CT Did Obi Wan burn down the Homestead on Tatooine, killing Luke's Aunt and Uncle?

For over one thousand years the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. Before the dark time. Before the Jedi Rebellion.

All those who gain power are afraid to lose it. Even the Jedi. If they haven't included you in their plot, they soon will. The Jedi Council want control of the Republic.

Rebels? Deceit, mistrust are their ways now.

 

The Jedi are good!

...but that Ben Kenobi, I'm starting to have second thoughts on. He's remarkably well informed(some might say.. too well informed). He basically says to Luke "Next stop: Alderaan and Jedi training!!!"

wth?
Luke is like "What the hell are you talking about? I don't even know you, man! I live here, and have responsibilities, and chores, and a family"

Ben's like "Oh? Are you sure about that last one?"

 

Haha, are you saying that Obi Wan said, "Now that your family sadly met with that unfortunate incident."

Wait, what incident?

Obi Wan seemed remarkably well informed. But I feel like the Rebels may be behind this. Deceit, mistrust, spreading anarchy are their ways. Luke was off to join the Imperial Academy after all!

Did Obi Wan "get involved" to quote his own speech to Luke? Did Obi Wan know what had happened? He didn't rush to go with Luke either. He analysed the Jawa attack to the cue. Was he told to? Or did Obi Wan also fall for the trick. A trick within a trick. The Rebels made it look like the Imperials wanted to make it look like the Tuskens did it?

 

Obi Wan: "No! Wait, Luke. It's too dangerous. (I'm supposed to keep you in my hut until sunsdown)."

 

Luke: From my point of view, the Rebels are evil!

Indeed. It just all seems rather odd. Luke was about to jet off to the Imperial Academy as soon as his family were able to take care of themselves. Instead, he is made to believe that the Imperials who were hunting for stolen droids containing stolen Imperial data, randomly killed his family?

Note that the Lars/Skywalkers were sold the droids illicitly by unscrupulous junk traders who themselves had tried to pull tricks on Uncle Owen by selling him a defective droid. The Imperials didn't seem to have any other objective, than recovering the stolen data plans.

There is no logic/reason for them to burn down the Homestead. The only one who truly gained from this situation, were the Rebels, who turned a future Imperial Academy pilot (and according to Obi Wan, someone who was a damn good pilot like his father) into a Rebel.

Do not underestimate the Rebels. It appears they may have stooped to such a level, that they killed Luke's family to drive him against the very Empire he was about to swear to protect. The Rebels may have viewed the Jawas as the perfect set up also. By making it look like the Imperials killed them, and making it look like the Imperials were trying to pin this on the Tuskens. In a way, we are never shown the "precise" Stormtroopers obliterating a target to that extent.

Was this all done by the Rebels?

 

"Wait. Look at the footprints. Sandpeople always walk single file, and only imperial storm troopers are so precise. And look, Luke! Someone wrote 'gullible' right in the sand!"

 

Look at these blast points. Only Rebel Marksman are so precise. Stormtroopers always fire around their target before hitting them. Sandpeople always walk in single file. Imperials actually use modern transports since they have the money and don't need to use local animals who are protected by Imperial Environmental Laws. Only Rebels would stoop to using such creatures.

And look here at the Homestead. TIE fighters and Imperial attack craft are far more precise. Imperial vehicles land with two feet. Look at these footprints in the sand! Only Rebel X-wings have three feet!

Imperials never kill without reason. Only Rebels do.

It is most convenient that supposedly the very reason Luke has to stay on Tatooine and not join this "Rebellion" is taken out almost immediately. Furthermore, that the Imperials would do such a thing, if their mission is to retrieve the droids. As far as the Imperials were concerned, the Lars/Skywalkers were sold stolen goods unknowingly. They are not their enemy, but loyal citizens. Given the boy was about to also go off to the Imperial Academy.

They would have rolled up, questioned, and waited. Perhaps given them a reward and been on their way. As for the Jawas, they were illicit traders, stealing droids and trying to "pull tricks" as Uncle Owen says. It is quite possible they were either being taken into custody, or arrested for their illicit dealings. The Jawas then resisted arrest, and in the course of defending themselves, the Imperials were forced to blast several suspects, including the Jawa's leader.

Or more likely, the Rebels schemed and played everyone against each other. The Rebels first observe the droid is stolen by Jawas and bought by a family. They try to wait till dark to steal it, but the droid went on its way before they could grab it. They follow Luke, observe him attacked by Tuskens, but daren't approach for some mysterious warrior appeared and they can't attack in daylight. They orchestrate a complex plan upon hearing Luke's conversation, spotting an opportunity.

