from The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett to various books and comics, but nothing substantive has been written about Luke re-establishing the Jedi Order. With the second trilogy skipping immediately to Rey's age, long after Luke's Jedi Academy was destroyed, it's evident that Star Wars missed their opportunity to tell this story - or did they?
Luke Skywalker's Legacy: A Journey of Redemption
The original Star Wars trilogy culminates with Luke Skywalker rebuilding the Jedi Temple on Ossus, and the franchise is set to return to it shortly. Luke, the son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, grew raised on Tatooine, a desert planet. Luke, who was initially tutored by Obi-Wan Kenobi, fired the fateful shot that destroyed the Death Star, cementing his status as a Rebel hero. Despite Obi-Wan and Yoda's misgivings, Luke's faith in his father was validated when Vader returned to the light. With the Emperor defeated, Luke dedicated himself to restoring the Jedi; his first attempt was tragic owing to Palpatine's manipulations, but Luke's legacy lives on in Rey.
Luke Skywalker's journey through Star Wars exemplifies the power of hope, atonement, and the Force's enduring legacy. His hardships, successes, and ultimate sacrifices altered the galaxy's future. Luke's story is a reminder that even in the darkest of circumstances, there is always hope for a better future.
