How much do Owen and Beru know?

It's easy to assume they know the full Vader story (what I always thought back in the OT days) but does that make sense in light of the new movies?

"We know we're raising Vader's son right here on the farm where Vader's mother is buried. Her name was Shmi Skywalker and Vader knows (we now know) that he was Anakin Skywalker. So, let's make sure and call this kid by his given name so it can be as painfully obvious as possible who he is!"

How much does Obi-Wan tell them when he delivers Luke?
I'm now thinking they only know...
-This is Anakin's son
-Anakin went off with the Jedi and basically abandoned his mom (from their point of view). No X-mas cards and he only came back after she was dead.
-Anakin is dead
-Padme is dead

Do they really need to know more to act the way they do in Ep IV? They don't want Luke joining the Academy or getting involved with Ben because he'll run off and get himself killed like his dad did. If they knew they were raising Vader's son, would Beru really be all, "Oh, let me join, most of his friends have... so what if we're risking the fate of the galaxy by letting him?"

 

In response to them calling the boy Skywalker, that seems normal and even reasonable. Kenobi knows that Vader will never return to Tatooine. Between being a slave and more importantly losing his mother-he will never go back. Shimi is too much of a reminder of his failures, of his humanity and of his past life.

Never, will he return to the Lars Farm. Luke is quite safe.

-Seldon

 

I can buy that angle on the name thing although it is a stretch but one that you just have to accept.

They're banking on quite a bit in assuming Vader would never come back. The last time they saw him, he was kneeling over his mom's grave saying, "I miss you.... so much."
I wouldn't risk my life on an armchair psychiatrist's view on whether Vader might or might not come back. I'd grab that baby and move to the furthest farm an Eopie could carry me to!

 

In 'Fall of the Jedi' #1, it says all Obi-Wan told them was that both Luke's parents were dead when he gave him to them. At the time, Obi-Wan did think Anakin was dead.

Vader becomes a well known figure, it seems, but I don't know if Obi-Wan tells the Lars if it's Anakin or not...

 

"In 'Fall of the Jedi' #1, it says all Obi-Wan told them was that both Luke's parents were dead when he gave him to them. At the time, Obi-Wan did think Anakin was dead."


Hm....well than this would mean that Padme thought Anakin was dead, correct?

Which would fit in better with her lacking a will to live death, but would't make sense with her "I know there's good in him" line.

 

And, of course, they did like to Luke about his fathers occupation, although that could have simply been because they didn't want him following in his own fathers footsteps (at least, what they believed to be his own fathers footsteps, RE: dying in jedi action).

 

I think that Owen & Beru did know the truth about Anakin because of this conversation in ANH:

Beru: He has too much of his father in him.

Owen: That's what I'm afraid of.

If Owen & Beru didn't know the truth that Anakin had become Darth Vader, what reason would there be for Owen to be afraid?

 

" If Owen & Beru didn't know the truth that Anakin had become Darth Vader, what reason would there be for Owen to be afraid? "


Losing him when he's fighting for a cause?

 

I think they find out when Obi-wan finds out what happened to Anakin...but I also think that Vader would never look there, because it would be so easy. Sometimes, the easiest place to hide something is in plain sight. Furthermore, does Vader even know that Luke is alive? He must've figured that when Padme died so did her child(ren.) So, why look for someone that doesn't exist. It wasn't until Empire that the Emporer told him that he has a son.

As for Owen and Beru, I don't think that Vader would stop in for a visit.

Owen: So, Anakin, what have you been doing with yourself?
Vader: Well, you know, Owen, Beru. Just the standard. I use to be this bad-assed Jedi until Obi-cut me into pieces. I was resurrected as Darth Vader then spent the next twenty years as the enforcer for the Supreme Evil in the Universe. Killing traitorous jedi, destroying planets with my superlaser, torturing my daughter, and choking people with my invisible hand...I always get a good laugh with that one.
Beru: Do you get dental with that?
Vader: Well, i really don't eat. Mostly, I drink stuff from a straw that my boss' cook makes up. So, what's new with you guys. Haven't seen any Jedi in hiding around have you?
Owen: Not paticularly. Just some crazy old hermit named Ben Kenobi.
Beru: Would you like some blue milk?
Vader: Blue milk? My mother use to make the best blue milk. Kenobi? hmm? I used to know a guy named Kenobi...but that couldn't be the same person. I mean Kenobi is alot like Smith and Jones in this large galaxy... isn't it? So, I hear that you two kids, adopted...tell me about the young lad....

