Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford were major players in the original Star Wars trilogy as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. As part of the Resistance fighting to bring down the tyrannical Empire, the two played integral roles in bringing it down. While the first film set up the world and the overall rivalry between the two, the sequels go all out with their war against each other.
The iconic lightsaber fight from Empire Strikes Back, and the twist, remain the most iconic moments in the franchise. Luke’s lightsaber was put on auction in 2017, a year before the passing of the franchise’s producer Gary Kurtz. The price of the lightsaber was less than Ford’s combined salary for the original trilogy.
Mark Hamill’s Lightsaber from Empire Strikes Back Was Auctioned At $450,000
Star Wars fans adore the original trilogy as the best entries of the franchise. The modern Star Wars films and series have never been able to reach the heights of the original trilogy which had rich and relatable characters, and a great conflict. Mark Hamill was the centerpiece of the trilogy as Luke Skywalker learns the ways of the force and is forced to fight his father, Anakin Skywalker.
His iconic blue lightsaber is one of the most beloved items of the franchise. Many years after the trilogy, the lightsaber was auctioned in 2017 for $450,000 (according to AV Club). Ripley’s (from Ripley’s Believe it Or Not) bought the lightsaber and it is now out on public display at the company’s museum in Hollywood.
For a modern sale in this day and age, the price is pretty low, even lower than Harrison Ford’s total pay for the original trilogy. Ford earned $10,000, $100,000, and $500,000 for The New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi respectively (via Celebrity Net Worth). The lightsaber’s price is even less than Ford’s pay for the third film, let alone the whole trilogy.
The iconic lightsaber was in the possession of the franchise’s producer Gary Kurtz before the sale. A year later, Kurtz passed away, and now, people can visit the museum and have a fan moment with the actual lightsaber.
Mark Hamill Believes Luke Skywalker is Done in the Star Wars Universe
Mark Hamill has played Luke Skywalker in both the original and modern Star Wars trilogy. With the franchise now planning to move on from the Skywalker saga, the actor also believes that the franchise no longer needs Luke. The last two films were underwhelming and one of the main reasons was its constant retread to the nostalgia train instead of evolving the franchise.
Hamill also believes that he has had his time as Luke over the years and feels he has given everything he could. He doesn’t see any reason to return as well. The actor said (via Variety),
“Well, you never say never, but I just don’t see any reason to. Let me put it that way: I mean, they have so many stories to tell, they don’t need Luke anymore. I had my time, and that’s good. But that’s enough.”
Hamill has now moved on from the franchise and pursuing other exciting projects. The actor is among the cast of Mike Flanagan’s upcoming sci-fi drama film The Life of Chuck. The film also stars Tom Hiddleston, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay, Matthew Lillard, David Dastmalchian, Kate Siegel, and many more.
Fans can watch Hamill in the original Star Wars trilogy on Disney+.
