'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' marketing may have revealed who film's real villain is

Promotional picture of Rey (Daisy Ridley) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."Facebook/StarWars

The latest marketing material for the upcoming Star Wars installment "The Last Jedi" may have given clues as to who the real villain of the movie will be. The new posters for the film show that Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker has taken the spot previously reserved for the sagas' villains.

In the posters, a hooded and bearded Skywalker is seen looming ominously in the background, while the rest of the characters appear smaller in the foreground.

Traditionally, this position in the franchise's posters had been reserved for the villain. In the marketing of all three films from the original trilogy, Darth Vader's iconic mask was always seen looming large in the background.

In the prequel trilogy's "The Phantom Menace," the eyes and the recognizable red and black skin pattern of Darth Maul was seen on the top portion of the poster.

The "Attack of the Clones" did not include any character in such position. However, in "Revenge of the Sith," Darth Vader took over this spot once again.

Even the current saga's opener "The Force Awakens," followed this tradition. In its poster, Adam Driver's Kylo Ren and the First Order's planet-busting Starkiller Base loomed in the background.

If "The Last Jedi" is also following this trend, that means protagonist Rey (Daisy Ridley) may find herself pitted against her to-be mentor Skywalker. Indeed, in the recently released trailer for the film, Rey tells Kylo Ren that she needed someone to show her her place in all that is happening. Kylo Ren responded simply be holding his hand out to her. This scene suggested that Rey did not find the mentor she sought in Luke, so she needed someone else to show her the way.

As Skywalker himself said in the trailer, "This is not going to go the way you think."

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" will open in cinemas on Dec. 18.