Star Wars: Johnson Dished On “The Cave” Scene
Star Wars Little Professor Strikes Again
I am on a Rian Johnson kick.
After he spoke to USA Today’s Sariah Wilson last week, I dove into Johnson’s Brick, read a lot about Knives Out (which was filmed near me), and thought a ton about Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
And today, this:
He saw it as Rey having to see that who she has to connect with and answer to is herself, because she had been looking for answers from Luke. She wants to know her place in this story and is reaching out to people to find it. He likes that it's left open for interpretation
— Sariah Wilson (@sariahwilson) February 21, 2021
He never said Ben wasn't there (but he also didn't say he was). But if I'm remembering correctly, he mentioned Kylo as being one of the people Rey was looking for answers from (as well as her parents).
— Sariah Wilson (@sariahwilson) February 21, 2021
ESB and TLJ Stand Apart
Now, I am not gonna lie. I love all of the Star Wars movies fairly equally. However, there are three that stand out “artistically” in my mind: A New Hope. The Empire Strikes Back. And The Last Jedi.
Of course, 1977’s original stands out because it’s THE original.
However, the two middle-movies hit a higher plane because of their introspective “cave scenes.” And yes I know there is a “cave scene” in The Rise of Skywalker but I don’t think it matches the others, tonally (as it is a little too much fun).
Anyway, neither of the middle stanza’s cave scenes has a clear definition. And, like the Force, it means something different to each person who sees the scenes.
To wit, Wilson tweeted:
He saw the mirror/cave as an internal experience. I asked about it being connected to the WBW, but he reiterated that he saw it as an internal for Rey. As a SW fan, he hopes that we’ll get more WBW content in the future (but he doesn’t have any info on it, he was just speculating).
The Last Jedi: World Between Worlds?
Okay, a little translation: “WBW” is the World Between Worlds introduced in Star Wars Rebels as a conduit whereby Ezra Bridger time hops to save Ahsoka Tano from death at the hands of Darth Vader. Got that? Ha.
Well, Wilson also asked whether what Rey saw was this same conduit. To this, Johnson again says it’s internal – we assume that it’s the same for the viewer.
Similarly, the cave scene in ESB has a similar ambiguous meaning. When the visage of Vader is beheaded, the helmeted faceplate explodes, revealing Luke Skywalkers face.
Viewers, many of whom (originally) did not yet know that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker, are left to determine the meaning of the vision. Is Luke in danger of becoming evil? Is his toughest battle literally within himself?
Then, afterward: Was the cave telling him who he might find under Vader’s dark shroud?
Of course, both could be allusions to the Platonic cave analogy. But I digress….
Anyway, I am trying to say here that I am GLAD Johnson didn’t give us the answer. Again, just like the Force, the true meaning is for each individual to find themselves. More on this (and perhaps an opposite view) via ComicBook.com…
And, frankly, that means that each viewing could yield another answer.
Meet me on the couch?