Luke Skywalker

"I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

- Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker, a Human male, was the son of fallen Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padmé Amidala, and the twin brother of Leia Organa. Born on the asteroid Polis Massa, his mother died in labor, and the twins were thought to never have been born by his father, the recently christened Sith Lord Darth Vader. Skywalker was separated from his sister and taken by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi to the planet Tatooine to be raised by the Lars family, hidden from the Galactic Empire.

Growing up unaware of his origins, the young Skywalker's life changed forever with a chance purchase of two droids—R2-D2 and C-3PO—carrying plans to the Imperial Death Star superweapon. After his aunt and uncle were killed by Imperial troops searching for the plans, Skywalker embarked on a journey to deliver the plans to the Rebel Alliance, receiving training in the ways of the Force from Kenobi, and meeting Han Solo and (unbeknownst to him) his sister, Princess Leia Organa, a member of the Rebellion. Though Kenobi was killed by Vader, Skywalker participated in the Battle of Yavin alongside the Rebels with guidance from Kenobi's spirit, and managed to destroy the Death Star.

As a member of the Rebel Alliance, Skywalker and the Rebels evaded Imperial forces led by Vader, who hunted Skywalker relentlessly over the next three years. As the Rebels were forced to abandon their base during a battle on the snow planet Hoth, Skywalker flew to the swamp planet of Dagobah at the advice of his late mentor, Kenobi, where he received Jedi training from the exiled Jedi Master Yoda. However, Skywalker was lured into a trap by Vader at Cloud City on Bespin, where he engaged the Sith Lord in a lightsaber duel, discovering Vader's identity as his father in the process.

One year later, Skywalker fought in the Battle of Endor before surrendering himself to Vader, realizing he had to confront his father and the Galactic Emperor, Sheev Palpatine. Though Palpatine attempted to convert Skywalker to the dark side of the Force, Skywalker declared himself a Jedi and successfully appealed to the good in Vader, who redeemed himself as Anakin Skywalker by destroying Palpatine at the cost of his own life. Thanks to Skywalker, the battle ended in a Rebel victory, and he joined his celebrating allies on Endor.

Pre-birth
"There is another Skywalker."

- Serenity

During the Clone Wars, Jedi Master Yoda set out on a journey to discover the secrets of immortality. His journey took him to Moraband, the ancient Sith homeworld, where he faced visions of the future. At the end of his journey, the Force Priestess, Serenity, who guided his journey told him that there was another Skywalker, and Yoda heard his voice from the future say so as well. These events alluded to the birth and destiny of Luke Skywalker, as well as his twin sister Leia.

Early life
"It's a boy.''" "''Luke."

- A medical droid and Padmé Amidala

Luke Skywalker was born on the asteroid of Polis Massa shortly after the end of the Clone Wars and the newly established Galactic Empire's purge of the Jedi Order. He and his twin sister Leia, who was born shortly after him, were the children of Galactic Republic Senator Padmé Amidala, who died in labor, and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, who had recently fallen to the dark side of the Force. To protect the children from the Empire and the now-Sith Lord Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi personally sent the infant Luke to live with Anakin's stepbrother Owen Lars and his wife Beru on the planet Tatooine, while Senator Bail Organa agreed to adopt Leia together with his wife, the queen of Alderaan.

Skywalker spent his youth on the Lars' moisture farm, where his uncle tried unsuccessfully to discourage all of his adventurous tendencies, telling him that his father had been "a navigator on a spice freighter" during the Clone Wars. Despite this, Skywalker became an adventure-seeking youth who demonstrated his father's natural piloting skills, as well as a knack for mechanical repairs, and a desire to leave Tatooine to join a flight academy. As more of Skywalker's friends left the planet to follow their dreams, he became increasingly frustrated that his uncle would not allow him to do the same, claiming that he still needed help with the farm. In truth, Owen was trying to prevent Skywalker from following in his father's footsteps.

Leaving Tatooine
"I want to come with you to Alderaan. There's nothing for me here now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father."

