Ever since we’ve learned the title of the next Star Wars episode, people have been speculating as to what it could mean. Who is the last Jedi and what will the movie focus on? While there are three main candidates, it’s likely that we won’t really know who title refers to until the end of the movie. Here are my thoughts on what the Episode VIII’s title could possibly mean. Before I continue, I must give a shotout to my co-worker and Star Wars muse, Jordan Johnson. He and I spend a few minutes a day discussing the past, present, and future of the greatest series ever.

Luke is The Last Jedi (Singular)

This is an obvious one. We know that Luke is the last Jedi. The opening crawl of The Force Awakens tells us as much. I think Episode VIII is simply going to give us a lot of backstory on Luke. I think we are going to see a few flashbacks of him and a young Ben Solo. We may even see him communicate with one of the old masters.

I mean, Luke was able to see the force ghosts of Obi-wan, Yoda, and Anakin. In Legends, Luke was actually trained by these masters, and rumor has it that Frank Oz has already made a few trips to Pinewood Studios. So it’s likely that we will at least see the little green and maybe even Old Ben as well.

But if Luke truly is the last Jedi, what could this imply about Jedi like Ahsoka, Kanan, Ezra?  If Luke is the last one, that precludes the others from still being alive, right?

A lot of people are thinking that if Luke is the last Jedi, then he would have to pass down his knowledge of the order before dying. Is that what he will be doing in this film? Training another last Jedi? Or will he just be training the latest Jedi?

Rey is The Last Jedi (Singular)

So Rey could be the last Jedi, or maybe just the latest. Whether or not she is will entirely depend on how long her training montage is in the film. If Luke decides to pass down his knowledge of the force to Rey, which we all know he will, then wouldn’t that classify her as a Jedi as well?

Not necessarily.

How long does it take for a padawan to become a Jedi? We know they have to pass certain trials to become Jedi Knights. Does being an apprentice to a Jedi mean you are a Jedi? Qui-gon Jin was willing to train Anakin without the council’s permission. In doing so, Anakin remained a civilian until Obi-wan all but demanded it.

I mean, even Luke didn’t really become a Jedi until episode VI. Yoda pronounced him a Jedi on his death bed. So if Episode VIII mimics Episode V, then it’s likely that Rey won’t be a Jedi by the end of the film. Unless, of course, she completely Mary-Sues it and just becomes all-powerful like we are all afraid she will become.

But if she is the last Jedi, then what does that mean for Luke? Will he be struck down in a Kenobi-esq manner and become one with the force? Probably eventually. I think with the loss of Han in VII and the death of Carrie Fisher, we may see Luke make it all the way through to Episode IX.

Kylo Ren is The Last Jedi (Singular)

Depending on the depth of training Rey receives and if Luke survives the film or not, Kylo Ren could easily be the last Jedi. Think about it. He was Luke’s padawan for a time. Probably for about 5 years. That’s enough time to really develop some sweet force skills. Like Force Whine, Force Mope, and Force Emo, which is just kind of a combination of the other two while wearing dark clothes and acting in a brooding manner.

So if they do make these ghostly teachers canon, would it be too farfetched to think that a young Ben Solo had at least some cursory training from them as well?

I mock Kylo Ren, but it’s possible that he is way more bad-a than I give him credit for. And if he was trained at the feet of the masters, or if his training merely second-hand, it would have been enough to earn him the title of Jedi, if not something higher.

Some Combination of Jedi = The Last Jedi

I probably don’t need to remind you that Jedi is both a singular and plural word. So all this speculation really is for nothing because it’s possible that by the end of Episode VIII there will be more than one Jedi. The last Jedi could simply mean that the Order that Luke created, or potentially will create again, will be the last of the Jedi.

It could refer to the last of the Jedi as a group. Currently in canon, there are at least two more Jedi, but that number could increase depending on how a few different storylines play out. At the moment, Kanan and Ezra are both still alive and kicking…the crap out of bad guys. Maybe these surviving Jedi get together.

The name could simply refer to Luke and Rey as the last Jedi.

We still have almost an entire year to wait until we are able to get answers these questions. But with the film less than a year away, we can start to expect the release of teasers and trailers that should shed some light on these questions. And when they do, I will be here to pick them apart.

What do you think of the title for Episode VIII? Leave a comment in the section below.