Are they really twins?

Call me crazy, but I can't think of a single time in the OT when it's clearly stated (rather than implied)that Luke and Leia are twins. Is the word "twins" ever mentioned concerning the two?

Perhaps one of them is older or something.

I could be extremely wrong, and probably am, but I've had this idea for quite some time. I'm wrong, aren't I?

 

"The other he spoke of is your twin sister." --Obi-Wan Kenobi

Besides, if they aren't twins, then Anakin would have known about the older one.

 

this occured to me a couple of days ago as well. Of course I know they they are. However, I think that originally George Lucas didn't have any idea that they would be siblings, let alone twins. Nevertheles, he decided to make the "other" who yoda refers to in TESB be Leia. Maybe it's just me, but when I look at ANH it's obvious. They just weren't meant to be twins then(of course you could say Lucas wanted to hide their relationship then). Also, Han constantly calls Luke "kid", but he doesn't degrade Leia that way. If they are twins then they are obviously the same age. I just get the distinct impression that Leia is older (she may be, but you know what i mean) Or maybe it could be that because she is a Princess and a Senator she appears to be more dignified, and comes off as more "wordly" than Luke. On another observation, I think it's funny how they parallel their parents. Both Luke and Anakin have humble beginnings, one is a slave, and the other one is a moisture farmer and both become Jedi, while Leia and Padme have royal titles and political beginnings. One is a Queen and the other one a Princess, and they both become Senators. So they have this very privileged upbringing and are thrust into the center of galactic politics, while Luke and Anakin, at the beginning, at least are as far from galactic politics as possible

 

Han could have called Luke "kid" because he looks younger than Leia did - at that time, anyway. Plus, even Han has manners where women are concerned.

GL probably wasn't thinking that Luke and Leia were related during ANH, or even ESB - witness the kiss after Luke is rescued in ESB, or how Luke looks at Leia dreamily while she's a hologram on Tatooine.

I'm glad they got it sorted out, though...

 

They weren't always twins. The script for ANH identifies Luke as 18 and Leia as 16. The first draft of ESB mentions that Luke has a sister, but she is training to be a Jedi all the way across the galaxy. And of course, there's that incestuous kiss. However, ROTJ establishes them as twins twice.

OBI-WAN: The other he spoke of is your twin sister.

VADER: So, you have a twin sister.

And no doubt the prequels will follow suit, so, as disgusting as it might be, future generations will know they are siblings when they watch ANH and ESB. Especially during that kiss part.

 

On my thread "The Origins of Darth Vader", we've proven that Lucas did not conceive of Vader as being Luke's father until April, 1978, a year after STAR WARS first came out. (The evidence is massive, especially given that in the early drafts of the original film, "Annikin Starkiller"--father to Luke and Deak Starkiller--is a silver-haired old man who uses the good side of the Force, and who exists in the same time frame as Darth Vader, the cybernetic villain.) However, I believe that Leia was always considered by Lucas to be Luke's sister, for the simple reason that in the second draft of STAR WARS, Deak Starkiller--Luke's older brother--replaces Princess Leia as the one taken prisoner by Vader, and who must be rescued by Luke and Han.

They weren't always twins. The script for ANH identifies Luke as 18 and Leia as 16.

It's true that the final draft of the original film states: "A beautiful girl (about sixteen years old) stands in front of Artoo." But I can't find Luke's age mentioned anywhere in the script. Obi-Ewan, could you direct us to it?

The first draft of ESB mentions that Luke has a sister, but she is training to be a Jedi all the way across the galaxy.

Obi-Ewan, after much searching, I've been unable to find a copy of Leigh Brackett's first draft of ESB anywhere on the 'Net. Recently a fake first draft has been circulating around; I hope you didn't pull your information from this forgery! Again, could you direct us to your source for this assertion about Luke's Jedi sister?

 

But I can't find Luke's age mentioned anywhere in the script. Obi-Ewan, could you direct us to it?

Well, I think it mentions it in the novelization. And I'm 95% sure the ESB novel mention Luke being 20.

 

Yes, they are fraternal twins. Episode III will reaffirm this.

