Jedi Council Forums - If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........

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Author	Topic: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
skywalker-singh Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 9/5/05 9:44am Subject: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp......... - Date Edited: 9/5/05 9:46am (1 edits total) Edited By: skywalker-singh
	Before I am overwhelmed with the wrath of enraged luke fans, let me state that I am not bashing the character-merely curious as to how he was represented in the eu. As was recently discussed in the most powerful force users and people in the galaxy topic-Luke was unanimously in the top 3. Yet in comparison with some of the other masters, his track record against dark jedi/sith is fairly spotty. In my opinion the only time we really see luke show any force power/creativity and defeat dark jedi was Dark Empire. Sure DE is despised by any, but atleast luke is characterized as a skilled jedi. In CoPL- Luke has some intersting force powers as well from healing, levitating etc. But in most of the other books, he is shown preety incompetent. Zahn though a great writter was the worst. It seemed luke could never do anything with the force other then block bolts with his lightsaber. In half of luke's lightsaber battles in zahn's books, I never even remember luke simply using the force to grab multiple lightsabers drawn on him. In vision of the future- when luke aids the Noghri against the bandits. Luke struggles to use his lightsaber to block a bolt. In that much time the noghri had taken out all the combatants. Would it have been that hard to use a force push? Or to grab the blasters. Heck we could have had luke help the noghri in hand to hand against the bandits. I guess zahn follows stackpole's view that luke is not much of a hand-to-hand fighter? As seen is New Rebellion (Dolph), Rebel Stand (Lord Nyax) and even against Joruus in the Last command, luke is fairly useless against dark jedi. After all his scirmishes with Darth Vadee and Lumiya in the comics, you would think he would put up a better fight against Joruus? Sure we can use the all powerful argument-but that never stopped the authors regarding yoda, anakin skywalker (solo) or even recently jacen solo. Zahn for all his postering on force users being too powerful had Joruus do some preety incredible feats. Not simply power wise but some creative force tricks that Luke could not even duplicate as a jedi master in the Hand of thrawn series. I am just curious as to why? In njo we had the same trend until say the last book -TUF. Though it was an attempt to show luke as all-powerful, it seemed forced. It seemed a obvious attemp just to satisfy the Luke fanboys. None of the other top jedi/sith had such challenges beating powerful opponents.
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MasterSkywalker86 Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:04am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	one name comes to mind for the reason.............. DEL-RAY -----signature----- "Anakin wasn't what he was supposed to become. But the son could become that."- George Lucas
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Kudzu Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:15am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	In The Last Command, he was fighting his clone, which was extremely disorienting. Also remember that Joruus C'baoth was a clone of a very powerful Jedi Master of the Old Jedi Order, but dark side and insane. Think terrorists - they would use WMDs without worrying about starting a nuclear war that would consume the Earth because they hate the "infidels" so much. C'baoth is like that. He has no reason and no self-control - to paraphrase Han, Vader without the manners. -----signature----- Super Golden Ewok™ Recipient It should be the right of every American to go out and get wasted the day they're told that they're being sent to war. Ron Paul for U.S. President 2008
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MasterSkywalker86 Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:16am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	also Zahn likes to write luke more resourceful, which in my opinion is make him like Mcgyver instead of using his force powers. I like KJA, Kathy Tyers, James Luceno, Steve Perry, and Troy Denning's characrizations much better then Zahn's. The main reason they don't have luke flaunt his power is because there wouldn't be a challenge for other characters to face. The editors needed him to not use his powers much so they can let the new generation have a swing at things. but EU wise after DE luke felt he needed to hold back his power in the force, since his fear of the darkside. he felt the more he relied on the force the more he would be tempted, so in TUF luke realizes it is safe for him to use his full power. -----signature----- "Anakin wasn't what he was supposed to become. But the son could become that."- George Lucas
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Fist_of_Mandalore Registered: Mar '05	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:16am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	Well, look at it this way. If Luke was super powerful, then everyone would complain that Luke is too strong, that the other characters never gte to do anything blah blah blah. In other words, Luke would become the new Mara. -----signature----- Mortis est Gloriam
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Master_Keralys Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Oct '03	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:17am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	Most of the authors felt they couldn't make Luke too powerful, because it would then justify making his opponents too powerful to be able to be "interesting" for the battles. And that's a valid view, to a certain extent. Quite understandable, as guaranteed victory tends to be rather blah. I agree that he should be immensely more powerful (see TJK, for example, where he is well-portrayed IMO), but also recall that in those fights he was usually at a severe disadvantage - like, y'know, having his X-wing literally explode from under him. Rebel Dream, he was still limited by his unwillingness to open himself to the full power of the Force, hobbled by his fear of the dark side. Which is, if you think about it, a little bit of the dark-side controlling him anyway... Also, you're forgetting about the other side of the story. What about some of the cool stuff he displays in TCS, however full of Waru-ish nonsense it was. Or the stuff he learns in BFC, or the way he handles himself in the Corellian Trilogy... MasterSkywalker86 posted: one name comes to mind for the reason.............. DEL-RAY Hahahaha. Dude, this started in Luke's encounters with Joruus C'baoth in TTT, continued in books like The New Rebellion and the Hand of Thrawn. the very first stuff BANTAM published. Del-Rey (note the spelling, btw) just continued the trend. - Keralys -----signature----- God made man. Man rejected God. God became the man Jesus Christ, died and rose again to life, saving man from himself. The craziest story ever told. The truest.