- Luke Skywalker to Obi-Wan Kenobi

The purchase of two droids by Skywalker's uncle changed the youth's life forever. With the discovery of a desperate message to Obi-Wan Kenobi contained within the astromech droid R2-D2, Skywalker soon found himself in the company of Kenobi after being attacked by Sand People. Kenobi then revealed to Skywalker that he had once been a Jedi Knight who served in the Clone Wars with Skywalker's father. He went on to inform Skywalker that his father was no cargo pilot, but a Jedi Knight struck down by Darth Vader.

Soon after, Skywalker and Kenobi came upon a group of slaughtered Jawas&mdash;the same ones who sold the droids to Owen Lars. Skywalker deduced from learning that Imperial stormtroopers were responsible that they might have looked into the sales records of the droids, and rushed home in the hopes of saving his aunt and uncle. Upon quickly returning home, Skywalker discovered that he was too late: his aunt and uncle had been murdered by Imperial stormtroopers looking for R2-D2 and C-3PO. With his family dead, he agreed to accompany Kenobi to Alderaan to deliver the astromech, who was carrying the plans for the Death Star, to Bail Organa at the behest of Organa's daughter, Princess Leia Organa. The two traveled to the Chalmun's Cantina to obtain passage off the planet and met Han Solo and his first mate Chewbacca. Kenobi brokered a deal to pay Solo two thousand credits up front plus fifteen more when they arrived on Alderaan. Skywalker sold his speeder to pay for the two thousand up front.

Death Star rescue
"Luke, we're gonna have company!"

- Han Solo to Luke Skywalker

After escaping stormtroopers and blasting off the planet in Solo's ship, the Millennium Falcon, Kenobi began Skywalker's instruction in the ways of the Force, much to the derision of Solo. This teaching, however, was soon interrupted by their arrival in the Alderaan system and their discovery of the planet's destruction. They then spotted a patrolling TIE fighter and, upon following it, found that it was approaching what appeared to be a small moon, which turned out to be the Death Star. Caught by the Death Star's tractor beam, they were brought aboard the massive space station.

Once on board, Kenobi separated from Skywalker, Solo, Chewbacca, and the droids to deactivate the tractor beam. However, when R2-D2 discovered that Leia Organa was being held captive, Skywalker insisted on rescuing her. With Solo and Chewbacca's help, the trio made it into the detention area in the guise of Imperial stormtroopers escorting a Wookiee prisoner. They were able to rescue Organa, but had to jump into the garbage chute in order to escape the pursuing Imperial forces. Later, Skywalker and Organa were separated from Solo and Chewbacca, but after swinging across a deep shaft, they were to meet back up with their companions in the hangar bay.

Eventually, the group escaped the Death Star, but only after Kenobi sacrificed himself in a duel with Darth Vader. They traveled to the hidden rebel base on Yavin 4, even though the Death Star was tracking them. It was then that Solo received his reward for rescuing Organa and prepared to leave the group. Skywalker attempted to persuade him to stay and help them against the Empire, but Solo refused, deeply disappointing him.

Hero of the Rebellion
"Great shot, kid; that was one in a million!"

- Han Solo to Luke Skywalker after the destruction of the Death Star

Yavin
It was at the Yavin Base that Skywalker first became a member of the Rebel Alliance, joining Red Group with the designation of Red Five. Shortly before boarding his T-65 X-wing starfighter, Skywalker encountered his old friend Biggs Darklighter. The two would be flying as wingmen just like old times in the upcoming battle. In a brief conversation, Darklighter promised Luke that the two would catch up on each other's stories when they got back.

Skywalker took part in the Battle of Yavin, witnessing the death of many compatriots, including close friend Biggs Darklighter. After the death of the two squadron leaders, he took it upon himself to lead the final assault. With the timely arrival of the Millennium Falcon and the guidance of Kenobi's spirit, Skywalker took a single shot and used the Force to direct his proton torpedoes to their target, destroying the station. For this action he, Chewbacca, and Han Solo were awarded medals for their bravery.

