Episode IX Speculation and Discussion

[Reverend]

I should note that at the time ROTJ was made, Luke was wearing clothes Lucas envisioned was standard for the Jedi during their heyday. At the time he imagined the all black clothes as traditional Jedi dress. It was only later that Obi-Wan's robes became the inspiration for Jedi clothes. At the time of filming, Obi-Wan was wearing standard Tatooine robes (just like Uncle Owen).

Yes and no. While there's ANH concept art of Ben's costume that looks decidedly more "Jedi" like; what they ended up on was basically desert cloak hiding the very tatty and old Jedi robes underneath. (See Also: Yoda)
Likewise, I think there's also some RotJ concept art of Luke's costume that seems much closer to what Ben was wearing (and kind a like what he ended up wearing in TFA.)

The idea that Jedi clothing was meant to look humble and low key seems to have been fairly pervasive, even if they did later dial it back even closer to the iconic Ben Kenobi look than was absolutely necessary.

 

[UssGlenn]

Lucas changed his mind about how things "always were" so many times the truth is probably lost to history. I know I read about the black ROTJ jedi outfit being designed specifically to be reminiscent of priestly garb. That said, it was never made explicit onscreen, and I also know they had a discussion before The Phantom Menace about what the Jedi would wear and settled on the Old Ben model. I'm just not convinced that if you asked Lucas in 1977 if Ben was wearing his tattered Jedi clothes he would have said yes. Yoda is clearly dressed similarly to Obi-Wan, but then he's also a hermit in hiding just like Obi-Wan.

 

[Ithekro]

Luke was wearing black in that film to represent that he might fall. However at the end, he was a flap open on the outfit and the under side is white. Symbolism that he was light side at the core.

 

[Crewman6]

Luke was wearing black in that film to represent that he might fall. However at the end, he was a flap open on the outfit and the under side is white. Symbolism that he was light side at the core.

Do you think he specifically picked out the outfit for that reason?

 

[Crewman6]

Lucas changed his mind about how things "always were" so many times the truth is probably lost to history. I know I read about the black ROTJ jedi outfit being designed specifically to be reminiscent of priestly garb. That said, it was never made explicit onscreen, and I also know they had a discussion before The Phantom Menace about what the Jedi would wear and settled on the Old Ben model. I'm just not convinced that if you asked Lucas in 1977 if Ben was wearing his tattered Jedi clothes he would have said yes. Yoda is clearly dressed similarly to Obi-Wan, but then he's also a hermit in hiding just like Obi-Wan.

Completely agree. in ANH, Obi Wan was not meant to be wearing Jedi clothing, it was just desert clothing, but Lucas then just adapted that look for 95% of the Jedi in the PT.

Which was seriously disappointing (and dumb!)

 

[fireproof78]

Do you think he specifically picked out the outfit for that reason?

I can't recall, but I think one script copy stated Luke was wearing a black uniform Jedi outfit. I'll have to double check.

Completely agree. in ANH, Obi Wan was not meant to be wearing Jedi clothing, it was just desert clothing, but Lucas then just adapted that look for 95% of the Jedi in the PT.

Which was seriously disappointing (and dumb!)

It was incredibly dumb and frustrating, especially when the supposed reason was that they could blend in with indigenous people's and look like many from around the galaxy and yet are instantly recognized as being Jedi by their look!

 

[jaime]

Completely agree. in ANH, Obi Wan was not meant to be wearing Jedi clothing, it was just desert clothing, but Lucas then just adapted that look for 95% of the Jedi in the PT.

Which was seriously disappointing (and dumb!)

Yoda. You mean Yoda.

 

[jaime]

Do you think he specifically picked out the outfit for that reason?

Yes. Lucas is better at this stuff than people give him credit for.

 

[Campe]

Yoda. You mean Yoda.

Yoda wasn’t in ANH.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Yoda wasn’t in ANH.

Yoda appeared in TESB which came out way before the PT, and in that film he's wearing clothes that look an awful lot like Kenobi's, are the points, I think.

 

[Tosk]

And even if you discount Yoda's little outfit, look at what Anakin is wearing in the final scene of ROTJ.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

And even if you discount Yoda's little outfit, look at what Anakin is wearing in the final scene of ROTJ.

That's a great point. They looked like three peas in a pod.

 

[Campe]

So, Owen was a poser in his Jedi robes— I mean, farmer gear?

 

[jaime]

Yoda wasn’t in ANH.

Yoda appeared in TESB which came out way before the PT, and in that film he's wearing clothes that look an awful lot like Kenobi's, are the points, I think.

Precisely.

Edit: the idea being the Jedi dressed like the peasantry of the feudal model Lucas was using.
Their only ‘badge’ or uniform being the lightsaber.

Edit again: Luke in Jedi wears knights robes. Like Anakin. Masters wear the full peasant garb, as do the padawans. Though it could just be Anakin and later Luke preferring the moody variant. It’s likely Luke got his ‘uniform’ from Obi-Wan’s hut/cave, and they may even be a set of Anakin or Obi-Wans old robes. We know he inherited Obi-Wans and later Yoda’s stuff. (Because of the lightsaber building deleted scene...and before we strike it from the canon, I also draw attention to the *slightly different but still Lucasfilm* radio plays. It’s as canon as Biggs. Almost.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

So, Owen was a poser in his Jedi robes— I mean, farmer gear?

At some point, I read and/or heard in an interview that the idea was that Jedi robes resembled common peoples' clothing. I've no idea what the explanation is supposed to be now.

 

[jaime]

At some point, I read and/or heard in an interview that the idea was that Jedi robes resembled common peoples' clothing. I've no idea what the explanation is supposed to be now.

I think it still holds.

 

[arch101]

Completely agree. in ANH, Obi Wan was not meant to be wearing Jedi clothing, it was just desert clothing, but Lucas then just adapted that look for 95% of the Jedi in the PT.

maybe, but the overall form of the layers of robes, and the way they are held together by the obi (that's really what the belt is called) is VERY reminiscent of a Samurai's robes, which is what Lucas was trying to evoke with the Jedi. So, I could buy that old Ben is wearing Jedi garb.

 

[jaime]

maybe, but the overall form of the layers of robes, and the way they are held together by the obi (that's really what the belt is called) is VERY reminiscent of a Samurai's robes, which is what Lucas was trying to evoke with the Jedi. So, I could buy that old Ben is wearing Jedi garb.

Of course with his ‘of the people’ approach, and their lack of direct power, he also evokes something of the ninja.

 

[Tuskin38]

someone claiming to work at a movie theatre says there will be an Ep9 trailer with Maleficent 2 next month https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWars/comments/d0jrq1/hey_everyone_here_its_your_local_movie/

And the BBFC has rated a trailer for the movie
https://bbfc.co.uk/releases/star-wars-rise-skywalker-filmtrailer-3

 

[Crewman6]

It was incredibly dumb and frustrating, especially when the supposed reason was that they could blend in with indigenous people's and look like many from around the galaxy and yet are instantly recognized as being Jedi by their look!

Ha! So true! No wonder the stormtroopers killed Owen, they must have thought he was a Jedi!

At some point, I read and/or heard in an interview that the idea was that Jedi robes resembled common peoples' clothing. I've no idea what the explanation is supposed to be now.

That was definitely the "official" explanation, but it's retcon silliness. And, as fireproof points out, the outfit was so distinctively associated with the Jedi that they were subsequently identified as such by outfit alone.