It was the question that launched a thousand Reddit threads and fueled endless bar debates between 2015 and 2017. When Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII was first announced, the title sat there, heavy and ominous. Everyone wanted to know who is the last jedi in the last jedi and, honestly, the answer changed about three times during the movie’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime.
You probably remember the poster. It was all red and black, featuring Luke Skywalker looking grizzled and Rey looking determined. People obsessed over the grammar. In many languages, the word "Jedi" is the same whether it's singular or plural, which led fans down a rabbit hole of linguistic detective work. Was it just Luke? Was it Rey? Was it the whole group?
The truth is a bit more complicated than a single name on a checklist.
The Literal Answer: It’s Luke Skywalker (At First)
If you’re looking for the most straightforward, "according to the opening crawl" answer, it’s Luke. The very first sentence of the scroll for Episode VIII literally says, "The FIRST ORDER reigns. Having decimated the peaceful Republic, Supreme Leader Snoke now deploys his merciless legions to seize military control of the galaxy. Only General Leia Organa’s band of RESISTANCE fighters stand against the rising tyranny, certain that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker will return and restore a spark of hope to the fight."
Later in that same crawl, it refers to Luke specifically as "the last Jedi."
When we find Luke on Ahch-To, he’s a mess. He’s disconnected himself from the Force. He’s drinking green milk and grumbling about how the Jedi need to end. At this specific point in the timeline, he is the only person who has been properly knighted and trained in the traditions of the old Order. Yoda is a ghost. Obi-Wan is long gone. Anakin is a memory. Luke is the end of the line.
But Luke doesn’t want to be the last Jedi. He wants to be the final Jedi. There’s a distinction there that matters. He believes the Jedi's legacy is one of failure—that they allowed Darth Sidious to rise and that he, Luke, allowed Ben Solo to fall. To Luke, the "Last Jedi" is a title of shame he wants to bury in the ocean along with his X-Wing.
Rey and the Shift of the Title
As the movie progresses, the focus shifts. Rey arrives with Anakin’s old lightsaber, practically begging for a teacher. She’s raw, powerful, and dangerously "untamed," as Snoke puts it.
💡 You might also like: How to Watch The Wolf and the Lion Without Getting Lost in the Wild
Is Rey the last Jedi? Not yet. Not while Luke is still breathing.
There’s a pivotal scene where Luke is teaching Rey (or rather, teaching her why she shouldn't be a Jedi) and he explains that the Force doesn't belong to the Jedi. This is where the movie starts to deconstruct the title. If the Force is everywhere, then the label of "Jedi" is just a religious affiliation.
However, by the time we get to the Battle of Crait, the identity of the last Jedi becomes a definitive plot point. When Luke confronts Kylo Ren (or his projection does), Kylo screams, "I will destroy her, and you, and all of it!"
Luke’s response is the mic-drop moment of the sequel trilogy: "I will not be the last Jedi."
As he says this, the camera cuts to Rey. She’s lifting rocks to save the Resistance. She’s moving with purpose. She has the ancient Jedi texts stashed in a drawer on the Millennium Falcon. By the end of the film, Luke passes the torch. He dies, becoming one with the Force, and in that moment, Rey officially inherits the mantle.
The Plural Problem: Could It Be Both?
We have to talk about the plural thing. Director Rian Johnson has been asked about this a dozen times. In an interview with The New York Times, he once stated that in his mind, the title was singular and referred to Luke.
But then you look at the international titles. In French, it’s Les Derniers Jedi. In Spanish, it’s Los Últimos Jedi. Both of those use the plural form.
📖 Related: Is Lincoln Lawyer Coming Back? Mickey Haller's Next Move Explained
This suggests that who is the last jedi in the last jedi isn't a static answer. It describes a transition. The "Last Jedi" is a state of being that Luke occupies at the start and Rey occupies at the finish. It’s a baton pass. If you think about the film as a bridge, Luke is the entrance and Rey is the exit.