Hoth
In the three years following the Death Star's destruction, the Rebels were driven out of their base and pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader. Transfered to Echo Base alongside Rogue Squadron on the icy world of Hoth, Skywalker participated in regular patrols of the frozen perimeter. While reconnoitering the surroundings of Echo Base, Skywalker was attacked by a wampa. He regained consciousness in the creature's cave, severed its arm with his lightsaber, and escaped to find that he was far from Echo Base. After a long walk in the icy wind, he collapsed from exhaustion. Near death, he had a vision of Kenobi, who told him to seek the teachings of Yoda in the Dagobah system. He was then rescued by Han Solo.

Skywalker recovered from his wounds, but did not have much time to recover; one of Vader's thousands of probe droids, launched across the galaxy in search of the Jedi and the new Alliance base, had reached Hoth and sent proof of Rebel activity to the Galactic Empire. In the ensuing battle, Skywalker led Rogue Group in an effort to counter the attack and buy time for the evacuation of Echo Base. Under his leadership, the speeders proved more effective in attacking the massive Imperial walkers than the Empire realized was possible. Furthermore, even after he was shot down, Skywalker demonstrated his formidable potential as a Jedi when he got out of his damaged speeder and proceeded to single-handedly destroy two walkers with spectacular effectiveness. As Imperial forces breached the defenses, the last Rebel transport departed and Skywalker fled the planet aboard his X-wing.

Jedi training
Skywalker then traveled to Dagobah, where he encountered Yoda. In their initial meeting, Skywalker was frustrated and confused about his surroundings and was thus rather short tempered with the diminutive Yoda, who did not initially identify himself. Skywalker gained a new appreciation for the small creature upon learning his identity, though Yoda agreed to train Skywalker only at the insistence of Kenobi's spirit. Skywalker's training proved to be difficult, as his adventurous past had shaped his mind toward action and emotional instinct. When Yoda asked him to enter a cave in which he was supposed to find only what he took with him, he was challenged by a vision of himself wearing Darth Vader's armor. Shortly after, he had a vision of Han Solo and Leia Organa suffering at Cloud City on Bespin. Despite Yoda and Kenobi's warnings and disapproval, Skywalker rashly departed from Dagobah to rescue them.

Vader's trap
"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.''" "He told me enough! He told me you killed him!" "No. I'' am your father."

- Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker

Skywalker arrived at Cloud City and, with blaster drawn, moved in to rescue his friends. He was shot at by Boba Fett and ambushed by a group of stormtroopers and Imperial officers. He briefly spotted Organa being used as a human shield by a Imperial officer. As she was dragged away, Leia attempted to warn him that he was walking into a trap. While attempting to pursue them, Skywalker's path was diverted to the carbon-freeze chamber where Darth Vader awaited him.

Skywalker engaged the Dark Lord in a fierce duel. After severing Skywalker's hand from his body, Vader attempted to seduce the weakened Jedi to the dark side of the Force, offering Skywalker the chance to destroy the Emperor and "bring order to the galaxy." In his efforts to sway Skywalker from his defiant refusals, Vader then revealed his identity as Skywalker's father.

Faced with this shocking and horrifying claim, and the even more fearsome temptation to join Vader, Skywalker found the moral courage to choose death instead by throwing himself down a long shaft. He was sucked through an opening portal at the bottom of the chamber, then through another one which led out of the floating city. Skywalker grabbed onto a weather vane, preventing a fall to his death. Weak and helpless, Skywalker at first called out for Kenobi, but failed to contact him. He then reached out to Organa with the Force, and soon the Millennium Falcon, with Lando Calrissian, Organa, Chewbacca, and the droids onboard, arrived to rescue him. After reuniting with the Rebel fleet, Skywalker received a cybernetic hand.

Rescuing a friend
Over time, Skywalker grew more powerful in the Force and constructed himself a new lightsaber. Nine months after the Battle of Hoth, Skywalker set in motion a plan to rescue his friend Han Solo from the Hutt crime lord Jabba. When Organa and half the rescue party were held captive by Jabba, Skywalker went to free them and Solo. Skillful use of the Force allowed Skywalker to get past Jabba's Gamorrean guards and his majordomo, Bib Fortuna, but the Hutt was not so easily swayed and attempted to feed Skywalker to his rancor.

