# 'Return of the Jedi' - what does the 'the' mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 6, 2002, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480 "2002-11-06T01:56:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/1 "2002-11-06T01:56:15Z")
I was watching Return of the Jedi on TV tonight and I got into a discussion with one of a friend. He reckoned Return of the Jedi meant that the story told of the events that allowed Jedi to be prosperous again. I always assumed it was just referring to Luke. Then I thought it could perhaps mean the return of Anekin from being Darth Vader (briefly). I know this is just a tad sad, but any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/2 "2002-11-06T02:03:45Z")
Perhaps it means both, or all three. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/3 "2002-11-06T02:06:03Z")
I’m not sure you could call Aniken/Vader a Jedi again at the end, regardless of his redemption. I’d say it refers to the fact that a Jedi exists again, Luke. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/4 "2002-11-06T02:06:36Z")
I think it means “The Jedi”, as in “The Jedi Order” ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/5 "2002-11-06T02:08:19Z")
I always assumed it meant the good side of the force represented by Luke, Anakin, et al. You had the Empire “striking back”, then the Jedi returning in the next one. Of course, Lucas will probably start retitling them: “Return of the High-Midichlorin-count symbiots” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/6 "2002-11-06T03:56:15Z")
An original leaked title of the film was to be “Revenge of the Jedi” (in order to throw off media hounds?). Which I suppose could still be attributed to Luke, Annakin, or the Jedi in general. (???) ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/7 "2002-11-06T07:57:40Z")
Would’ve been attributed to Luke, but Lucas still thought things through back then, and realized revenge wasn’t a very Jedi thing to do, aqnd changed the title. (That whole media misdirection thing was **Blue Harvest** , and they claimed to be filming a horror flick.) **Dooku** : Alternately, he might go for “Return of the Jedi from the dark side, since this story has always really been about him anyway, even though once you start down the dark path, etc. etc.” ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/8 "2002-11-06T08:03:14Z")
He’s not changing the titles of the movies at all. He’s just digitally changing the blasters to walkie-talkies. And the rebel soldiers to Ewoks. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/9 "2002-11-06T08:03:31Z")
It could mean all three, but of course the primary meaning is Anakin. That makes the most sense by far. And anyone who claims that the story of _Star Wars_ was not intended to be about Anakin at the time _Return of the Jedi_ came out will have to explain why it’s called Episode VI. And what, no Spoiler warning? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/10 "2002-11-06T12:21:22Z")
It is all three. Just like “A New Hope” refers to Luke, the capture of the Death Star Plans, and the destruction of the Death Star itself. And “The Empire Strikes Back” means the crushing of the Hoth Base, Vader’s attack on Luke (physically and emotionally), and the way the Empire manipulated all of the Rebel heroes in the episode. Most of his SW titles are multi-layered like that. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/11 "2002-11-06T13:46:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peepthis \* > \*\*An original leaked title of the film was to be “Revenge of the Jedi” (in order to throw off media hounds?). Which I suppose could still be attributed to Luke, Annakin, or the Jedi in general. (???) \*\* The title wasn’t a leak; it was the official name of the film until someone pointed out to Lucas that the Jedi wouldn’t take revenge. Posters were produced, and Lucas sued Star Trek to force them to change their movie title from “The Revenge of Khan” to “The Wrath of Khan.” ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/12 "2002-11-06T15:05:14Z")
I think Lucas called it that because “Return of **a** Jedi” would have been an even lamer title. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/13 "2002-11-06T15:21:00Z")
I assumed it was referring to Anakin Skywalker returning to the fold, though I don’t like that because, even as a Star Wars fan, I’ve never bought his conversion or saw the need for it in the first place. I liked the movies better when they were the story of Luke Skywalker. But of course it also refers to the fact that the Jedi as a force for good have returned, since Luke is now one of them and will presumably train others once he figures out who has the magic blood that lets them have powers over everyone else. I don’t sound overly bitter about Lucas’ idiotic retcons, do I? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/14 "2002-11-06T15:23:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*The title wasn’t a leak; it was the official name of the film until someone pointed out to Lucas that the Jedi wouldn’t take revenge. Posters were produced, and Lucas sued Star Trek to force them to change their movie title from “The Revenge of Khan” to “The Wrath of Khan.” \*\* This did not happen. The first draft of Star Trek II was called “Star Trek: War of the Generations” and was very different from the eventual product, although it did involve Khan. Early drafts were also called “the Omega Syndrome” and “Genesis Project.” It became “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan” when Nicholas Meyer did the rewrite and final draft, and ended up with the “II” added in. There was no legal battle over the “Revenge” term, and in any case why would Lucas have won? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/15 "2002-11-06T18:45:43Z")
I agree with Zette ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/return-of-the-jedi-what-does-the-the-mean/135480/16 "2002-11-06T22:33:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Terminus Est \* > \*\*I think Lucas called it that because “Return of **a** Jedi” would have been an even lamer title. \*\* Or how about “Return of This Jedi Guy”? Ok, maybe not. Anyway, I also agree with Zette, and think the title refers to The Return of the Power and Influence of the Jedi Order, Which Certainly Includes, But Is Not Limited To, the Return of Specific Jedi, Like Vader From the Dark Side, and Also the Spectral Appearance of Assorted Jedi Back From the Dead, and In a More General Sense, of Luke Becoming a Jedi and Quite Possibly the Identification of Other Potential Jedi, Such As Perhaps Leia, Although We Really Don’t Know What Happens To Her Next, Because the Novels Are Not Strictly Canon. So yeah, all of that.