Cody Rhodes Explains Why STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Hits So Hard for Him

It’s wild that nearly a decade later, Star Wars: The Last Jedi still sets off debates every time it’s mentioned. Love it, hate it, argue about it for hours online… that’s just part of its legacy now. And apparently, even WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has some strong feelings about it.

The difference is, his take comes from a surprisingly personal place that blends Star Wars with pro wrestling. The conversation kicked off on May 4 when IGN shared its ranking of Star Wars films, placing The Last Jedi at number four.

Rhodes jumped in with his own tweaks, writing, “Not bad! I’d swap 7 & 5 prob Love them ALL though,” which reshuffled the list to his liking. But things really got interesting when someone questioned how he could possibly be okay with The Last Jedi sitting that high.

That’s when Rhodes laid it all out.

“I love it. LOVE. But my reason is fairly personal and oddly wrestling related. When these legends come back, they’re not the same. Didn’t want Luke with dyed hair and an 8 pack doing flips…I got a broken old man with one last real punch in him. But it was a helluva punch. Kinda’ like Funk. May the 4th be with you!”

That comparison says a lot. Rhodes is drawing a direct line between Luke Skywalker’s final stand and the late Terry Funk, a wrestling icon who reinvented himself multiple times and delivered unforgettable moments well past what most would consider his prime.

Funk, who passed away in 2023, became famous in the ’80s but had a legendary resurgence in the ’90s, proving that age doesn’t erase impact. If anything, it sharpens it.

A lot of fans wanted Luke Skywalker to return as the unstoppable hero they grew up with. Instead, Rian Johnson gave us a worn-down version of the character, someone carrying the weight of failure and regret.

But when it mattered most, Luke didn’t go out swinging with a lightsaber. He made a massive stand using the Force, buying time for the Resistance and going out on his own terms. No flashy duel, no over-the-top spectacle, just one final move that changed everything.

That choice didn’t land for everyone, and that’s putting it lightly. The film’s reception was so divisive that even Kathleen Kennedy has acknowledged it played a role in reshaping the future of the franchise.

But Rhodes’ take cuts through the noise in a different way. He isn’t looking at it as a traditional hero story. He sees it like a veteran’s last match, where the performance isn’t about dominance, it’s about meaning.

And viewed through that lens, Luke’s final act really does feel like that “helluva punch” Rhodes is talking about.

Whether you agree with him or not, it’s hard to deny that this is one of the more unique defenses of The Last Jedi out there. It also proves that sometimes the way a story connects with someone has nothing to do with canon debates or rankings. Sometimes it just hits because it reminds you of something real.