Summary

• Luke Skywalker's ability to survive in space using the Force was showcased in Star Wars #49, setting a precedent for Leia's later use of the maneuver in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
• This Force power, controversially first depicted in The Last Jedi, actually originated with Luke years before the sequel films, adding depth to its role in Star Wars canon.
• The comic reveals that Leia's ability to survive in space, from The Last Jedi, was learned from her brother Luke during her Jedi training following the Original Trilogy.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Star Wars #49A controversial Luke Skywalker. To say the Star Wars sequels were divisive would be an understatement. Many fans either loved or hated the direction films like The Last Jedi took with their bold choices. However, one of the most controversial Force abilities has been confirmed as an ability that Luke Skywalker learned years before those films.

In Star Wars #49 – written by Charles Soule, with art by Jethro Morales – Luke is shown adrift through space in a pod next to the Star Destroyer Leia is being held captive. When Zahra grabs the pod and leaves it tethered to the ship, he slashes the pod open in the depths of space to gain the upper hand. However, trapped in the airless vacuum, he uses the Force to pull himself inside.

This is a direct callback to The Last Jedi, when Leia pulled herself back into the Resistance ship after being blown into space.

Leia's Space Flight Originated With Luke Skywalker Long Before The Last Jedi

Star Wars #49 – Written by Charles Soule; Art By Jethro Morales, Rachelle Rosenberg, & Clayton Cowles

This is a power Luke learned without being a fully-experienced Jedi Master, showcasing how he finds creative new uses for the Force while learning and growing throughout his journey in Marvel's Star Wars comics.

Given that the Star Wars comics currently take place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, this means that this Force ability actually debuted decades before the events of The Last Jedi. It's remarkable to see that what appeared to be an ability that came out of nowhere for many Star Wars fans actually made its beginnings during the events of the Original Trilogy. It's an important detail that shows that every Force power has its roots. In this case, it was an ability that Luke used first.

Plus, this also comes at a point when Luke was still not fully trained in the Force. After leaving Yoda to save his friends, he was relentlessly told that doing so would forfeit his progress because he wasn't ready. Here, he hasn't met with Yoda again yet to be told that his training is complete, so he's still learning the ways of the Force. Consequently, this is Marvel's Star Wars comics.

Star Wars Confirms Leia's Space Flight Ability Was Part Of Her Jedi Training

Leia Learned It From Luke

Moments like the one in Star Wars #49 are an excellent way to show the origins of some of the series' most divisive creative choices.

By far the biggest takeaway from this revelation is how it plays into the sequence from The Last Jedi itself. The series did show that Luke began training Leia to be a Jedi at some point after Return of the Jedi before she left to be with Han. This essentially confirms that she had learned enough in her training to pull off a similar feat as her brother, using the Force pull herself through space to safety. While it may look a little silly to some fans, it proves that it's an ability that didn't come from nowhere. Rather, it's a power she learned from her brother.

The controversy surrounding films like The Last Jedi will likely never fade as the franchise continues forward. However, moments like the one in Star Wars #49 are an excellent way to show the origins of some of the series' most divisive creative choices.. It's a huge leap forward for the Star Wars franchise and shows that there's more to the story than fans thought they saw in the movies, as Luke Skywalker proves he was the source of one of Episode VIII's most infamous moments.

Star Wars #49 is available now from Marvel Comics!