Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been dominating fan conversation for the last week. What could the title possibly mean? I myself took a quick dive into the announcement:
But now we might have the silliest answer possible to what The Last Jedi means. Director Rian Johnson was apparently goofing around with John Darnielle, frontman for one of my favorite bands The Mountain Goats, and they came up with a song that describes the last Jedi and what he’s been doing. You have to listen to this because it is simultaneously beautiful and ridiculous.
Fun fact: the image on the SoundCloud posting is from The Sword of Doom, a 1966 samurai film about a lone ronin who has committed his life to the pursuit of evil and death. A subtle clue to what might be happening in the Last Jedi? Probably not but it’s a great image for a song about a Jedi who wastes all the other Jedi and eats their bones. And it’s a damn good movie that you should check out. Samurai films are a huge influence on Star Wars and it will be interesting to see what references and inspirations Rian Johnson takes into The Last Jedi.
I really hope the folks who are making these movies allow themselves this kind of fun. It’s great to know that these creators are having a good time with this universe. If they have fun, it’s more likely that we’ll have fun. Though it’s sounding like The Last Jedi might not be the most chipper of flicks.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15. Until then, spend your time singing along to this jaunty tune about a cannibal Jedi. Also, “cannibal Jedi” is my new favorite choice for a band name. We’ve claimed it and anyone else who snags it is a big ol’ copycat!
