Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise created by George Lucas. The character, portrayed by Mark Hamill, is an important figure in the Rebel Alliance's struggle against the Galactic Empire. He is the twin brother of Rebellion leader Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, a friend and brother-in-law of smuggler Han Solo, an apprentice to Jedi Masters Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi and Yoda, the son of fallen Jedi Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader) and Queen of Naboo/Republic Senator Padmé Amidala.
In 2015, the character was selected by Empire magazine as the 50th greatest movie character of all time. On their list of the 100 Greatest Fictional Characters, Fandomania.com ranked the character at number 14.
Bio[]
Personality and Traits[]
In his youth, Skywalker was often curious, impatient, looking ahead to the future with little regard for his present surroundings, and even a bit brash. Like his father, he was impulsive, reckless, and often had little regard for his own personal safety. Some time after the Battle of Yavin, he would confer with Nakari Kelen that he regretted his behavior before then, acknowledging he complained "about everything" because of his desire to escape from Tatooine. He also acknowledged his scarce talent at lying, a trait that many people could infer. Despite these traits, Skywalker had a happy childhood anyway.
However, as his skills in the Force progressed and, especially after losing a hand to Darth Vader, Skywalker became more patient and seasoned, and was often seen as having wisdom beyond his years. However, he still retained his idealistic viewpoint, willing to think the best of anyone, and believing that Vader was redeemable. He was also unable to ignore those who needed help, sometimes to the point of endangering missions for the sake of saving someone else's life, as his father would throughout the Clone Wars.Even as a child, he had a strong sense of morality and a need to help others despite likely danger. Skywalker shows consistently throughout the series his sense to protect those that he cares for and loves, for example risking going to the dark side to help his friends, and his love for his sister very nearly causing him to turn, if it were not for his love for his father.
Powers and abilities[]
Lightsaber abilities[]
Though he received little training, Luke Skywalker quickly became quite proficient in lightsaber combat. Luke's initial training with the weapon of the Jedi was a brief session with Obi-Wan Kenobi and a training remote on the way to Alderaan, when he learned the initial position and the four defensive postures. Though his level proved inadequate during his first, but brief duel against Darth Vader on Cymoon 1, his combat skills had improved for their duel on Bespin, and culminated with him besting the Sith Lord in combat during the Battle of Endor.
Skywalker had some skills in Form V, able to intercept blaster fire. During his mission to Rodia, he tried his hand at Jar'Kai for the first time with his and Huulik's lightsaber. Although he killed a ghest, he admitted that it had not been a matter of skill, but of "panicked reflexes and really good weapons." He received further training from the "Gamemaster", a servant of Grakkus the Hutt, who had learned the art of lightsaber combat. Forced to fight him and the Hutt's MagnaGuards, Skywalker improved his cursory abilities.
After a brief time of training with Yoda, Luke revealed himself to be a gifted duelist on Bespin. Skywalker engaged Vader in a fierce duel but was defeated, with the Dark Lord proving his superiority. Later, Skywalker showed his abilities in battle during the rescue of Han Solo, where a skirmish ensued in which the Jedi killed many guards aboard the execution skiff and Jabba's sail barge. Later, on board the second Death Star, Luke showed his improved abilities and was finally able to duel Vader on an even footing. However, his unwillingness to fight his own father partly held him back; but when Vader threatened to turn Leia to the dark side, an enraged Luke unleashed all of his raw ability, overwhelming and defeating the Sith Lord. Unlike his father in the final duel against Count Dooku, Luke used little to no finesse or strategy.
Like his father, Skywalker possessed a powerful connection to the Force. Indeed, Darth Sidious believed that Skywalker was strong enough in the Force to destroy the Sith. However, most of what he learned was self-taught due to Kenobi's few days of mentorship before his demise, and later Yoda's one year of mentorship before he died of old age, and Kenobi's sporadic guidance from beyond the Netherworld of the Force.
After learning the basics of the Force, he quickly learned how to sense through it, and took the habit of opening himself to the Force in hopes of learning more than Kenobi had told him, and becoming aware of his surroundings. In time, he would also learn to sense the presence of his father. He was capable of seeing and hearing those who had become one with the Force. By using the Force during the Battle of Yavin, he managed to destroy the Death Star with a shot that many thought was impossible.
After obtaining Huulik's lightsaber and dismantling it to know his inner workings, Skywalker surmised on his own that the Force could be used to manipulate matter in the manner of telekinesis and managed to learn how to move small objects, such as a noodle or a fork. By the time of the Battle of Hoth, Skywalker had the ability to pull his lightsaber to his hands, though not without difficulty. Under Yoda's training, this ability was further developed, enabling him to levitate several objects at once while meditating.
Other abilities[]
Skywalker was acknowledged to be an expert pilot, being the person who was responsible for destroying the first Death Star and managing to evade Darth Vader himself (albeit with help from Han Solo). He also managed to destroy an Interdictor vessel on his own while piloting the Desert Jewel, although he acknowledged that R2-D2 saved him when the astromech droid made the ship jump into hyperspace in the nick of time. He was also able to pilot a Imperial Lambda-class T-4a shuttle with relative ease, outmaneuvering an RZ-1 A-wing interceptor that was trying to get a lock on him. In fact, Luke had a talent for tinkering and a passion for speed.
He was a native speaker of Galactic Basic, and although Skywalker could not understand Shyriiwook, he had quickly learned how to read Chewbacca's moods by his tone and expression before the Battle of Yavin. After many years, he also learned binary, being able to communicate with his R2 unit without any help from a protocol droid, which he did not when he was younger as a farm boy.
Luke was Adept in unarmed combat. Luke demonstrated his skill early on Cymoon 1 where he defeated a few stormtroopers by kicking and slamming them to the ground, shortly after Luke found himself being attacked by an entire mob full of alien thugs on Nar Shada. Skywalker defeated numerous of the attackers unarmed before igniting his lightsaber and startling the rest. Luke found himself in another similar situation on Horox III, where he defeated an entire cantina of alien thugs with the help of Aphra and her Wookiee bounty hunter. Skywalker knocked out the Commander Kanchar, a hulking cybernetic enhanced man with a single punch after outsmarting him. Luke implemented his unarmed skill into lightsaber combat defeating countless of foes throughout his journeys as seen at the battle of the Great pit of Carkoon also when dueling Vader.
Equipment[]
Luke Skywalker wielded at least two lightsabers during the Galactic Civil War. The first was his father's former weapon, that was retrieved and given to him by Obi-Wan Kenobi. He wielded this weapon for three years before losing it, and the hand holding it, in a duel against Darth Vader on the cloud city on Bespin. After losing his father's lightsaber, Skywalker built himself a new weapon, with a green blade, that he used to rescue his friends from Jabba the Hutt and during his final duel with Darth Vader.
Trivia[]
- Luke Skywalker will meet Thomas, Twilight, Theodore, and his friends in Thomas and Twilight Sparkle's Adventures of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
- Luke Skywalker will meet Team Griffin/Eeveelution and their friends in Brian and the Eeveelution Family's Adventures of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
- Luke Skywalker will meet Team Chugger and their friends in Wilson, Brewster, and Koko's Adventures of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
- Luke Skywalker will meet the Backyardigans and their friends in The Backyardigans meet The Mandalorian
Gallery[]
