Black Luke

This is probably a stupid question, but why does Luke wear black in RotJ. I know clothing always has meaning, in ANH Luke wears white to establishe himself as the hero and opposite of Vader, in TPM Obi Wan and Qui Gon wear similar clothing to symbolize their harmony, in AOTC Anakin is in dark clothing to forshadow Vader and to show the lack of harmony and rebelion towards Obi Wan. So why does Luke wear black in RotJ, I mean he is still good, and he doesn't turn to the dark side. Is he supposed to mirror Vader for some reason? To perhaps symbolize some harmony between Luke and Vader?

 

It shows how much he's changed since ANH.
ANH=White
ESB=Grey
RotJ=Black

Additionally, we are supposed to notice the similarity to Vader here. In Anakin's case, he chose the darkside at this juncture. Luke is in the same spot, but he chooses good.

 

i think it "s a prettz good explanation

 

Black goes with everything. It is classic and timeless.

 

In light of what we have come to know from the Prequel films, it would have been interesting to have seen Luke in traditional Jedi robes, as if an indication of the Return of the Jedi(order).

I would like to see someone create a picture with Luke in the traditional Jedi robes

Darth Sin!

 

Because he is a bad***.

 

>>it would have been interesting to have seen Luke in traditional Jedi robes<<

Actually, I think they were traditional (except the PT has screwed that up).

Obi and Yoda both wore the same style outfit (in brown not black) under their "hermit" robes.

Frankly, I find it a major storytelling problem that Obi is "hiding out" wearing "traditional" Jedi garb. That's real "inconspicuous", even on a backwater world.

 

Ask and ye shall receive. I made this quickly... so it is a bit cheesy:

http://usera.imagecave.com/KennyT/luke.jpg

 

Black, in addition to going with everything and being timeless, is also slimming.

 

Frankly, I find it a major storytelling problem that Obi is "hiding out" wearing "traditional" Jedi garb. That's real "inconspicuous", even on a backwater world.

The Jedi are extinct, though, at this point. Most beings have probably never seen one, and certainly not one as shabby-looking as Ben. Remember, the Jedi chose simple robes as their garb because it's so similar to the poor and peasantry of the galaxy.

 

Up to now, I thought it was because it makes him look older, more serious (similarities to a priest!) and less the innocent farm kid he was in ANH and ESB.

But your explanation sounds much better,DS615. Although I´m not so sure that GL after all the obvious discontinuities between the classic trilogy and the Prequels showed continuity with something like clothing;-)

 

Yeah. I agree. But I also think Luke wears black to symbolise himself as a target of the dark side because vader and palp want him to join or die. It's sort of to symbolise the mystery of his fate. Will he join or fight it?

 

Thanks, that helped. I think it was a choise to put Luke in black, and it does symbolize something, it is not to make him look better or sliming.

And the Jedi do dress to blend with the poor and not to be recognized, remember Anakin only recognized Qui Gon to be a Jedi after he saw his lightsaber.

 

Don't forget that Uncle Owen wears very similar clothing to that as well. Before the PT, I always assumed that was what people of Tatooine wore. Not Jedi.

 

^^True, also kid Anakin wore something similar to Yoda in ESB and ROTJ.

 

He chose black that way he could show he was the son of vader but was good. Plus black is a color color.

 

After reading the novelization of RotJ, I found out that Luke was in sort of a state of mourning. Symbolicaly I mean. Perhaps that is why he chose to wear something that reflected his mood.

 

That's the outfit George Lucas told Mark Hamill to wear.

 

why does Luke wear black in RotJ. I know clothing always has meaning, in ANH Luke wears white to establishe himself as the hero and opposite of Vader, in TPM Obi Wan and Qui Gon wear similar clothing to symbolize their harmony, in AOTC Anakin is in dark clothing to forshadow Vader and to show the lack of harmony and rebelion towards Obi Wan. So why does Luke wear black in RotJ, I mean he is still good, and he doesn't turn to the dark side. Is he supposed to mirror Vader for some reason? To perhaps symbolize some harmony between Luke and Vader?

Yes, you are correct to a certain extent. When you watch Return of the Jedi for the first time, you are supposed to be wondering whether Luke has turned to the Dark Side after learning who his father is in Empire Strikes Back. When he enters Jabba's palace and uses the Force choke on one of the guards, the audience is supposed to be held in suspense because they don't know to what extent Luke has been influenced by his father.

There is a definite parallel between Anakin entering the building on Mustafar to kill the Separatist leaders, and Luke walking into Jabba's palace to free Han and Chewbacca. Notice how they are both wearing black robes with the hoods up.

http://starwars.mytopix.com/img/l/luke_skywalker-1.jpg

 

Black is thinning. Luke also wears vertical stripes during the Thrawn Trilogy for the same reason.

 

YodaJeff made this Jedi Luke picture

 

I personally don't think the Jedi robes would look right on Mark Hamill, he heads to big.

 

I believe that the black robes foreshadow that at the end of the movie , luke will have his final temptation.

 

Perhaopse it may be an alude to Hamlet. Hanmlet is known to always wear black because he is mourning the loss of his father. Luke is also mourning his father's loss. Not his physical loss but the loss of image that luke had of his father. It also reflects that luke was headed down the path to the dark side (force choking the pig guards) but chooses to stay in the light (refusing to fight and kill his father).

 

I always figured that Luke was wearing a black version of the Jedi robes to symbolize his acceptance of who his father was, but also to respect what Anakin once was.