SPECULATION Hypothesis of Luke in TFA and what "Awakens" could mean

a big what if.....

From what we know thus far, Luke is living on a remote island, presumably alone. The following hypothesis is based on the assumption that Luke is not guarding anything on the island(like a super weapon or Sith tomb).


One question we could ask is, "Why is he there?".

Preamble....

I mentioned in a different thread that I always wanted to see a force user "walk the line" so to say. One who explored all avenues of the force without committing to either of these Religions, citing that both have their limitations. It is also my belief that the Dark side is not inherently evil but is easily abused by those seeking power. Furthermore, it is the individual who is easily corrupted by the very power that wielding the Force gives him/her. The Force isn't a moral compass from a humanoid perspective, it's just there, to be accessed and even manipulated. It's what you do with it that results in potential calamity or serenity.

To begin, lets touch on the "Awakening" of the Force. This has much to do with this hypothesis. We know that the force is a living thing, in the sense that it has some form of consciousness. To keep things simple, lets not try and say what that exactly is. Rather, lets consider it's primary users that we know of, the Sith and the Jedi. These are both Religions and both of them adhere to strict dogma. Both were created around the Force by humanoid species interpreting as they saw fit. Perhaps the awakening is the result of the lineage of the chosen one attempting to or straight-up bringing both sides into balance, alone, by being the conduit to bridge both sides.

Delving into the more philosophical angle, the Dark and Light sides of the Force are also akin to Yang and Yin, Destructive and Constructive, Receptive and Creative etc. My point is that the Dark side is a natural part of the whole so it has to co-exist for there to be balance in the Universe. In what role exactly? Perhaps in another thread altogether.

In Nature, destructive forces often pave way for new creation. Forest fires, floods, volcanoes and even meteors reek havoc only to leave behind fertile potential for other life to come back and flourish. Nature renews itself again and again. This even happens in space. Stars going supernova, spreading their particles (building blocks for future solar systems) into the further reaches, particles coalescing, becoming planets and stars again and the cycle continues.

So, on with Luke. It could be that he might have eventually chosen a path of spiritual enlightenment over that of a warrior representing a broken political machine (the republic) that does not necessarily align with his views on the Universe. His ultimate choice of non-action against the Emperor is a clue supporting the idea that he sees a much bigger picture than those before him. He is the last of his kind and he surely knows that the Jedi Order was flawed. At least in the traditional sense, we don't even know how much of a Jedi he is anymore. He may be far more evolved from having Deity versions of Yoda, Obi-Wan and Anakin guiding him. So if he is indeed "absent" or hidden, it could be because he has chosen the life of a monk. So what do monks do? Pray, meditate, strengthen their faith and connection with divinity. So in Luke's case, he could be exploring the way in which one must bridge the dark and light within themself to be one. So upon achieving this or perhaps nearing it, the Force literally wakes up, as if it was waiting for someone to figure this out all along.

Some rumours have suggested that Luke is now very powerful but not of sound mind. This could be a half-truth. By choosing the solitary life of a monk, Luke commits to becoming one with the Force in it's entirety. In this way, he likely evolves past the emotional, mental, and psychological states of ordinary humanoids. A real world example of this could be the learned behaviour non-attachment. One is able to separate themself from seemingly everything. This, I argue, is how one could navigate the Dark side of the Force.

Comparing to another work of fiction will also help. We could liken Luke's state of consciousness*(edited for clarity) to that of Dr Manhattan from the Watchmen comic/film. Upon his creation, Dr Manhattan's human side slowly takes a back seat until ultimately, he is so far removed from an ordinary state of perception that he has to remove himself completely from everyone. He is super-conscious and not looking through a lens of good and evil. I feel that Luke could have this disposition and that it could lead to some characters thinking he is crazy, mad, disturbed etc. But in reality, he is just detached and looking at the big picture of the Universe, literally through the eyes of the Force.

This would make Luke far more unpredictable as a character and would change the fundamentals of what it is to use the Force.

Speaking of attachment, I am not attached to this hypothesis. Just a fanboy like the rest of you and would like to start a discussion based on the above. Ideally, someone can run with it and develop it more. I came up with the idea while considering the Clone Wars episode about the "Ones" on the planet Mortis. Remember, Anakin settled the dust in that episode with his Force prowess. And again there is this, "Who is Luke Skywalker? What his Father could have been." I will leave you with this quote from that episode....

"My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other. Therefore, it was necessary to withdraw from the temporal world and live here as anchorites."
"As a sanctuary?"
"And a prison. You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children… and realize that they could tear the very fabric of our universe."
―The Father and Anakin Skywalker

xo

 

Really? Nothing? Nada? No one?

 

As an add-on, there was a rumour that the climax could revolve around Luke saving the day but in an unsettling manner. Could he be beginning to "tear the very fabric of (the) Universe" only to be stopped by something before going too far? Perhaps his connection to Leia or the kids, reeling him back to a perspective rooted in love? Family winning the day?

 

Yes, I concur. I wasn't thinking his power was comparable to Dr. Manhattan but rather his perspective of consciousness and how it evolves. Moreover, what it is to have a solitary perspective such as that of Dr. Manhattan's simply because of being powerful enough to see it. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

 

Good points. I am hoping it has been dormant for ages and that yes, we have seen nothing in terms of what Force users are actually capable of. This could lead to massive instability in the Galaxy for it's inahbitants. It could also tie into a creation through destruction sort of renewal/cleansing of the Galaxy by the Force acting through those who feel it the most. I like the idea of the Force having as much control over it's users as it's users have over it. That could be really fun.

--- Double Post Merged, Sep 5, 2015, Original Post Date: Sep 5, 2015 ---

You are totally right about Disney. I never considered Disney at all in this scenario. That's a big part of it for sure. I think it would be kind of cool if the Jedi and Sith both became legends leading to new paths for Force users altogether. The thing is, there would be all kinds of hardship along the way in building new foundations and guidelines for those who refuse the path of Jedi and Sith. And who says it has to be a Religion anyway? Perhaps following a spiritual path but not glued to a strict belief system created by someone else works in favour of an "awakened" Force. But yes, there is a precious money maker at hand here. Discarding the Jedi and Sith would likely cause outrage too but I like the idea of the spiritual side of the Force taking a whole new direction.

As far as Luke goes, I see what you mean about the path of the Jedi leading to an inevitable predestination and thus stopping the story arc of Force users dead in it's tracks. However, perhaps that is only his role, fulfilling his lineage. I am sure there are a host of ways it could be explored. I dunno, I don't write movies, I just sound design them to make them better.