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MasterSkywalker86 Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:21am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	Master_Keralys Hahahaha. Dude, this started in Luke's encounters with Joruus C'baoth in TTT, continued in books like The New Rebellion and the Hand of Thrawn. the very first stuff BANTAM published. Del-Rey (note the spelling, btw) just continued the trend. well Bantam had him powerful in Most of the books, it just seems Zahn just doesn't like the force. Del-Rey had him mostly doing nothing in NJO. whoops forgive my typo. also what did luke do in TCS ? -----signature----- "Anakin wasn't what he was supposed to become. But the son could become that."- George Lucas
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Dinner_Squadron Registered: Oct '04	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:42am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	I wouldn't say Zahn hates the Force itself. Just it being used to do SuperDuperUberUBER stuff easily. Because of that, he wrote Luke as being more of an inteligent hero, as opposed to just some guy with unlimited power. As a reader, given the choice between stories that use force minimalism or those with Darksaber-Star-Destroyer-solar-system-flingingness, I'd gladly take the former, so I appreciate Zahn's efforts.
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MasterSkywalker86 Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:44am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	i wouldn't mind if there was a balance between the two. -----signature----- "Anakin wasn't what he was supposed to become. But the son could become that."- George Lucas
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correllian_ale Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 9/5/05 11:49am Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	Don't get me started on TCS! The Son of Skywalker, student of Obi-Wan & Yoda; and a shinny alien w/ "mental powers" has him w/ his tongue hanging out. Obi-wan should have taken a closer look at the kid next to him when he referred to the "weak-minded". I'm thinking EU writers weren't given the room to make Luke look to powerful, should he ever run the risk of over-shadowing the Chosen-One. And in TJK, he seems much more out of sorts....but he's still the go-to guy until Jacen takes over I guess. -----signature----- Consider this my "throw back" jersey... I govern my life around my own personal code of ethics, and I suggest that you do the same.
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GrandAdmiralMike570 Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 9/5/05 12:18pm Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp......... - Date Edited: 9/5/05 12:20pm (1 edits total) Edited By: GrandAdmiralMike570
	I was ready to declare all-out war against the herectic, skywalker-singh, who would dare malign Luke's good name.... but after reading skywalker-singh's well-thought out explanation, I see his point, and share his lament about the inconsistency with authors, and their anti-Luke bias...
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EwokStromboli Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 9/5/05 12:33pm Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	GrandAdmiralMike570 posted: but after reading skywalker-singh's well-thought out explanation, I see his point, and share his lament about the inconsistency with authors, and their anti-Luke bias... See, I actually think Luke's work in HTTE, without aid of the Force, is the ultimate compliment given to his character. I've said it before here, but Karrde's amazement at the guy gives me the chills. Luke is not merely a superhero (of sorts), but an intelligent and resourceful man by that point. I could think of no more well-rounded hero.
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skywalker-singh Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 9/5/05 12:36pm Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	True say, what did zahn have against the guy?
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Lank_Pavail Registered: Sep '02	Date Posted: 9/5/05 12:40pm Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	It is partly in the character interpretation by the author. But I do like how Zahn wrote Luke as not merely relying on the Force, but displaying his other skills. TJK did a good job of showing both his immense ability and his intelligence, save the semi-Palpatine moment he had there. :P -----signature----- High Keeper of stuffed EwokWJFC New holiday fic! http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29552605/p1/ http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=14345682&brd=10477&replies=8 Admiral, JO
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vong333 Registered: Oct '03	Date Posted: 9/5/05 1:14pm Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	I do agree with skywalker-singh, because Luke has been made to lok rather flimsy. In this new book by Denning, not just Luke, but the jedi and force powers were expanded very well and I look forward to more. Sue, at the official site stated that we are going to see more of Luke unleashed, which is fine by me.
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skywalker-singh Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 9/5/05 1:33pm Subject: RE: If Luke Skyalker is so powerful, then why is he such a wimp.........
	Lank_Pavail posted: It is partly in the character interpretation by the author. But I do like how Zahn wrote Luke as not merely relying on the Force, but displaying his other skills. TJK did a good job of showing both his immense ability and his intelligence, save the semi-Palpatine moment he had there. :P I disagree to some extent. With zahn -luke had trouble using the force to grab a blaster. I do not know what skills we are talking about. With zahn's characterization luke is a naive (still somewhat wet behind the ear) farmboy, not shown as much of a hand-to-hand fighter or a very strong personality. Heck Luke was willing to join the empire with mara-leaving all his responsibilities. Remember everyone in HTTE when luke is first attacked by the noghri. Can you imagine a more unique situation that would have had us drooling, then luke engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the noghri. Imagine Alema's fight with han/leia's noghri bodyguards in TJK, then imagine luke and the noghri. If anything zahn made luke do things in the most boring manner possible. In the hand of thrawn duology- would it not have been more interesting if he was using the force to levitate objects at the chiss rather then simply robotlike block blasters with his lightsaber. And I do not want to get started on the Luke battle with the droidakar (spelling) in survivor's quest.
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