The Star Trek films get a little obsessed with torch-passing, making certain that the next generation gets handed the torch by the previous one. The Force Awakens ends with the next generation giving the torch BACK to the previous generation.
I honestly wonder if the next movie is going to show us what happens immediately after this one ended. It's probably going to start with some space stuff, just like the other SW movies, but after that? Will we see Luke go: "Great, you recovered my lightsaber but not my hand? Did you see my hand anywhere? It must've been there! Can you try and get my hand back for me?" and then the movie will be about that.
STAR WARS EPISODE VIII THE HAND OF LUKE. It is a dangerous time in the galaxy. Left and Right, citizens of the First Order and residents of the New Republic have been missing hands. Lightsabers, metal swords and long, sharp instruments have been banned across the galaxy, yet hands continue to disappear. Rey, from the planet of Jakkuu, who had been dispatched to find the missing Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker arrives at his secret Jedi Temple on Screwichu, and hands him the lightsaber that once belonged to his father, Anakin Skywalker. Luke takes the lightsaber, and with a swift move slices her hand off at the wrist.....
Luke's hand must be very cool by now. I would imagine the next film being about Luke assuming the Obiwan role. Gone into exile after losing one trainee to the dark side he's presented with a new trainee who is the last hope for the Jedi. I wonder if they're setting up some scene where Kylo Ren is like "Strike you down? As if! You'd become more powerful than I could possibly imagine! Take him into custody."
Opening with the continuation of the last scene of TFA would indeed be a departure. Star Wars films have always opened with a shot of a ship flying through space. I assumed Luke's hand was damaged at some point leading up to the destruction of the new Jedi Academy, and he never fixed it because he realized how cool it would be to have a robot hand.
From a technical perspective. I didn't really like the use of a drone/helicopter to do that last flying around shot of the two of them standing there. Too gimicky. It felt like "hey, lets have the camera move because we can!" feel to it.
It's funny that the writers said their main reason for holding back Luke until the end was because once he shows up he immediately upstages all the newer characters and becomes the only thing audiences want to watch.... Because it seems to me that would STILL be a major issue with Episode VIII. No matter how much we may have grown to love Rey in TFA (myself included), the second freakin Luke Skywalker enters the picture at the end he is suddenly the main character again and most interesting thing in the movie for me. And it's going to be awfully hard to get past that and not feel hugely disappointed if, say, he gets left behind on his little island while Rey goes on more adventures. And even if he tags along with her (which I really hope is what happens), I'm probably still going to find myself watching and caring more about what he does than anybody else in the movie.
I'll be perfectly happy to see Luke be the next Yoda. It'd be nice if he gets some action in, but it's not a deal-breaker if he leaves that end of things to Rey. LUKE: "I'm getting too old for this poodu."
I saw the film again today and noticed that Luke's robe conspicuously reminded me of Obiwan's first appearance.
I got the distinct impression from his expression that he was not happy to see Rey. That said, I have no problem seeing them start the movie after another time jump. After ehe expected starship opening scene they can jump to wherever the three of them (remember, Chewie's the one who dropped her off) are now, with some indirect expositional dialogue about what happened. Luke bickering about how he's still upset that he returned to find him, and all that sort of jazz. There's no need for it to pick up right then and there, regardless of the situation.
That would be a bit funny if Luke has gone off the deep end a bit and sounds more like Joker than his old self. But this is still suppose to be Luke Skywalker. Hero of the Rebellion and the Last of the Jedi. One hopes he gets some respect. Even his father got to be more respectable as Darth Vader.
That's fantastic. I don't think I've seen Mark Hamil perform the Joker live before so that's a nice treat, too.