EPISODE VIII: ENEMY AT THE GATES!

The Battle of Crait has finished and there has been no real victory for any combative side, as the First Order Stormtroopers now break through into the remnants of the former Rebel base there and discover it once more abandoned, in a terrific image from The Last Jedi.

EPISODE VIII: KICKING UP A (SALT) STORM!

They're outgunned, outmatched and almost out of resources, nonetheless, the spirited Resistance forces, now manning their ski speeders towards a mass of First Order Walkers, will fight to the end as they desperately await help from other heroes from across the galaxy. 

A striking (and colourful!) sequence of action and drama from The Last Jedi. 

EPISODE VIII: WALKER ATTACK!

The Resistance's safe haven on the salt world of Crait looks likely to crack open like a fragile egg now that the First Order's heavy artillery have come, in the intimidating and bulky shape of the AT-M6 Walkers, as seen in this great art linked to The Last Jedi.

EPISODE VIII: FAMILY FAREWELL!

The battle against the heavily armed First Order on Crait has not gone well, as courageous Resistance forces now diminish in front of their friends' sad and helpless eyes. But at their most desperate hour, hope comes from an unexpected source for General Leia Organa, as the final goodbyes, in the physical realm, are shared between devoted brother and sister, in a truly emotional scene from The Last Jedi.

GOODBYE, ANDREW JACK...

At their fortified-as-best-they-can hideout, stalwart Resistance General Emmat surveys the Crait salt landscape ahead, just prior to the heavy-duty attack by First Order forces, in a memorable moment from The Last Jedi.

Star Wars Aficionado was deeply sorry to hear of the passing of popular actor/voice coach Andrew Jack at the all-too-young age of 76, linked to the world tragedy that is the Corona virus. He was certainly a distinct part of the sequel trilogy's background cast and will be much missed by his family, friends and the Star Wars/film-making community at large, all of whom will remember his enthusiasm and dedication to his work.

With the other Resistance leaders in a time of crisis during EPISODE VII.

Another great character image from EPISODE VIII.

News:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-52111530

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/01/entertainment/andrew-jack-star-wars-coronavirus-dies-gbr-intl-scli/index.html

EPISODE VIII: HOPE - IN THE NICK OF TIME!

Luke Skywalker has made his incredible reappearance to the Resistance as the Battle of Crait enters its most desperate phase, said an emotional goodbye to his sister, and now confronts a soon gobsmacked First Order. But the greatest challenge for our hero is yet to come, in a memorably epic sequence from The Last Jedi that also proves to be the ultimate bluff to both re-trigger 'hope' and buy survival time for his friends escape.

Mark Hamill talks about what was the 'end' of Luke Skywalker, and the road to his 2017 sequel return:
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2018/06/26/mark-hamill-on-the-weirdly-tragic-trajectory-of-luke-skywalker

Archival EPISODE IX related snippet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoFKUz1TaWA

EPISODE VIII: A LITTLE ROCK PLAY!

'Lifting rocks' - two words Rey early on naively believed to be associated with the power of the Force, yet soon a fact when she has to liberate her trapped friends on Crait via her near fully developed skills, during an ironic and memorable finale scene to The Last Jedi.

EPISODE VIII: ROSE FIGHTS BACK!

She'd been in the background after the retreat of the Resistance from D'Qar, and has suffered terribly with the tragic but worthy sacrificial loss of her sister in combat against an enemy dreadnought. Now, with her new friendship with former Stormtrooper Finn secure and blossoming, young mechanic and 'fixer' Rose Tico is at the very forefront of the battle against the First Order's technological terrors on the far out world of Crait, for the epic finale to The Last Jedi.

Behind the scenes:
https://www.starwars.com/video/becoming-rose-star-wars-the-last-jedi

EPISODE VIII: STARTING THE BLITZKRIEG!

With an army of immense AT-M6 'Walkers' at his disposal, plus aerial brutality from a squadron of TIE fighters, the full power for evil of Kylo Ren's attack force comes to bear on the Resistance's last hideout and its defensive facilities, located on the salt/sand world of Crait, during the climactic events of The Last Jedi.