Why Kylo Ren Was Never the Answer
Some fans argued early on that Kylo Ren (Ben Solo) might be the one. After all, he was trained by Luke. He has the bloodline. But Kylo spent the entire movie trying to "let the past die." He didn't want to be a Jedi, and he certainly wasn't a Sith in the traditional sense. He was something new—a leader of the Knights of Ren who wanted to burn the old structures down.
Snoke also refers to Rey as having "the spirit of a true Jedi," but even he doesn't consider her the Last Jedi until Luke is out of the picture. Kylo is the antagonist who forces the "Last Jedi" to actually stand up and do something. Without Kylo’s threat, Luke might have just stayed on that island eating porgs until he passed away from old age.
The Philosophical Side of the Title
There’s a deeper layer here that a lot of people overlook. Toward the end of the movie, we see "Broom Boy" (Temiri Blagg) on Canto Bight. He uses the Force to grab a broom.
This little kid represents the idea that the "Jedi" as a concept is bigger than a single person or a formal order. While the movie ends with Rey being the only formal practitioner left, it hints that the galaxy is full of potential.
If we’re being technical, though, the "Last Jedi" is a burden. It’s the weight of a thousand generations of failure and success. Luke carries it until he can’t anymore. He realizes that for the Jedi to survive, the old way of being a Jedi has to die so a new one can be born.
Real-World Impact and Fan Reception
When the movie came out, this title caused a massive rift in the fandom. Some people hated that Luke wanted to end the Jedi. They felt it betrayed his character from the original trilogy. Others felt it was the most "human" Luke had ever been.
👉 See also: Tim Dillon: I'm Your Mother Explained (Simply)
Regardless of where you stand on the "Grumpy Luke" debate, the movie is very clear about the lineage.
- Opening Crawl: Luke is the Last Jedi.
- Mid-Movie: Luke is still the Last Jedi, but he's a "failing" one.
- The Climax: Luke denies being the last one.
- The Ending: Rey is the Last Jedi.
It’s a linear progression.
What This Means for the Future of Star Wars
Knowing who is the last jedi in the last jedi is essential for understanding where the franchise is going now. With the announcement of the new "Jedi New Academy" film (set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker), Rey is no longer the last. She is the first of the new.
Luke’s sacrifice wasn't just about saving the Resistance; it was about ensuring that the term "Jedi" didn't die with him. He had to reclaim the title one last time on Crait—staring down an entire army with a laser sword (sort of)—just to prove that the legend still mattered.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're revisiting the film or trying to explain this to a friend who is confused, keep these points in mind:
- Check the languages: If you watch the movie in English, think of it as a singular title that moves from Luke to Rey. If you're watching in a Romantic language, think of it as the collective "last of the breed."
- Watch the color palette: The movie uses red to symbolize the end of the old way. Pay attention to when Rey stops wearing the grey "seeker" clothes and starts embracing her role.
- The Books Matter: If you really want to dive deep, read the novelization by Jason Fry. It includes extra internal monologue from Luke that makes his transition from "The Last Jedi" to "Force Ghost Mentor" much clearer.
- Don't ignore the Yoda scene: Yoda literally tells Luke that "we are what they grow beyond." That is the key to the whole movie. The Last Jedi is whoever is currently holding the light while the next generation gets ready.
Basically, Luke starts the movie holding the title, and Rey ends the movie carrying it into the future. It’s a story about legacy, and legacies are rarely held by just one person forever.
Next Steps for Your Star Wars Journey
To get the full picture of the Jedi transition, watch the final 20 minutes of The Last Jedi side-by-side with the opening of The Rise of Skywalker. You'll see how Rey's training evolves from "lifting rocks" to a formal discipline, marking her full acceptance of the role Luke left for her. You can also explore the Age of Resistance comics which flesh out Rey’s internal struggle with the title during this specific era.