Saga Poll: Who is the "Jedi" in "Return of the Jedi"?

Well, that's kind of the point - but in the terms of the current topic, the title of ROTJ was established in 1983, so the meaning of what 'Jedi' refers to in said title really has to be addresed in that context, rather than from a new perspective in which the SW Saga has evolved into something different altogether - yet again.

 

I've always taken that to mean the return of the Jedi to the galaxy as in Jedi as a general term, not a specific Jedi. It's both Luke and a redeemed Vader. The Jedi are back

 

As the Sith in 'ROTS' means the general group of Sith be it only two of Sidious and Vader, who take their revenge as one, I feel the Jedi in 'ROTJ' now balances it out. Meaning the group of Jedi including the growing powers of Luke and even the spirits of Kenobi, Yoda and Anakin as a whole, who have eradicated the Sith. They have "returned" to the galaxy.

 

There's also that line from Tarkin in SW/ANH, which the title of ROTJ almost seems to be replying to - "The Jedi are extinct, their fire has gone out of the universe".

 

This is what I always thought it referenced. The Jedi are able to return as their oppressor had been removed. Also Luke was the first be given the title of Jedi for a generation, so the Jedi are returning!

RotJ first watched in 1983 in cinema, if that helps with my perspective on the matter.

 

When I watched the movies for the first in 1997, my twelve year old self thought "Return of the Jedi" meant Luke going back to Dagobah to finish his training!

Nowadays, I believe it is B. With Luke/Anakin defeating the Sith, the Jedi Order can return.

 

According to the Annotated Screenplays, there were multiple Drafts of the script with the title Return of the Jedi. The intital drafts had Vader fall into the lava without killing the Emperor. The addition on Vader taking out the Emperor and turning good again came up in a later draft, one of which describes the actions you talk about above.

According to all sources I've seen, Lucas intended return, changed it to Revenge because someone he knew said Return was a weak title, then changed it back because Jedi don't seek revenge. This was confirmed by the person Lucas mentions in one of the documentaries.

What he said in the past matters because it was what he was thinking when he made the movie and chose the title. This is what matters most in determining the meaning of the title. Anything after this, particularly when talking about Anakin as the main character, is a retcon.

and with Episodes VII-IX we are getting the nine episode trilogy of trilogies. I said this in another thread, but it's probably best to consider:

I-VI as the Tragedy of Darth Vader

IV-IX as The Adventures of Luke Skywalker

I-IX as The Skywalker Saga

 

In my opinion the title Return of the Jedi carries a double meaning that is linked together by one unifying force. On one hand the title is very clearly in reference to Luke Skywalker coming forward and bringing the Jedi Order back to the galaxy. On the other hand it is representative of Darth Vader returning back to the alias of Anakin Skywalker and thus returning to the Jedi way of life. The two are linked together because, as a direct result of Luke bringing his father back into the world (if only for a brief moment), Anakin was able to fulfill the Prophecy of the Chosen One and bring balance to the Force, allowing for the Jedi to finally reclaim their rightful place in the galaxy.

 

I like this. Obviously, there was no prophesy in 1983. Nevertheless, the double meaning works.

 

B- the Jedi Order