The Rebels kill Luke's family, and then leave trails from the Jawa vehicle that just happens to be on Luke's path home in ashes. The Rebels make it look like the Tuskens did it, with enough clues to suggest the Imperials actually did this. Upon seeing Luke rush home, they time their explosives to detonate the Homestead upon his arrival, so that he witnesses its Burning, sowing his discord against the Empire. Meanwhile, the Empire having discovered that droids were in the escape pod, send increased patrols, and notify existing garrisoned troops to be on the look out for droids, whilst their analysts ascertain precisely what type they are searching for.

Don't forget how on Endor, the Empire and Ewoks coexist in peace. Then the Rebels turn them against the Empire, resulting in several losses of Imperial and Ewok lives for no reason. There are even rumours that the Rebels used propaganda that the Empire was about to seize Ewok property and was using Ewok labour to build the Death Star, and not paying them. The Rebels may very well have orchestrated the entire operation under Mon Mothma's plan to wipe out the Ewoks, and make it look like the Empire did it.

 

Stormtroopers always fire 15 warning shots above their target before...targeting. Bless their hearts.

 

On the Tantive IV. He said stun! He wasn't going to hurt you...he said stun!

Stormtroopers were the guardians of peace and justice in the Empire. Before the dark times. Before the Rebellion. A young Senator called Mon Mothma, who happened to be a friend of mine, helped the Rebels hunt down the Stormtroopers. They were a uniformed peacekeeping force, for a more civilised age.

 

Of all people, Obi-Wan knows that murder is not the Jedi way. After all, his former apprentice betrayed and subsequently hunted down and murdered most of his Jedi colleagues, thereby securing his place with the Dark Side and turning his back on all he had previously cared about/

For sure, he is initially disappointed when Luke firmly rejects his invitation to travel to Alderaan with him, ("You must do what you feel is right") but he is most likely a wise-enough Jedi to foresee that circumstances will bring Luke back to him sooner rather than later.

As for the Stormtroopers, Vader's orders on Tantive IV in regard to the stolen plans were clear: "Tear this ship apart..." I have no doubt that once they had pinpointed where the missing droids were located, the Stormtroopers on Tatooine would have been issued with similarly explicit orders.

 

Agreed on Obi Wan's nobility.

But the last part about the Stormtroopers is pure speculation on your part. From what we are told about Vader's orders, they are to locate the plans and he wants "Rebels" alive - notably the troopers stun Princess Leia. And they do not demonstrate violence without cause subsequently. They attempt to apprehend the Falcon, take prisoners etc. The troopers would have no reason to kill the Lars, since the Lars/Skywalkers were sold the droids by the Jawas who were stealing property. Uncle Owen himself questioned what kinda of tricks were they trying to pull with that defective red droid. The troopers' mission was to recover the stolen plans. They had no interest in random wanton violence. The only ones who gained from that were the Rebels. If anything we are shown the Troopers to patrol Mos Eisley. Luke himself was wanting to join the Imperial Academy as soon as his family could take care of themselves.

 

I am a major Obi Wan fan, but there is a point that when Luke and C3P0 leave to find little R2, that he isn't at the Homestead. Obi Wan arrives to Luke some time later into his excursion to rescue him from the vile Tuskens criminals who attacked him. There is also a moment where when Luke rushes off, he has no knowledge that Obi Wan is for sure still at the Jawa site.

However as a believer in Obi Wan's morality and Jedi code, it is also possible that if a rogue unit of the Empire didn't burn the Homestead down, even the Rebels could have done it. I mean Luke was about to join the Imperial Academy. He had no reason to turn just like that. The Rebels suddenly had themselves someone willing to turn on the people he was about to join!

Luke: I can't understand why the Empire would kill them, and burn my home down.
Obi Wan (eyes opening and looking at the ground): That is what we are made to think. Look at these landing feet marks. TIE fighters and Imperial shuttles land on two feet. Only REBEL ALLIANCE transports land on three.
Luke: But that means..
Obi Wan: And look here, these blast points are far too accurate for Stormtroopers looking to question people. Only Rebel Vanguards are this precise.
Luke (mind blown): And the Jawas?
Obi Wan: Remember those Tusken sticks? Where does the Empire have time to start collecting sticks and placing them so deliberately. The pattern of the Tusken weapons is as if they were placed after the fight was over. Only the Rebels could have planned such a methodical operation!

I think there is a lot going on than meets the eye. I will say that the Burning Homestead scene is an extremely powerful scene and an iconic moment in the saga.[/QUOTE]

 

It is possible that elements of the Rebel Alliance were behind this act of barbarity. General Draven perhaps.