 

I think it mentions it in the novelization.

Okay, but what I'm looking for is hard evidence in the screenplay(s) that Lucas himself did not consider Luke and Leia siblings. I consider the fact that Deak Starkiller (Luke's brother in the second draft) assumes the role taken by Leia in all subsequent drafts, solid proof that Lucas at least considered the option of Leia being Luke's sister, well before the screenplays for ESB or ROTJ were written.

 

The evidence is massive, especially given that in the early drafts of the original film, "Annikin Starkiller"--father to Luke and Deak Starkiller--is a silver-haired old man who uses the good side of the Force, and who exists in the same time frame as Darth Vader, the cybernetic villain.)

Actually, Kane Starkiller is father to Annikin and Deak, and Luke Skywalker is an aging Jedi Master who resembles Obi-Wan Kenobi.

It's true that the final draft of the original film states: "A beautiful girl (about sixteen years old) stands in front of Artoo." But I can't find Luke's age mentioned anywhere in the script. Obi-Ewan, could you direct us to it?

The Art of Star Wars. Page 11.

EXT. TATTOOINE--DESERT WASTELAND--DAY

A death-white wasteland stretches from horizon to horizon. The tremendous heat of two huge twins suns settles on a lone figure, Luke Skywalker, a farm boy with heroic aspirations who looks much younger than his eighteen years.

Obi-Ewan, after much searching, I've been unable to find a copy of Leigh Brackett's first draft of ESB anywhere on the 'Net. Recently a fake first draft has been circulating around; I hope you didn't pull your information from this forgery! Again, could you direct us to your source for this assertion about Luke's Jedi sister?

The Annotated Screenplays. Page 182.

In the first draft, during his training Luke calls Obi-Wan Kenobi; Ben appears and explains what has happened to him since he was struck by Vader. He is now in a different part of the universe. Ben says that he's brought someone else with him, and Luke's father appears (obviously, in this draft Vader is not Luke's father). He is described as a tall, fine-looking man and is referred to as Skywalker. Skywalker tells Luke that he has a sister; he won't reveal where she is for fear that Vader might then be able to find her. This concept of Luke's sister was discussed during story conferences: The idea was that Luke's father had twin children and took one of them to an uncle and the second one to the other side of the universe so that if one was killed, another would survive. It was suggested that Luke's sister would be going through training at the same time that he was and become a Jedi Master as well. Eventually, in another episode the story could deal with both Luke and his sister as Jedi Knights.

We also have Gary Kurtz's quote insisting that the sister A) was not originally Leia and B) would not appear until Episode VII at the earliest.

 

Obi-Ewan, thanks for the lowdown. That section in Annotated Screenplays--pages 181-184--is a gold mine about Brackett's first draft. Clearly, then, despite Deak taking Leia's place in the second draft, the princess herself was never considered to be Luke's sister until the ROTJ story sessions. Also, thanks for correcting me re: Annkin and Deak's father being Kane. In the early drafts, the names change so frequently that it's hard to keep up!

 

ok vader says so you have a TWIN sister or some thing like that in rotj

 

they are twins..

Lucas didnt intend for Luke and Leia to be related till the writing of ROJ. during the duel, when luke is hiding under the stairs refusing to fight, lucas needed something to send luke over the edge and become angry...so he wrote in that leia is his sister and vader threatens to turn her, thereby sending luke over the edge.
i heard it in an interview, it was actually a mutual decision between lucas and marquand. if i remember where the interview was ill post it.

 

maybe they're triplets and the third is the one that gets killed and inspires the separation of the twins and throws away the doubt that the child of Skywalker is no loner a threat so that the emp and vader dont bother looking if they knew padme was pregnant.

j/k

 

Vader: "So...you have a twin sIster"

 

If Obi-Wan says it, it MUST be true!



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

And no doubt the prequels will follow suit, so, as disgusting as it might be, future generations will know they are siblings when they watch ANH and ESB. Especially during that kiss part.

Unless of course, when the twins are born during Episode III, we never learn the name of the girl. We'll know Luke has a sister, but we won't know who she is until ROTJ.