Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson could not end the Jedi

Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson said he ending the Jedi “is not really a valid choice.” Movie spoilers are ahead.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi hit theaters nearly two weeks ago, and to mixed reviews. Some called it the franchise’s greatest edition, while others criticized the two-and-a-half hours of footage and hate that critics enjoyed it.

A debatable part of The Last Jedi surrounded the “end” of the Jedi. It was one part of the movie’s theme, along with “let the past die,” which Kylo Ren stated in one of the scenes. At one point, it appeared that Luke Skywalker was the “last” Jedi, until Rey avoided the dark side and went forward as a Jedi. That was while Luke perished, following his Force encounter with Kylo.

Through this movie, director Rian Johnson took risks, with unexpected outcomes. One of them wasn’t ending the Jedi Order, as he told The Art of Star Wars: The Last Jedi (h/t ScreenRant):

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"“When Rey shows up, the first and foremost thing is she needs a mentor. In looking at this grand plan from ten miles up in the air, Luke is missing the thing right in front of his nose. Here’s somebody who needs you, who needs your help. If you think you are throwing away the past, you are fooling yourself. The only way to go forward is to embrace the past, figure out what is good and what is not good about it. But it’s never going to not be a part of who we all are. And that includes Rey, who grew up hearing the legends about the Jedi. So the notion of, ‘Nope, toss this all away and find something new,’ is not really a valid choice, I think.”"

It was part of the past that didn’t die and will move into Episode IX. Johnson could have aligned Rey and Kylo, leading to a murky future for the Jedi, if Luke’s fate was reversed. Of course, we also learned Leia Organa had Jedi powers. This wouldn’t leave a bright, young future to balance on, though, unless Rey switched to the good side in the trilogy’s final installment.

Next: Star Wars movie ranking after The Last Jedi

Either way, the Jedi Order will continue into the 2019 movie, with the potential for more to arise, if The Last Jedi’s final scene meant anything. Will that mean Rey trains more Jedi? Might someone like Finn develop powers and wield a lightsaber? Maybe. Maybe not. But, there are ways for Episode IX to continue the Jedi. It’s two years away, so more than enough time remains to speculate on what direction director JJ Abrams will take.