Extended Force-Back in VIII (via MSW)

The actors and director have said that Ben felt neglected; we also know from TFA that Han said "Luke felt responsible.... He walked away from everything."

IMO, both of these things seem highly unlikely--that Han and Leia would outright neglect their child or that Luke was to blame/responsible for the destruction of the new generation of Jedi. But Ben and Luke might believe these things to be true and are basing their actions today on them. That doesn't make the things they believe true--it just makes them motivations, however falsely based.

In Luke's case, we can't even be sure this is a motivation for him, because we're only getting Han's point of view on the matter, and we don't know if his info is accurate.

 

Appreciate the constructive and helpful criticism, guys ( from a future film maker, it means a lot! )

I like the theory linked by Master Shaitan, and I do indeed think that this next installment of the saga should focus as much on the past/origin of the Sith and Jedi as it does our main characters in the Sequel Trilogy.

I also agree that no matter what happened to Luke's Academy, it really doesn't suit him as a character to simply exile himself and mourn/hide from whatever occurred. Even at his lowest, I can't see Luke Skywalker as not being practical enough to try and do something about any imminent threat to the galaxy.

It has to be truly worth it, though. Han was killed by his own son, and Leia was minutes away from being blown away by the same weapon that just obliterated several planets out of the sky. Luke needs a damn good reason for not being around to stop any of these events from occurring, because otherwise it simply makes him a coward, which he is not. I can definitely see past events and their consequences affecting his actions to this very day, but not in a way that makes him completely abandon or forget the value of the lives that clearly hang in the balance.

In short, Luke is the Star Wars Universe's version of The Doctor. Other characters may choose the practical over personal and vice-versa, but Luke, as the last Jedi, would definitely be a pillar of hope in that he wishes to meld the two somehow and take responsibility when he can't.