Star Wars' most famous concept has certainly evolved since Lucasfilm started releasing new films in the Disney era. Characters like Maz Kanata and Chirrut Îmwe illustrated that one doesn't necessarily have to be a Jedi or Sith to be in tune with the Force’s power. The filmmakers have played up its religious aspects, with Lor San Tekka being a member of the Church of the Force. As the studio continuously adds to the canon, there will surely be more revelations.
Speaking of which; Laura Dern, who played Vice Admiral Holdo in the franchise's most recent addition,
Star Wars: The Last Jedi, recently revealed in an interview that her character is force-sensitive. Here's what she told
Entertainment Weekly in regards to Holdo's backstory:
In their minds, and in their understanding of the origin story, we know that she was a true rebel in the Resistance, and in our culture we might have called her a hippie. But she was longing for peace, and a revolutionary in that way, and wanted to be trained by and led by Leia, who taught her everything she knew. She wanted to come up in the ranks to support Leia’s mission, but also had this otherworldly side that does involve the Force.
Outside of saying the famous “May the Force be with you” line in Episode VIII, there was nothing in the film to indicate Holdo was Force sensitive. However, this is a key backstory element that was worked out between Dern, Rian Johnson, and Kathleen Kennedy.
Dern went on to elaborate on her character and her motivation, specifically in regards to her visually-stunning sacrifice:
There’s something about her that longs to protect it, and holds that with great care. There’s a sort of a light on and a wisdom that she speaks about in the film, and speaks to Oscar Isaac’s character briefly about it.
Her primary goal was to protect the light, to protect the Force, and to keep the revolutionaries alive. And I think the film speaks so beautifully to that with this last image of the next generation of the Resistance, you know?
What do you think about this revelation? What do you think about the character as a whole?