4 theories on ‘The Last Jedi’ and what it could mean for the new ‘Star Wars’ trilogy

The Force (well, Lucasfilm) was in a giving mood this week, as Star Wars fans finally learned the name of the next film in the new trilogy: The Last Jedi. It has, rather predictably, sent the fanbase into a frenzy, with some debating whether the title is meant to be singular or plural — and poor Daisy Ridley is being subjected to intense interrogations from co-stars on other projects. 

Really, we do have to wonder: Who could this "Last Jedi" be, and how important is the title to the overall plot? While The Force Awakens was a great film, the name itself doesn't lend much credence to the story. (Sounds cool, though!)

Bless the internet, we have some theories as to what The Last Jedi means, who it could be and how it might eventually tie into the name of Episode IX. 

It's Luke, and only Luke 

This feels like the most obvious answer, for a very simple reason: Luke's referenced as "the last Jedi" in the opening crawl of The Force Awakens. Plus, while Rey is clearly Force-sensitive and could become a Jedi, she's technically not a Jedi yet. 

It still stands that — having met Luke at the very end of The Force Awakens — she could soon become one through Jedi training reminiscent of Yoda training Luke in The Empire Strikes Back. However, something could always go wrong. There were hints in The Force Awakens' script that Rey was tempted by the Dark Side during her fight with Kylo Ren. 

This might also be a more Luke-centric film, since he was barely in The Force Awakens and had no dialogue (hence The Last Jedi name). 

It's Rey, because Luke could die! 

While the original Star Wars trilogy's main focus was the conflict between Luke and Darth Vader, the direction we get from The Force Awakens would suggest a similar, trilogy-long clash between Rey and Kylo Ren. 

Kylo Ren's already killed Han Solo (furthering the franchise's big daddy issues), and from what we know about his training-gone-wrong with Luke, nearly eradicated the Jedi Order. If Kylo Ren — or even, Supreme Leader Snoke — kills Luke à la Obi-Wan Kenobi in A New Hope, Rey could very well be the last Jedi. 

It's... Kylo Ren?! 

A theory that's come out of The Force Awakens posits that Kylo Ren is either going to become a Jedi again — #Redemption — or is already acting as some Jedi double agent against Snoke (less likely). 

But we'd be remiss not to note the similarities to Darth Vader — adorably, his Sith Lord role model he cares so much about that he created a faux helmet he doesn't really need — and how Vader ultimately has a redemptive arc when he saves Luke from the Emperor. 

It would be more complicated than that, but Kylo Ren is a surprisingly complex villain — who may end up being a Jedi. 

The new Star Wars titles are completing a sentence 

What if The Force Awakens ... The Last Jedi? As Mashable reported, citing a few fans who put the pieces together, the title could be a continuation of The Force Awakens, which would probably mean the title is referring to Rey instead of Luke. 

The one caveat with this theory is what that would mean for the still-untitled Episode IX. For this to make the most sense, Episode IX would need to continue the trilogy sentence after The Last Jedi. Though, technically, that could still happen. 

The Force Awakens ... The Last Jedi ... Thank God, Because Space Nazis Almost Killed Us All?  

Star Wars: The Last Jedi arrives in theaters Dec. 15, 2017.  

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