Nobody is quite sure what Star Wars: Episode IX has in store, but if Mark Hamill is truly done with the franchise, it turns out, he's totally ok with that. The man who played Luke Skywalker admits that he just doesn't care if he returns to the galaxy far, far, away, because if he does, he'll do so without his friends from the franchise. Specifically, he says that losing Carrie Fisher has really damaged his ability to enjoy being part of Star Wars anymore. According to Hamill...
It really has tarnished my ability to enjoy it to its fullest. You were asking earlier, 'Are you gonna come back?' I don't care anymore, on that level. Because Han Solo is gone, Luke is gone. You just can't get the band back together the way you wanted it to be, and it shouldn't be that way. It is what it is. Rather than being sorry that we can't have more of her, I'm just grateful that we had the time with her that we did.
The entire new Star Wars trilogy has been about a new generation dealing with the responsibility of saving the galaxy that had once belonged to those that came before them. We knew that torches would be passed, unfortunately, real life got in the way and has forced torches to be passed much sooner than anybody was intending.
It's not too surprising to hear Mark Hamill tell ABC News that Star Wars is just less enjoyable for him now. He was clearly close with Carrie Fisher and the loss of her was all the more painful for her friends and family than it was for her fans. If part of the reason that you enjoyed making Star Wars movies was that you got to hang out with your old friends, then looking at a future appearance where you won't be able to have that is going to lose a lot of its luster.
At this point, it's anybody's guess whether or not Mark Hamill actually will return to Star Wars. The potential for Luke Skywalker to return in Episode IX as a Force Ghost is always there, and considering that's the only way any of the original Star Wars trio could return, the odds of it happening are probably pretty good. If Luke does appear as a Force Ghost it likely won't be a particularly large role, which is probably for the best for Mark Hamill if he's afraid it's just not going to be much fun anymore.
Even if Mark Hamill does return for Star Wars: Episode IX, that will likely be his last appearance in the franchise. While the end may be near, like the life of Carrie Fisher herself, fans will simply be grateful for the time they had with Luke Skywalker.
