Star Wars: Mark Hamill On Deleted Scenes
I actually swore I saw this scene. But that was because it was in both the Star Wars Storybook and Marvel’s official film adaptation; each designed using the screenplay, not the original Star Wars movie as the source material.
But it stuck in my mind, and — thankfully — when Luke meets Biggs before the Battle of Yavin, (for many of my viewings) I had half a clue.
And it really does add something to the story when Biggs is more than window dressing during the trench run.
Talking Deleted Star Wars Scenes With Biggs
A couple of years ago, while speaking to Garrick Hagon — who played Biggs in Star Wars (1977) — we commiserated about the cut.
“In a way, it’s become a kind of cult,” said Hagon with a chuckle. “People come up and commiserate that it isn’t in the film, or some even put it back in at home.
“You get various people writing more backstory and sending you scripts or whatever,” he continued. “So there’s a lot of — a kind of color — around Biggs.
“So, yeah, we’re lucky to be in one of the best cut scenes in the film, and in movie history.”
Apparently, Luke Skywalker agrees and said as much to the #RussoBrosPizzaFilmSchool. Yeah, the Russo Brothers. As in Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Hamill: Who’s this guy?
“In [Return of the] Jedi and in Star Wars, my original entrance is cut,” explained Mark Hamill. “In Jedi, I’m in a cave and [the camera is] over my lightsaber, which I am assembling. And they pan up and it’s a reveal of me in the hood making this new lightsaber.
“In Star Wars, as soon as the robots jettison off of the ship that Vader’s on, you cut to this kid, in the desert, working on a moisture vaporator; he sees a little thing up in the sky and takes out his macrobinoculars. And he sees this little thing up in the sky.
“He’s very excited… Luke jumps in his landspeeder and he goes off to Tosche Station.
“It’s in the novelization, and I totally get why they cut it; because, they wanted Luke to come into the story organically when he joins up when the robots get sold at the Jawa auction.
“And [the cut scene] is a distraction,” added Hamill. “You go, ‘Well, who’s this guy?'”
Star Wars: Teen Club Tosche Station
“But he goes off to the ‘teen club’ at Tosche Station. And there’s a couple of things that are good for the character.
“No. 1, he’s ridiculed, roundly, by his peers. So, he’s not particularly cool or popular… [the girl at the club] calls me ‘Wormie.
“Then, I run into Biggs Darklighter… and I go, ‘Wow!’ You can see we’re old friends.”
And Luke is so ready to leave the planet and join Biggs off-world. However, Luke’s old friend is a draft dodger, late of the Imperial Academy, and ready to join the Rebel Alliance.
“The Rebellion is spreading,” said Biggs. “And I want to be on the side I believe in.”
“Yeah,” Luke retorts. “Meanwhile, I am stuck here.”
Did You Know? Luke Was Ready To Join The Empire….
Hamill further explained, “The only reason that’s interesting to me, is that Luke has no political persuasion.”
Mark very pointedly asserts that before Biggs says he’s going to jump ship, Luke was ready to join Biggs at the Imperial Academy; the Empire.
“Luke wants to be in the Empire,” said Hamill, “if it will get him off the farm.”
But the scene has further implications, particularly in the trench run.
“We’re getting picked off left and right,” recalls Luke, er, Mark. “And the thing that motivates me to turn off the targeting device and rely completely on the Force, is the death of Biggs Darklighter.
“It was later they decided to dub in Obi-Wan.”
And the rest is Star Wars canon.
Check out the ENTIRE interview below. Great stuff. As was Ryan Parker’s story in The Hollywood Reporter which reminded me I wrote about this scene, previously!