ILM showcase of the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TolPxaXrCfU

The practical side of filming at Pinewood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=99&v=lv3MLVFpFSg

More on the AT-MT6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsI_-j3ItVY

EPISODE VIII: CONCERNING LUKE...

On set at Pinewood: Rian Johnson and Msrk Hamill

The Adventures of Luke Skywalker certainly took a different (and fan divisive) journey than many of The Last Jedi's viewers had expected, literally from the character's first scene on from the end of The Force Awakens, right up the last moments of the Battle of Crait. Mark Hamill was equally shocked and surprised by developments conceived by writer/director Rian Johnson when reading TLJ's script, events and character evolution that went beyond what he expected (a situation that wasn't the first time/experience for the actor, either - remember Return of the Jedi during 1981/82, and his unrealized hopes for an almost Dark Side-turned Luke?). Thankfully, once filming had begun in London and Ireland by 2016, the actor would become more comfortable of the thoughtful and emotional scenario crafted for the character, and ultimately accepting of Luke's path ahead, within a different style of franchise to the one first conceived by George Lucas.

Luke Skywalker receives a visitation.

Let's hope that both Hamill and Luke Skywalker eventually return somewhere, somehow for the upcoming story/sequel trilogy closing events of IX...

SPOILERS! 

Hamill talks Luke:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/mark-hamill-lukes-fate-star-wars-last-jedi-1090262?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

https://heroichollywood.com/mark-hamill-star-wars-anxiety/

Non retouched background publicity image of Mark Hamill as Luke.

Rian Johnson talks about VIII, more on the upcoming deleted scenes, Rey's journey on Ahch-To, and her still shady origins...

http://collider.com/the-last-jedi-han-solo-funeral-scene-rian-johnson/#images

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xW6woTAof0&feature=youtu.be

Ready to help the Resistance. Luke Skywalker on Crait.

EPISODE VIII: RESISTANCE RED ARROWS!

Old and clunky their latest speeder vehicles may be, but the heroism of the Resistance against the First Oder continues, as seen in this gorgeous piece of aerial art from the Battle of Crait, during the sweeping finale to the The Last Jedi.

Though the sequence was a tour de force for ILM's visual effects, its accompanying sound was as equally important, and no less striking. Find out more about its conception for the film, here:

http://comicbook.com/starwars/2018/02/17/star-wars-documentary-the-last-jedi-sound-effects/

http://www.starwars.com/news/abc-news-nightline-explores-the-force-of-sound

Image: Vanity Fair magazine.

Though looking forward, this brief featurette also looks back to the work for the original STAR WARS saga pioneered by sound designer Ben Burtt. Sadly, this great talent, always enthused about the importance of sound in all types of films, has seemingly been poorly and disappointingly treated by Disney/Lucasfilm since the franchise takeover of recent years, if this recent Vanity Fair article is anything go by:

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/12/ben-burtt-star-wars-sound

With thanks to Chris Baker for the feature link.

EPISODE VIII: ASSEMBLING FOR BATTLE!

On the Crait wastelands near their base entrance, dwindled Resistance forces get ready for the battle of their lives against the First Order, in an unused moment originally shot on location in Bolivia for The Last Jedi.

Rogue One director Gareth Edwards (left) makes a fun cameo.

Writer/director Rian Johnson talks about the film's development and the conception of the red visual theme so inherent within it, specifically the under surface of Crait:

http://www.slashfilm.com/rian-johnson-interview-highlights/

EPISODE VIII: LET THIS BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD...?

SPOILERS! Despite great heroism, the Resistance has failed in its brief skirmish conflict against the overwhelming First Order on Crait. But all is not lost- the last spark of hope against evil reignited by the 'presence' of Luke Skywalker, seemingly ready to take on his former pupil, Kylo Ren, in this terrific visual moment from The Last Jedi.

https://www.thewrap.com/rian-johnson-luke-skywalker-last-jedi/

EPISODE VIII: SEARCH AND RESCUE!

