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CT Why did Owen and Beru have Luke keep the Skywalker name?

Discussion in 'Classic Trilogy' started by Joe, Jan 1, 2013.

  1. Joe

    Joe Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2012
    Luke was on Tatooine to be hidden from the Empire. Owen and Beru clearly didn't want Luke to follow in Anakin's footsteps. So why did they have Luke retain the Skywalker name? Wouldn't they have him take the 'Lars' name?
     
  2. DarthRelaxus

    DarthRelaxus Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 23, 2007
    They did it to honor Shmi, but I agree that it wasn't a good idea to expose him like that. Bail Organa had the good sense to change Leia's name.
     
  3. King Terak

    King Terak Jedi Knight star 1

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    Nov 22, 2012
    At the time "Star Wars" was made, Luke did not have any relation to Darth Vader.
     
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  4. Joe

    Joe Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Dec 25, 2012
    But, this Isn't the 'in-universe' reason, obviously. Even if they were doing it to honor Shimi, one would thing they would tell Luke about Shimi then
     
  5. King Terak

    King Terak Jedi Knight star 1

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    Nov 22, 2012
    The "in-universe reason", possibly would be, The Lars assumed Anakin Skywalker had died in the purge and wanted to honor him by leaving the Skywalker name with Luke, I don't think that Obi-Wan would let slip that Luke's father was also an evil Sith Lord that one day might come look for Luke.
     
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  6. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    In The Life & Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi, it's brought up that Owen knows about the Tusken massacre at least.
     
  7. leehashbrown

    leehashbrown Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Dec 29, 2012
    Considering how insignificant both Tattoine and the Lars family is in the galactic scale of things, the odds of the name 'Skywalker' reaching the Empire's ears are very low. In Leia's circumstance, however, changing a name is essential.
     
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  8. JevanShevu

    JevanShevu Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2009
    I even remember reading in an EU Novel (I can't remember which one) it is mentioned how many people in the galaxy have the name Skywalker. Its quite a bit. In Jedi Twilight there is a search for for Jax Pavan i think and there are a thousand Jax Pavans on the planet. So Skywalker could just be as common as Smith.
     
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  9. Darth_Nub

    Darth_Nub Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2009
    Yeah, GL's own pretty glib explanation is that if you check the Tatooine phone book, there's heaps of Skywalkers in there.

    I do remember something in an EU novel which had a character called 'Fardreamer', and Luke recognised the name as being Tatooinian, like Skywalker & Darklighter. I guess Tatooine is the sort of place with very literal family names, much as you get names in England like Drinkwater, Broadfoot and so on. 'Smith' is actually a family name derived from the abbreviation for 'blacksmith'.

    In reality, Luke's retention of the Skywalker name is a gaping plot hole, but there really isn't much you can do about it, other than patch it up with vague EU retcons & rationalisation (it's a common name, Owen & Beru wanted to honour Shmi, Vader was too traumatised ever to involve himself with Taooine again, etc).
     
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  10. Darthbane2007

    Darthbane2007 Jedi Master star 4

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    Oct 31, 2007
    So where are these other Skywalkers then?
     
  11. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Skywalker_wine
     
  12. KilroyMcFadden

    KilroyMcFadden Jedi Knight star 3

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    Oct 31, 2012
  13. Frankakin skywalker

    Frankakin skywalker Jedi Knight star 1

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    Dec 13, 2012
    That, and Would anyone want to hear the name "Luke Lars"?
     
  14. Ambervikings91

    Ambervikings91 Jedi Knight star 3

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    Dec 1, 2012
    Because the films weren't written in the right order :)
     
  15. Frankakin skywalker

    Frankakin skywalker Jedi Knight star 1

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    Dec 13, 2012
    I know why the films weren't filmed right. George Lucas thought that people liked sequels better because a lot of people do. So he decided,"Hey, if people like sequels better, why not start at 4?
     
  16. Darth_Nub

    Darth_Nub Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2009
    Wrong and wrong:
    - back then, sequels were always far less successful than their predecessors, so no, people didn't "like sequels better", hence why he was so worried about ESB;
    - he didn't start with Episode IV, he started with a film called 'Star Wars', referred to as 'Episode 1' in a number of earlier drafts. The "Episode IV: A New Hope" tag didn't appear anywhere until 1979, when it was attached to the name in 'The Art of Star Wars', which included the script, and it only first appeared on a print of the film in 1981 (after ESB had been released in 1980 with the Episode V tag).
     
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  17. Lord Chazza

    Lord Chazza Jedi Master star 4

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    Jan 4, 2013
    Vader only had the name Luke Skywalker to go on but he was already certain the rebel who destroyed the Death Star was his son. If there were loads of people with the Skywalker in the galaxy you would expect Vader to be a little less certain.
     
  18. oierem

    oierem Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Mar 18, 2009
    Keep in mind that it's never said (in the movies) that Luke is called "Luke Skywalker" until he rescues Leia, so for a new viewer, it's not such a clear plot hole (because all the time Luke was supposed to be "in hiding" he's never called Skywalker).

    Maybe Ben told him during the journey to Alderaan "your real name is not Luke Lars.. you're Luke Skywalker", and Luke thought it was a cool name and started using it :p
     
  19. The Supreme Chancellor

    The Supreme Chancellor Jedi Master star 4

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    Sep 4, 2012
    maybe we can dig it out of the deleted scenes.
     
  20. Frankakin skywalker

    Frankakin skywalker Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 13, 2012
    That would be so awesome if we could find it if you do find it post it on your next message
     
  21. Billy_Dee_Binks

    Billy_Dee_Binks Force Ghost star 4

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    Mar 29, 2002
    Because Luke Lars would sound just silly.
     
  22. SlashMan

    SlashMan Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Feb 5, 2012
    Trying to explain this in respects to the other films depends on how much the Lars' knew about Anakin and if they knew of him becoming Vader. That would explain if they just didn't know, or they were banking off the fact that it's a common name. Unfortunately, we just don't know.
     
  23. VadersLaMent

    VadersLaMent Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 3, 2002
    There are literally quadrillions of beings in the galaxy. Even so, is everyone advertising their galactic holonet name or joining in the galactic census? Of course not.
     
  24. King Terak

    King Terak Jedi Knight star 1

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    Nov 22, 2012
    Hmmm, if the Lars knew Lord Vader was Luke's Father. "Luke if you don't do your chores, we'll tell your father".
     
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  25. Lee_

    Lee_ Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2012
    An answer to this question is worse than half-baked conjecture, given that it was a total fluke since Vader was not his father per the story at the time ANH was written. Before their lightsaber battle on the Deathstar, Obi-Wan calls him "Darth," as though not only was he not Anakin, but Obi-Wan is personally familiar with him by that first name (instead of at least calling him "Vader."). Luke's dad and Darth Vader were clearly two different people in ANH, and Kenobi clearly knew them both personally.

    ANH is the only SW movie that can stand on its own with nothing before or after it; it was meant to be that way since they didn't know if it would flop or would get a sequel.
     
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