Mirror Image

Mirror Image is a short story written by Eric S. Trautmann for The Last Command Sourcebook, published in 1994. It was reprinted in The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook in 1996

Plot summary
The story takes the form of a personal datapad journal written by Luke Skywalker. Several days after the battle at Mount Tantiss, Luke remains chilled and unable to sleep because of the confrontation with his clone, Luuke Skywalker. Luke relates meeting his clone with his experience at the Dark Side Cave on Dagobah, stating the reality to be no less horrifying than the illusion. Luke is distressed at how a clone of himself, despite knowing him to be a different person, could turn out to be so evil. Luke wonders if the same potential for evil lies within himself. Luke then recalls the duel with his clone in vivid detail. He then ponders whether an evil such as Palpatine could ever truly be extinguished and if something as pure and noble as the New Republic could transform in a New Empire. Luke finally entertains the possibility that one day he might embrace the dark side.