# "No, Luke. \*I\* am your father." Why did we buy it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 1, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983 "2013-02-01T00:37:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Billy-o](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Billy-o](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy-o)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/1 "2013-02-01T00:37:08Z")
I was 9 years old when _The Empire Strikes Back_ came out, and absolutely loved it. But during the climactic scene where DV tells Luke to call him Pa, I immediately thought, “No way. He’s just messing with Luke’s head to get him to join the dark side (and score some free cookies).” Of course, we find out Darth wasn’t lying in the next movie, but I recall that _everyone_ I knew – kids and adults alike – was sure that Darth was telling the truth. Why? It was always a mystery to me why so few moviegoers seemed to believe that this treacherous, wonderful villain was just lying to gain an advantage. Was I just a jaundiced, cynical lout at the age of 9? Or am I wrong to think everyone bought Vader’s story? ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/2 "2013-02-01T00:50:47Z")
They got like them force powers that let them know if it’s the truth. By that time Luke had been taking advice from a ghost, so maybe it’s not so strange to him. You think he would have a few follow-up questions about how he met his mother. Wait, is that what that tv show is about? I wish. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/3 "2013-02-01T00:51:34Z")
> [@Billy-o](#): > > I was 9 years old when _The Empire Strikes Back_ came out, and absolutely loved it. But during the climactic scene where DV tells Luke to call him Pa, I immediately thought, “No way. He’s just messing with Luke’s head to get him to join the dark side (and score some free cookies).” > > Of course, we find out Darth wasn’t lying in the next movie, but I recall that _everyone_ I knew – kids and adults alike – was sure that Darth was telling the truth. Why? It was always a mystery to me why so few moviegoers seemed to believe that this treacherous, wonderful villain was just lying to gain an advantage. > > Was I just a jaundiced, cynical lout at the age of 9? Or am I wrong to think everyone bought Vader’s story? I recall one reviewer who thought Vader was lying - his theory was that Vader was Luke’s older brother, who had killed Anakin. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/4 "2013-02-01T01:00:18Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > I recall one reviewer who thought Vader was lying - his theory was that Vader was Luke’s older brother, who had killed Anakin. That would have made for a MUCH better movie and more sense to how Luke brings balance to the force. Even more conducive to the balance theory would have Vader live at the end of Jedi. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/5 "2013-02-01T01:11:57Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > That would have made for a MUCH better movie and more sense to how Luke brings balance to the force. Yes, I thought so too. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/6 "2013-02-01T01:24:38Z")
Here is why I bought it. 1.Luke’s mysterious parental situation. 2.It was clear Beru and Owen knew way more than they were letting on, they also perked right up at the mention of Obiwan. 3.Vader was obviously intrigued as HELL about that pilot who “the force was with” at the end of ANH, in fact he spent all of ESB looking for this pilot like crazy beyond what even the Emporer gave a shit about. Again Luke and Vader both knew something was going on there. ---
**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:** [February 1, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/7 "2013-02-01T01:30:35Z")
I remember not buying it at all. Between 1980 and 1983 I thought it was a lie. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/8 "2013-02-01T01:45:47Z")
In one of the making-of movies, James Earl Jones says he thought right away that Vader was lying (they didn’t tell David Prouse, he found out at the screening). I like the older brother angle. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/9 "2013-02-01T01:55:49Z")
The Thulsa Doom Effect. Anything James Earl Jones says sounds inherently plausible. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/10 "2013-02-01T02:14:16Z")
[He wasn’t, really.](http://www.gocomics.com/comic/explore/1031701/19) ---
**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:** [February 1, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/11 "2013-02-01T02:16:49Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [He wasn’t, really.](http://www.gocomics.com/comic/explore/1031701/19) 😕 Not sure which comic you think you linked to… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/12 "2013-02-01T02:18:12Z")
Link works for me…The Argyll Sweater Jan. 31 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/13 "2013-02-01T02:21:00Z")
Because it was good storytelling. It tied up a bunch of loose ends. And because it was made way too dramatic to be a lie. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/14 "2013-02-01T02:23:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Link works for me…The Argyll Sweater Jan. 31 Nope. Looks like hot links don’t work and you’re returning to a cached screen, methinks. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/15 "2013-02-01T02:27:12Z")
because Luke searched his feelings and knew it to be true ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/16 "2013-02-01T02:28:51Z")
[This ought to be a permanent link.](http://www.gocomics.com/theargylesweater/2013/01/31) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/17 "2013-02-01T02:31:27Z")
Thank you. So much for my clever posting of a relevant comic. I’m so ashamed. ---
**Author:** ![Billy-o](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Billy-o](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy-o)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/18 "2013-02-01T02:43:43Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Here is why I bought it. > > 1.Luke’s mysterious parental situation. > 2.It was clear Beru and Owen knew way more than they were letting on, they also perked right up at the mention of Obiwan. > 3.Vader was obviously intrigued as HELL about that pilot who “the force was with” at the end of ANH, in fact he spent all of ESB looking for this pilot like crazy beyond what even the Emporer gave a shit about. > > Again Luke and Vader both knew something was going on there. That’s all true – I guess my 9-year-old brain wasn’t adding up those clues. [QUOTE=BigT] Because it was good storytelling. It tied up a bunch of loose ends. And because it was made way too dramatic to be a lie. [/QUOTE] Also very true. In my defense, anyone watching the prequels would be taken off guard by good storytelling from George Lucas! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/19 "2013-02-01T02:48:37Z")
It nitpick: He just said, “No, I am your father.” He never said, “Luke, I am your father.” One of those frequently misquotes. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983/20 "2013-02-01T03:09:17Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > It nitpick: He just said, “No, I am your father.” He never said, “Luke, I am your father.” One of those frequently misquotes. 😉 Play it again, Sam. We don’t need no stinking badges. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-luke-i-am-your-father-why-did-we-buy-it/648983.md?page=2)