Skywalker killed the fearsome monster, but Jabba was furious and sentenced all the captured Alliance heroes–including an unfrozen Solo–to death in the Great Pit of Carkoon. However, right before he was put into the pit, Skywalker escaped when R2-D2 shot his lightsaber to him and freed the other prisoners on the skiff. A skirmish ensued in which the aspiring Jedi massacred Jabba's guards, though he sustained a minor wound on his cybernetic hand. Skywalker, Solo, Organa, Chewbacca, Calrissian and the droids escaped through a menacing sand storm after destroying both Jabba's barge and the gangster himself.

Keeping the promise
Not long after, Skywalker returned to Dagobah to complete his training and received confirmation from Yoda and the spirit of Kenobi that Vader was indeed his father, Anakin Skywalker, a former Jedi Knight who turned to the dark side of the Force. The elderly and dying Yoda told Luke that his training was complete, but in order to be a Jedi, he would have to confront Darth Vader again, a notion that Skywalker found painful to accept. Furthermore, Skywalker realized that Organa was his sister and would be in peril if their father discovered her identity.

Endor's test
"Now, go, my son. Leave me.''" "No. You're coming with me. I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you!" "''You already have, Luke. You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister&hellip; you were right."

- Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker

Skywalker nevertheless accompanied his friends on the mission to the forest moon of Endor to knock out the shield generator that protected the Death Star II in orbit, immediately upon arrival at the Rebel briefing. Upon approaching Endor, Skywalker sensed Vader's presence on the nearby Super Star Destroyer, and realized his presence endangered the mission. His companions dismissed his concerns, and proceeded on. However, thanks to Skywalker merely accompanying the mission, Vader was able to detect the presence of the Rebels in the shuttle in which they infiltrated the forest moon, but allowed them to land so he could deal with them himself.

Upon arriving on the moon, the Rebel force was discovered by Imperial scout troopers, Skywalker and Organa pursued them on speeder bikes through the dense foliage and successfully prevented them from reporting the Rebels' presence. However, during the high speed chase, Organa became separated from Skywalker.

Upon learning of her disappearance, Solo, Skywalker, Chewbacca, and the droids went looking for her, but were captured by a tribe of Ewoks. Skywalker prevented a conflict with the small forest-dwellers and ingeniously rescued the party after the Ewoks, who thought C-3PO was a god, planned to sacrifice the Rebel heroes. He used the Force to levitate the protocol droid, convincing the Ewoks to release and aid the Rebels. However, Skywalker knew that he had to confront Vader. In the Ewok village, Skywalker revealed to Organa her true familial heritage and resolved to face Vader. Not long after, Skywalker surrendered to Vader in an attempt to bring the Dark Lord back to the light side, but he ultimately became a prisoner of the Emperor.

Once on board the Death Star, Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine and Vader attempted to corrupt Skywalker with promises to save his friends from their trap if he joined the dark side. As a backup idea, Palpatine goaded Skywalker to strike him down to save the Rebel fleet, which was being decimated in the Battle of Endor. Skywalker, in a moment of weakness, lashed out, but Vader stopped his strike.

Despite the clash, Skywalker managed to keep emotional control and refused to continue the fight, much to the frustration of his enemies. However, that control was lost when Vader telepathically sensed the existence of Skywalker's sister and threatened to corrupt her instead. Furious at the threat, Skywalker viciously attacked and eventually cut off the Sith Lord's right hand, nearly killing Vader. Palpatine then demanded he finish Vader and take his place at his side. Luke, however, threw his lightsaber away, realizing that he was becoming what he sought to destroy. He declared himself a Jedi, just as Anakin Skywalker had been before him. Enraged, Palpatine unleashed Force lightning against Skywalker to torture and eventually kill the young Jedi.

