Inspired by DSettahr's thread, I have a more important question.

What does "the Jedi" refer to in the title of RotJ in your opinion?

For further interest, note that the German translation of the movie was titled as "Die Rückkehr der Jedi-Ritter" which is the plural form of knights.

I still interpret it as referring to the overarching story of Anakin and his return from the Dark Side.

My best guess is the Jedi as a group. Not the same "institution" or "order" as before with the council and rules and trials and such, but in the general sense of the noble, moral force users. The Jedi were very prominent, then were nearly obliterated. Luke's defeat of the Sith and resistance to joining them marked the return of the Jedi.

Oh ho, further research suggests the Spanish title is "El Retorno del Jedi" which is singular

Remember that Lucas originally wanted to title it "Revenge of the Jedi" but figured that Jedi would not seek revenge. To me this puts down any idea that it might be referring to Anakin. Pretty sure its referring to the jedi order coming back.

Both option 1 and 4, to be honest. I think it's safe to say it refers to both.

Return of the Jedi as an order and the return of Anakin.

Went with 4. (Anakin)

I figured option 1 but I went with what I thought it was when I was a kid.

Wow, after seeing these options I dont even know what to think, I always thought it meant Luke, but if it means Vader it makes so much more sense

I think he originally meant Luke and that's why I picked it in the poll. Lucas of course makes up a bunch of bull**** and tries to backfill and/or change what's already done but that doesn't count. I think if you ask him now he'd say the order but if you asked him then he'd wonder wtf you were talking about, of course it was Luke. (unless you show him all the poll options, then he'd pick the order)

I don't think it'd make sense to be Luke, since I never really considered Luke to be an actual Jedi until ROTJ, thus having nothing to "return" to. He wasn't so much a Jedi as a bumbling moron with a crash course in the force in the first two.

The original title was Revenge of the Jedi, which obviously doesn't refer to Anakin, it probably Refers to Luke, but could refer to Luke, Obi-wan, Yoda or even slightly less likely the Order itself.

So I think Lucas was going for Luke, but since he changed the title, us fans can go back and say it was Vader, which is very neat actually.

This. Besides, what would it mean to say that Luke is "returning"? Where's he returning from? Anakin returns from the dark side, which makes it a little more plausible to think that the title refers to him. But that still seems strained to me: characters say "the Jedi" lots of times throughout the films, and it always refers to the order. ("The Jedi are all but extinct"; "The last of the Jedi will you be"; "The Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy..." and so on.) Never once can I remember "the Jedi" being used to refer to a specific individual.

I always thought it was referring to Anakin, personally.

Can't be Luke because Luke wasn't really a Jedi and also never left. Anakin makes the most sense since Star Wars is supposed to be the story about him. Could also be the Order. Lucas actually thought through a lot of this stuff years ago, so it's not just a retcon.

There's like, three years between ESB and ROTJ. During this time Luke was away from the Rebellion while he trained to be a Jedi. It's covered in one of those filler novels. Afterwards he was all like "Right, now I'm capable enough to rescue Han. No, it's totally different from when we rescued a high priority prisoner being held by the empire in a giant space station fortress."

As a kid I always thought the title was referring to Luke and... I still do.

At first I was pretty certain this was a dumb question, but when you put the title in reference to the new films, it's Anakin returning to his former goodness.

That said, it isn't Luke unless we're arguing that Luke is the rebirth of the Jedi Order, which still isn't really Luke himself.

One thing I've always believed, and was proven wrong from Lucas' own mouth, but still maintain because it makes the story better is that Vader actually returned balance to the force by helping reform the Dark Jedi/Sith and helped lower the number of Jedi overall, not by killing the Emperor.

I thought he changed the title to save money on poster ink?

Exactly.

Lucas has his quirks, but he's no moron.

I'm pretty sure he meant both Anakin and the Jedi as a creed.

They never "left". It was the Second Jedi Civil War.

Sith, Jedi, they're all just Force users with different points of view. One order whose strengths draw from the passion and the individual had a scrap with another order who is more dogmatic and favors the community. They vehemently disagree with each other and so they fight it out. Meanwhile your average Corellian is dragged in the thick of it who probably wants none of it. Some people prefer an autocratic, rigorous society in which everyone falls in line and loathes a society where everyone does what they please. The Jedi fight the Sith because they believe their dogma is the most superior. The Sith fight the Jedi because they think their philosophy should reign supreme. So really the Jedi and the Sith are really much the same with just a differing point of view. Therefore, the Jedi never really left.

Remember, good/evil are points of view.

I always interpreted as Luke has returned, and he is now a Jedi badass.

Well, when I hear "Revenge of the Sith" I think more of a secret following coming out of hiding at the perfect time to take over and finally destroy the Jedi (there's a long history). I never felt Palpatine was the one exacting revenge.

Probably "all of the above", but I went with Anakin's return because GL has stated that the trilogies are ultimately the story of Anakin Skywalker and that's one of the few recent GL statements I fully agree with.

It could be both (i.e. Anakin + the Jedi as an order ... double entendre)

Same here. Like that nonsense about Vader being only "80% of Palpatine". Moronic.

I've always thought it was mainly about Vader, secondary referring to the Jedi order.

That's pretty much my take too. Though I stupidly voted without thinking it through. I do like the idea that Star Wars really is about Anakin's fall and redemption, very tragic Greek hero thing. Luke was a miserable whiny kid who kept dribbling snot on his father's lightsaber the whole trilogy, but he could have become something great if he'd been bothered to train properly and respect his teachers.

Are you talking about Order 66? >_<

I chose something else because, as with others, I feel multiple answers apply.

I always viewed it as the plural of "Jedi," so that's what I voted for. But now that I think about it, it'd be pretty cool if it were referencing Vader's redemption.

But, thinking about it further, if you view it in the context of the original name, "Revenge of the Jedi," then it seems more likely that it might even be referring to Luke specifically.

Have you even seen the prequels? Anakin was even more obnoxious! I'd take Luke over pre-dark side Anakin any day.

Yes. You may note I only referenced the trilogy.

This is not true. There are 3 years between ANH and ESB, but only 6 months between ESB and RotJ. During those six months, Shadows of the Empire happens. Luke definitely doesn't see Yoda again until after he rescues Han. (And if his focus had been on training as a Jedi, isn't that presumably where he'd have gone?)



This would work if the title were "Return of the Force Users." "Jedi" must specifically refer to the order, not to both sides, just as "Sith" refers to a particular order, not to all users of the dark side.