With Luke Skywalker absent from the majority of th 'A Force Awakens' trailers and posters, speculation has been rife about why the galactic hero is not being seen. In my initial surmise, I believed that Luke had gotten fed up with the whole galactic war, left the rebel alliance and retired his weary self to Yoda's last home. But now? I think there is something much more interesting going on with Luke's personal legend...I think Luke may have turned to the dark side of the force.
WARNING: CONTAINS OFFICIAL STAR WARS LORE THAT MAY PLOT SPOIL!
| EXHIBIT A - The Cave Luke's potential descent started in The Empire Strikes Back, whilst he was still training with Master Yoda on the planet Dagobah, located in the Sluis System. During a resting period from his physical training performed through the force, Luke felt a presence of coldness, emanating from one particular area of the swamp. Luke in consulting Master Yoda, is encouraged by his teacher to explore that vicinity, warning him that evil and dark force energy dwell there. When Luke asks Master Yoda what exactly resides there Luke is told "Only what you take with you". This was not a reference to a physical thing, but rather to the feelings and emotions - dark emotions, a person carries with them. | |
Upon entering the cave, Luke is confronted by a surprise appearance of Darth Vader. A short duel leads to the beheading of his arch enemy and unexpectedly, an automatic unveiling of Vader's mask occurs. What is most surprising in the revelation, is that Luke's face is revealed on the inside of Vader's helmet. This is the force's first warning to Luke; that with the emotions he carries, he could become the next Vader, a dark lord.
 In Dark Empire, Luke becomes an apprentice of Emperor Palpatine and if not for his loving twin sister, he would have been lost forever. | The next set of events are so vitally important, that they not only speak to what might have become of Luke in A Force Awakens, but how he will eventually be saved. Without having completed his Jedi training and with the continuous visions of his friends dying (like Anakin Skywalker had of his mother and Padme) Luke sets off to rescue his loved ones. Here Luke fulfils that famous quote - 'that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing'. As for what Luke has learned so far, is not nearly enough to see him through what he intends to achieve. At this stage of his training, he is a danger to himself. See the additional factors listed below, that will make Luke more susceptible to dark side manipulation... EXHIBIT B - Those Damned Visions
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- Being tempted by the dark side is part and parcel of Jedihood, but when your training is only half complete and you rush off to face the most ruthless warlord in the galaxy, you kinda need a little more than what Luke has. Anakin Skywalker was a prime example of losing himself anytime he had to protect a loved one - his mother, Obi-Wan and Padme all caused him to over react in his responses.
- Yoda tells Luke point blank: "Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil." And though the path to the dark side was not as straight-forward as Anakin's, Luke does something in Return of the Jedi that is totally Sith, but we'll get to that later...Beyond that Yoda said what was going to happen!
- Star Wars IV may have been called A New Hope, but Yoda in Empire Strikes Back mentions a 'last hope'. Which we come to learn is Princess Leia, and in being Luke's twin sister and Anakin/Vader's daughter, she of course is definitely force worthy. It is here that A Force Awaken's narrative could actually be the instance that Yoda was talking about all along. Whereas we thought Princess Leia would have to step up if Luke failed or became a dark lord in Empire or Return, potentially it was always Leia's latter incarnation as General Leia that was going to be when she pulled Luke back to the Jedi path.
In the Dark Empire comic series, Luke actually does turn to the dark side of the force, having being twisted and corrupted by Emperor Palpatine, who actually survived the fall down the chute in ROTJ. And it was also Leia in the comic that saved Luke. Dark Empire is set 6 years after ROTJ, where as A Force Awakens is set 30 years after so anything goes.
Darth Vader: "Luke, you can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son."
The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back
EXHIBIT C - A Skywalker Darkly
| In ROTJ, Luke takes Yoda's council and goes off to face Darth Vader. Calmly surrendering himself to the empire, he is brought before Lord Vader and they have quite a civil conversation with each other. Luke thinks he has failed in his attempt to bring Vader back to good, but doesn't know that he has managed to sow some seeds of doubt into his Father. When taken to the Emperor, Luke soon finds out that he is completely out of his depth as revelations of how Palpatine has manipulated everyone and every situation come to light...and this winds Luke's emotions right up. The Emperor, so deviously masterful, gives Luke only one option, but the option is unfortunately taken with anger driving it. This doesn't automatically make Luke a | |
| | Sith lord or a willing apprentice, but it does put him on the path. It also doesn't help that Luke fights so aggressively. Finally realising that he has given in to anger, he comes back to calm reason and tries to peacefully bring his father back to the light once again. But in giving into fear, he tries to avoid fighting altogether. His evasion and deep concerns for his friends leads him to expose Leia as his sister and when Vader picks up on that feeling through the force, he threatens to bring Leia to the dark side. Luke's fear and great anger at this unleashes his full slide into the dark side and he reacts with a Sith mentality. Fear and rage drive Luke to attack Vader, unbound by any Jedi code or serenity. His fighting is messy, unskillful and aggressive and he is able to drive Vader back who |
can only go on the defensive until he is taken down. And even when Vader is lying down, barely able to defend himself. Luke continues to hammer on him until he can't defend himself anymore, finally leading to the chopping off Vader's hand. Completing the circle of events, Luke's energy has totally changed - look at his face... Yet surrounded by Sith energy, Luke is still walking in corridors of light and dark as he has no intention of taking his father's place or joining the Emperor and empire. Anankin found himself in a similar position in Revenge of the Sith and follows the Supreme Chancellor's/The Emperor's guidance and kills Count Dooku. Luke's refusal actually catches Palpatine off guard and he of course reacts as a Sith lord does when they don't get their way, by electrocuting the hell out of Luke. One wonders if Luke let this happen on purpose to appeal to his father, much like Palpatine appealed to Anakin when Mace Windu came to arrest him in Revenge of the Sith.
WHAT I EXPECT TO SEE IN A FORCE AWAKENS...
| 1. Kylo Ren to be the apprentice of Luke. The uniform may be a shared fashion, so Kylo and him could be dressed the same. Also, Luke did like wearing black back in ROTJ, which was very different to the standard Jedi robes. Also remember what Yoda said in The Phantom Menace >>>>>>> 2. Imagery of Hamlet to Yorick's skull comes to mind...as I see what I think is Luke talking to Darth Vader's helmet in the trailer saying "Nothing will stand in our way, I will finish what you started" This can only really be spoken by Luke. Further more, since the masked figure who says it, actually has the helmet of Vader in their possession, it only makes sense that Luke says it, as he was the last one to deal with Vader's body. | THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KYLO REN & LUKE...? |
3. The scene where General Leia is crying and being consoled by Han, could be attributed to her missing Luke and sorrowfully wallowing about his descent to the dark side. I rest my case.
 R2-D2 ALWAYS REMAINS WITH LUKE AND HE HASN'T BEEN SEEN MUCH EITHER. LEIA ACCEPTS A LIGHTSABER FROM WHAT LOOKS LIKE A CHILD, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE FROM A CENTURIES OLD JEDI WOMAN. DON'T FORGET, AT THIS POINT ACCORDING TO LORE, LEIA SHOULD BE FORCE TRAINED TOO. |  KYLO REN OR LUKE SKYWALKER? AND WHO'S GIVING THE ORDERS FOR THE GALACTIC EMPIRE? |
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AND IN OTHER STAR WARS RELATED SHENANIGANS...WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
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