Almost a decade has passed since Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and it remains a film that ignites instant discussion, for good or ill. Mark Hamill has gone back and forth in his statements on it, John Boyega questions its choices, Daisy Ridley has maintained balance and diplomacy, and Kelly Marie Tran had to quit social media. The middle part of the sequel trilogy shocked and divided fans by, among other things, killing off Luke Skywalker and new arch-villain Snoke, declaring Rey’s mysterious heritage was irrelevant, and putting Finn on a side quest to lecture the former kidnapped child soldier about privilege.
Still, as much as some like to bash the movie every chance they get and others vehemently defend it for bold choices, at least one of its stars is definitely, unabashedly still a fan. Considering it was his highest profile role, and he got his own action figures out of the deal, it’s perhaps none too surprising.
Domhnall Gleeson Loved the Rian Johnson of It All
In an interview with The Playlist for the new comedy The Incomer, Gleeson defends both the movie and director Rian Johnson. If fans ever felt that Gleeson’s General Armitage Hux was done wrong by being the butt of the “call waiting” joke early in the film, Gleeson evidently disagrees. “I really loved what Rian did with The Last Jedi, and I loved what he did with Hux. There’s no regret from me about what happened there,” he said. For him, the movie scratched two itches, as he said, “I wanted to be in a Rian Johnson film as well as in a Star Wars film, and I got to do that.”
Hux was the most hissable villain in the first two films of the sequel trilogy: a sneering fascist bootlicker who lacked any of the spooky magnetism of his boss Snoke (Andy Serkis) or the fiery showiness of his partner-in-evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). In the third film, he turned traitor to the First Order and became a spy, due to his dislike of Ren. Gleeson previously stated he’d have liked to play the spy beat a little bit longer. And he still wishes he’d have had more to do overall, while acknowledging, “I think whatever way they set it up, Hux had to go.” Nonetheless, he does not want that very mild disagreement to sound like a slam, stating, “I’m very proud to have been in the film. So, you’ll hear no complaints from me.”
Hux died in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker when Richard E. Grant’s Allegiant General Pryde killed him for treason. However, Armitage lives on in the Disney theme parks ride Rise of the Resistance, forever captured in animatronics next to his hated coworker Kylo Ren. Hux’s father Brendol, played by Gleeson’s brother Brian, subsequently appeared in The Mandalorian‘s third season. It bears noticing that as a non-Sith military villain, Hux survived more movies than any similar major characters. Captain-turned-Admiral Piett got two films in the original trilogy, and Grand Moff Tarkin took decades to appear in his second movie, Rogue One. Officers of the Empire and First Order are usually there as fodder to make the Sith lords look more ruthless. In hindsight, perhaps the fact that Kylo Ren never outright murdered Hux was the key sign there was still good in him. Hux would have totally deserved it, too.
Would you have wanted to see more Hux? Let’s hear your rebellious takes in comments.