Having taken out the en masse pursuant TIE fighters, the Millennium Falcon now skims the surface of Crait looking for Resistance survivors, in this lovely visual from The Last Jedi.

EPISODE VIII: THE RETURN OF BLAST 'EM LEIA!

Inside the Resistance base on Crait, soon under enemy attack, General Leia Organa may have looked more senatorial, ready for a conflict of words, than a formidable warrior during much of The Last Jedi, but her long-time skill handling a blaster proved as proficient as ever!

Find out more about the work of General Leia Organa and her goals for the future against the First Order, whilst also shaping a new team of heroes with her eventual passing the torch, within the photo and info-packed, all-new Star Wars: The Last Jedi - The Visual Dictionary, out now from DK BOOKS:

Leia and her allies are strongly placed in the all-new The Visual Dictionary.

Get it here: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Wars-JediTM-Visual-Dictionary/dp/0241281091?pd_rd_wg=fUz6z&pd_rd_r=219b1d49-eaa0-4eb5-bc80-0d4275549b4e&pd_rd_w=QVVWt&ref_=pd_gw_simh&pf_rd_r=GZ7TGBNGHMBNPM3JY2Q0&pf_rd_p=14f91171-0541-58ad-938b-3aec945f4cb7

EPISODE VIII: SAND WAR!

They've heavily outnumbered and heavily outgunned, but that won't stop what's left of the Resistance from keeping the spark of rebellion alive against the evil First Order, as this stirring and planet evocative conceptual art piece of the ski speeders from the Battle of Crait defiantly shows, rendered by The Last Jedi's visual effects artist Kevin Jenkins. The film's epic finale battle, as well as the bright lights of the Canto Bight casino and the rain battered islands of Ahch-To, are well showcased within the gorgeously illustrated and highly informative The Art of Star Wars:The Last Jedi book, compiled by Phil Szostak, out now from ABRAMS.

Get it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Star-Wars-Last-Jedi/dp/1419727052/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1515500480&sr=1-6&keywords=the+art+of+the+last+jedi

EPISODE VIII: LUKE SKYWALKER - BEYOND THE POWERS OF A JEDI!

SPOILERS!

He's seemingly arrived on Crait in the nick of time- just when his sister and the Resistance she once commanded has reached its lowest ebb, and near-extinction point. In this time of great crisis, the last (?) Jedi takes powerful and spiritual action against the First Order and his once pupil Kyo Ren, and, for better or worse, things will never truly be the same again for the STAR WARS saga.

A spectacular piece of commercial merchandise art by Brian Rood celebrating a genuinely awesome sequence for The Last Jedi, showcasing our favourite George Lucas created character - the hero that was and the hero he will always be, in a role so consistently well played by Mark Hamill.

https://movieweb.com/last-jedi-director-explains-luke-new-force-powers/

http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/star-wars/news/a846942/star-wars-the-last-jedi-luke-ending-rian-johnson/?utm_content=buffer8eac4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=maintwitterpost

EPISODE VIII: GOING UNDERGROUND...

As the major surface battle is underway between the Resistance and First Order forces on Crait, the Millennium Falcon is chased through the planet's labyrinth and claustrophobic core by TIE fighters. An impressive moment recently shown in one of The Last Jedi's TV spots.

EPISODE VIII: ARMY OF DEATH!

Their mighty footsteps felt all across the dusty realms of Crait, the First Order forces of darkness assemble, led by Kylo Ren's distinctive bat-like shuttle, heading towards our Resistance heroes, in this memorable effects shot seen numerous times in recent The Last Jedi trailers...

EPISODE VIII: COMETH THE JUGGERNAUTS!

SPOILERS!

The Empire's intimidating firepower may be gone but it's technical brutality has nonetheless been reshaped into all new, even more powerful iterations via the First Order, as the stomping metal brute the AT-M6 (All Terrain Megacaliber 6) and the rest of its kind make their explosive and ground-quaking debut in The Last Jedi, during one of the film's finale battles at the location of the once deserted Rebel base on Crait.