# Luke Skywalker "adoption" thoughts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 28, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711 "2004-10-28T19:26:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/41 "2004-10-29T18:58:14Z")
Malodorous: > [@](#): > > Regardless of how common a surname Skywalker is, how does Vader know this is Luke’s last name…Since Darth Vader can’t find the rebel bases, we can presume he doesn’t have any spies in the Rebellion to find out the last name of the pilot that destroyed the Death Star. Not true. Not knowing the location of a base is a far cry from not knowing the names of rebel leaders. Luke got a medal in a big ceremony…a spy could have known about that, but been out of the loop by the time the rebels moved to Hoth. In addition, it’s possible that Imperial forces could have been monitoring rebel transmissions during the Death Star battle itself, during which time the name “Skywalker” might have been used. ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/42 "2004-10-29T19:19:49Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > Regardless of how common a surname Skywalker is, how does Vader _know_ Anakin is a virgin birth Wait a second … really? So are we supposed to see Anakin as a Christ-like figure? I’m glad I’ve avoided the prequels. Sounds like Lucas has really lost it. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/43 "2004-10-29T19:27:46Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Good point. It’s entirely possbile that Vader has always known about Luke, but didn’t give a crap until Luke joined the Rebels. It’s stressd several times in the movies that Anakin’s children will inherit his apptitude for the force. Given that Vader probably knows Yoda and Obi-Won are out there somewhere plotting against him, I can’t imagine that Darth wouldn’t try to secure his children as quickly as possible if he knew about them. The theory that Darth discovered the truth from spies after the destruction of the Death Star I seems possible, but that would mean that he didn’t find out from the Stormtroopers who smoked Owen and Beru, which seems terribly unlikely. Imagine your a young Stormtrooper commander with direct orders from Vader himself (who rewards failure with death, mind you) to find a pair of droids. You track them to a farm house, kill the inhabitants and realize the droids aren’t there. I fear for the future of the empire if you don’t have the smarts to do even the simple cursory check of the household that would yield the fact that a third person lived there and what that persons name was. So upon doing this, you report back in. All you have to show for your efforts is the name of the person that apparently had the droids last. How could you not report that information. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/44 "2004-10-29T21:16:14Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > It’s stressd several times in the movies that Anakin’s children will inherit his apptitude for the force. Given that Vader probably knows Yoda and Obi-Won are out there somewhere plotting against him, I can’t imagine that Darth wouldn’t try to secure his children as quickly as possible if he knew about them. > > The theory that Darth discovered the truth from spies after the destruction of the Death Star I seems possible, but that would mean that he didn’t find out from the Stormtroopers who smoked Owen and Beru, which seems terribly unlikely. > > Imagine your a young Stormtrooper commander with direct orders from Vader himself (who rewards failure with death, mind you) to find a pair of droids. You track them to a farm house, kill the inhabitants and realize the droids aren’t there. I fear for the future of the empire if you don’t have the smarts to do even the simple cursory check of the household that would yield the fact that a third person lived there and what that persons name was. > > So upon doing this, you report back in. All you have to show for your efforts is the name of the person that apparently had the droids last. How could you not report that information. Does anyone else read this and hear Dante or Randall? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/45 "2004-10-29T21:22:45Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > It’s stressd several times in the movies that Anakin’s children will inherit his apptitude for the force. Actually, I find this makes the monklike existence of the Jedis in the prequels even stranger. If it’s clear that Force sensitivity can be inherited, shouldn’t they be encouraging Jedis to mate early and often? Would Anakin marrying/nailing/impregnating Amidala be all _that_ bad? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/46 "2004-10-30T00:08:17Z")
I just saw _ESB_ again last night, and it’s the Emperor who brings up the possibility that Luke is Anakin’s son. EMPEROR: “I am now convinced that the boy is the son of Skywalker.” VADER: “But how is that possible?” Before that point, Vader is searching for Luke primarily because the Force is strong with him and he’s dealt a critical blow to the Empire. He may have more personal suspicions as well, but they’re vague, and what concrete material he has is more than adequate reason to search. But back to the OP, I don’t see any reason to suppose greater friction between Owen and Luke than between any father and son. Yes, Owen wants Luke to stay on the farm. Or rather, he _needs_ him to stay on the farm. That’s the way things are on a farm: You’re always short-handed, and everyone must do their share of the work. Even your own kids, whom you love very much. And yes, Luke resents this very much, but you find me any teenager who doesn’t resent his parents’ decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/47 "2004-10-30T01:35:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I just saw _ESB_ again last night, and it’s the Emperor who brings up the possibility that Luke is Anakin’s son. > > EMPEROR: “I am now convinced that the boy is the son of Skywalker.” > VADER: “But how is that possible?” I don’t remember that scene at all. Not from when I saw it on TV as a kid, and not in the 25th Anniversary Edition. Do you have some special director’s cut of _ESB_? ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/48 "2004-10-30T13:19:51Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > EMPEROR: “I am now convinced that the boy is the son of Skywalker.” > VADER: “But how is that possible?” How is that possible?? Vader, you sly dog, you! Well, I guess that quote kind of blows the stuffing out of my theory. The stormtroopers must’ve not been smart enough figure out a third person was living at Owen and Beru’s, otherwise Vader would’ve known. Of course these are the same Stormtroopers that didn’t leave a guard at the farm house in case somebody came back with the droids, so they might just not have been that bright. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/49 "2004-10-30T14:10:23Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I don’t remember that scene at all. Not from when I saw it on TV as a kid, and not in the 25th Anniversary Edition. Do you have some special director’s cut of _ESB_? Yes. The DVD versions have these new lines of dialogue. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/50 "2004-10-30T17:16:46Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > How is that possible?? Vader, you sly dog, you! No, I think Vader honest-to-gosh didn’t know. Because **no one** has sex in the _Star Wars_ universe! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/51 "2004-10-30T17:28:58Z")
That accounts for his temper. And I’ve **always** figured that in that Vader-Emperor exchange Vader was a lying dog. He didn’t want the emperor to know about Luke if he could avoid it. Why? Because a good Sith always figures he can do his bosses job better… Hell, I have a certain level of this myself. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/52 "2004-10-31T21:49:17Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > How is that possible?? Vader, you sly dog, you! > > Well, I guess that quote kind of blows the stuffing out of my theory. The stormtroopers must’ve not been smart enough figure out a third person was living at Owen and Beru’s, otherwise Vader would’ve known. Or maybe the Stormtroopers assumed it was their kid. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/53 "2004-11-01T00:15:40Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Actually, Owen knew exactly what Luke’s father had become from the get-go – there’s no retconning involved on that point, Lucas set the major plot points up according to Joseph Campbell’s _Hero With A Thousand Faces_, and Darth Vader was originally conceived as the “Dark Father” (_“Vater”_ is German for “father.”) Has that been established (the deliberate link to Campbell’s thesis, that is, not the similarity of Vader’s name to the German word for Father)? I’ve read _The Hero With a Thousand Faces_, but it was post-1977, and I believe that it had been retconned a little, itself. In any event, it was my understanding the Campbell added new material to it after seeing the first two _Star Wars_ movies. I’m certain I’ve seen a spirited discussion on the SDMB to the effect that Lucas heavily retconned the basis of the Star Wars movies only _after_ meeting with Campbell. It was my understanding that Campbell’s thesis all along was that there is only one storyline, and it is the monomyth, with various elements being emphasized differently, depending on the goal of the storyteller (similar to the old university writing-course chestnut that there are only seven possible plots). I also understood that when he explained his thesis to Lucas (after ESB), Lucas embraced it (perhaps without saying it out loud; I wouldn’t know, I allowed my subscription to _Starlog_ to expire when I turned seventeen), and allowed the world to believe that he’d been working from this thesis all along. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/54 "2004-11-01T01:13:14Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Has that been established? […] I’ve read _The Hero With a Thousand Faces_, but it was post-1977, and I believe that it had been retconned a little, itself. In any event, it was my understanding the Campbell added new material to it after seeing the first two _Star Wars_ movies. I’m certain I’ve seen a spirited discussion on the SDMB to the effect that Lucas heavily retconned the basis of the Star Wars movies only _after_ meeting with Campbell. I dunno, I have a hard time reversing the causality on that one. I got into Joseph Campbell (by way of Carl Jung) in my late teens and early twenties, after I had put the _Star Wars_ trilogy away as childish things. _The Hero with a Thousand Faces_ had made ample use of fairy tales and religous myths as examples. I find it a lot easier to believe that Lucas, as a young filmmaker, bent his work to fit Campbell’s template than vice-versa – particularly since Campbell was acknowledged in the credits of _The Empire Strikes Back_. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/55 "2004-11-01T01:30:45Z")
I had not known about that acknowledgement. thanks for the info. I’m still certain I recall some people fuming about an _ex post facto_ claim of a linkage by Lucas. ---
**Author:** ![MidnightRadio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@MidnightRadio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MidnightRadio)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711/56 "2004-11-01T02:38:45Z")
> [@aaslatten](#): > > All of this reminds me of another discussion I read earlier today about how the original Halloween makes less and less sense (and is sucked of its magic) the more you pay attention to the sequels. Do you have a link to that? I’d like to read it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luke-skywalker-adoption-thoughts/271711.md?page=2)