With Luke Skywalker's return to Star Wars after almost 40 years, he was a man faced with many failures and regrets. Yet, by the end of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he decided to make the ultimate sacrifice by using all the energy he could muster to appear to Kylo Ren and let the Resistance escape. However, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker showed that Luke's X-Wing was with him and still usable, so many have wondered why he didn't head to Kylo in person.

While opinions on Star Wars: The Last Jedi still vary to this day, there's no denying that Luke's confrontation with Kylo is visually and thematically unique for Star Wars. There was not a single clash of lightsabers, and the idea of Force projection was new for the franchise. But with the power resulting in the death of Luke, it raises questions as to why he went to such lengths to avoid showing up.

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Luke Skywalker Never Wanted to Kill Kylo Ren in Star Wars

The Last Jedi Luke vs Kylo Ren

Ben Solo becoming Kylo Ren is easily Luke's biggest failure, and rather than risk making things even worse, he chose a life of exile. He even began slipping into the mindset Obi-Wan once had -- that once Kylo had fallen to the dark side, he had become a lost cause. But the Luke that saved Darth Vader was still in there, and with the help of Rey and Yoda, he came to his senses. He knew he had to stop Kylo but didn't want to kill him, so appearing as a projection was the sure way of keeping him alive. Not only would a physical attack against Kylo result in his likely death, but it also would have pushed him even further to the dark side if it failed. But appearing as a projection who never attacked made Kylo realize his foolishness and the weaknesses of the dark side.

Luke Skywalker Was the Hope the Resistance Needed in Star Wars

Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

While the grim ending of The Last Jedi is somewhat comparable to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, the remaining Resistance is even smaller than the surviving Rebels. However, there's positivity as a spark of hope is reignited, stemming from the return of a myth and legend: Luke Skywalker. His status as a legend is another thing that led to his downfall and just one more reason for his exile. Yet, by the end, he realized the galaxy needed the hope a legend provides. So, when appearing to save the Resistance, he chose the form of an un-killable projection rather than a man people could watch be hurt and cut down. Whether he wanted to be a legend, Luke secured his place as a hero.

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In the end, Luke's final showdown was never about defeating Kylo. He allowed the Resistance to escape, showed Kylo his own foolishness and brought hope back to the galaxy once more. So while it cost Luke his life, and he never received a final lightsaber duel, he finally found the solace he had always needed.