Vader found himself in a similar position as he had twenty-three years earlier, when he made the decision to save Palpatine from Mace Windu, allowing the Sith Lord to torture and kill his would-be executor with Force lightning. Palpatine declared his intention to kill Luke, and Vader made the decision to act: he picked his master from the ground, and cast him down the reactor shaft to his death. In doing so, however, he turned Palpatine's lethal Force lightning against himself, irreparably damaging his life-supporting suit of armor. In an act of self-sacrifice and love for his son, Anakin Skywalker re-emerged to destroy the Emperor.

On the deteriorating Death Star at the foot of Vader's shuttle, Skywalker removed the former Vader's mask and looked upon his father's face for the first and only time before Anakin became one with the Force. Skywalker took his father's body on board the shuttle and escaped just before the Death Star's destruction. Back on Endor, Skywalker cremated his father's armor in the manner of a Jedi's funeral. He then joined in the celebration of the apparent defeat of the Empire, during which he saw the spirits of Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker appear. Thus, Skywalker came full circle both as a Jedi and as a person.

Personality and traits
In his youth, Luke was often impatient, looking ahead to the future with little regard for his present surroundings. Like his father, he was impulsive, reckless, and often had little regard for his own personal safety. According to Han Solo, his first impression of Skywalker was a naïve kid who needed to be taught a thing or two.

However, as his skills in the Force progressed and after losing a hand to Darth Vader, Luke became more patient and seasoned, and was often seen as having wisdom beyond his years. However, he still retained his idealistic worldview of his youth, believing that Vader was redeemable.

Leia Organa
"Who is she? She's beautiful."

- Luke on Leia after seeing her for the first time

Luke's first impression of Leia as he saw her in a hologram was "She's beautiful". During the escape from the Death Star Luke received a kiss from Leia for luck. After the event, Han Solo made Luke jealous by asking him if he thought the princess was his type. Just before the Battle of Hoth, Leia kissed a convalescent Luke again, this time to make Solo jealous. During his second visit to Dagobah, Luke discovered that she was his sister.

Lightsaber abilities
"I see you have constructed a new lightsaber."

- Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker

Though he received little training, Luke Skywalker became an exceptionally skilled Jedi in combat, making him a powerful Jedi. Luke Skywalker's use of the lightsaber is probably as much instinctive as trained: on Bespin, Luke revealed that he was an extraordinarily gifted duelist after only one brief session with Obi-Wan Kenobi and a short time of study with Yoda. Without a Master, it was Luke's unparalleled aptitude, which contributed in the impossible advancement of his skills. On board the second Death Star, Luke was finally able to duel Vader on an even footing, and defeated the experienced Dark Lord.

Force powers
"The Force is strong in this one."

- Darth Vader during the Battle of Yavin

Like his father, Luke possessed a strong connection to the Force. Darth Sidious believed that Luke was strong enough in the Force to destroy the Sith. While infiltrating Jabba's Palace, Luke utilized a number of Force powers such as telekinesis and Jedi mind tricks. When Darth Vader attempted to freeze him in carbonite, Luke was able to perform a force-augmented jump to escape, something that impressed the Dark Lord. In addition, Luke was adept at receiving Force Visions, something he demonstrated during his training with Yoda. Luke had an acute Force Sense, such as when he sensed Vader's presence when approaching Endor.

Behind the scenes
Luke Skywalker was portrayed by actor Mark Hamill in the films Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and will reprise his role in the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He was portrayed as an infant by Aidan Barton in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Galactic Defense
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars 1
 * Episode IV A New Hope: Being the Story of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and the Rise of the Rebellion
 * A New Hope Read-Along Storybook and CD
 * Escape from Darth Vader
 * The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight
 * Heir to the Jedi
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * The Empire Strikes Back Illustrated Novel
 * The Empire Strikes Back Read-Along Storybook and CD
 * Use the Force!
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Return of the Jedi Illustrated Novel
 * Return of the Jedi Read-Along Storybook and CD
 * Rescue from Jabba's Palace
 * Star Wars: The Force Awakens
 * Rescue from Jabba's Palace
 * Star Wars: The Force Awakens
 * Star Wars: The Force Awakens