 

I'd rather see him visit Watto.

 

Or the sandpeople.

Yeah, I've always felt that Owen and Beru knew the truth about Anakin, although it doesn't seem they would know if OB1 doesn't seem to know as well. I mean, OB1 walks away from Ani as he's burning so I felt that OB1 believes Ani would die there on Mustafar(sp?). I don't think OB1 would know someone would or did come to save Ani. Maybe OB1 senses him later somehow. BTW, how did OB1 know Vader would be on the Death Star in ANH? He never verbally acknowledged that he knew Vader was on the Death Star. Maybe he didn't want to scare Han and didn't want Luke to go after him.

I also now remember that Luke told OB1 that his a "freighter pilot" or "spice freighter pilot", can't remember. Then OB1 says, "That's your uncle talking". I wonder if Owen knew that was a lie. It would help support that he knew the truth about Anakin if he did lie on purpose.

I guess also OB1 would have to explain why he's leaving Luke with them.
Owen and Beru: "Where are his parents?"
OB1: "Well..."
Unless OB1 gave them the ol' "point of view" explanatiion.

But why would Owen have such a negative view of OB1? "Just some crazy old hermit"? Why would Owen not like OB1? You think Owen is mad about having to take care of Luke? I didn't think he was mad. "These are good people, Padme, you'll be safe"-Anakin to Padme in AOTC. They seemed like people who would take care of Luke without respite. Maybe I'm wrong.

But then again, if Owen and Beru knew the truth about Anakin, wouldn't they be too scared to take care of him? I know OB1 was on Tatooine as well, but it seemed that OB1 lived far from them. Luke seemed to have to travel far to find R2 after he had left to find OB1.

Anyway, my thoughts...









'

 

I think that Owen & Beru did know the truth about Anakin because of this conversation in ANH:

Beru: He has too much of his father in him.

Owen: That's what I'm afraid of.

If Owen & Beru didn't know the truth that Anakin had become Darth Vader, what reason would there be for Owen to be afraid?

While it is interesting to watch the older films in light of the prequels, we should remember that Star Wars was written before Lucas had decided that Vader was Luke's father or that Luke and Leia were twins.

So as written, those lines were probably to be taken at face value, as were Obi-Wan's comments that Owen was worried Luke would follow him on some idealistic crusade like his father. These scenes take on new meaning because of the PT, they don't really shed any light on Anakin's backstory because they were written before Lucas and Obi-Wan rewrote the story "from a certain point of view"

 

"While it is interesting to watch the older films in light of the prequels, we should remember that Star Wars was written before Lucas had decided that Vader was Luke's father or that Luke and Leia were twins."

Are you sure about this? I know I remember watching something where Lucas was saying that, as he was writing the first movie, he knew that he had too much material to fit into 1 film. I took this as, at least the original trilogy, him having the idea in place from the getgo.

 

He did supposedly have too much material to fit in one film, but that did not include Vader being Luke's father. That plot twist was added for Empire and it was not decided that Luke and Leia were related until ROTJ.

While some people complaing htat GL has just been "Making it up as he goes along" for the PT, that statement is actually more true of the OT.

But back to the topic at hand, with all six films now released, I think we are supposed to take away from the schenes between Luke and the Lars' that they know about Ankin/Vader and are trying to protect him.

 

Yeah, that was definitely true of the old movies as well. Originally, the darth vader suit was only a concept drawing of a suit he needed to wear when out in space, but he liked it so much he made it his full time armor.

 

Another one of these lines that don't really fit.

"Obi-Wan....Oh, I haven't gone by that since, before you were born".

Now, I don't remember if someone specifically called him Obi-Wan in the movie after Luke was born, but Luke was born before he went into exile.

 

I don't think they know that Anakin is alive, or that he is Darth Vader. They merely know that Luke's father went off to fight in a galactic war and was killed fighting with Obi-Wan.

Thus, if you assume that Owen loves Luke in a crusty farmer kind of way, he doesn't want Luke to leave because:

a) he wants him on the farm to help out
b) he is afraid Luke will be killed like has father was in the Clone Wars

He met Anakin once and he was probably left with the impression that Anakin was a dangerous and risk taking man of great power. One who got himself killed by taking great risks, like going off to take on a whole Tusken village. So he is inclined to discourage Luke from being a risk taker like his father.

 

I think that now that sith is out, my fascination has turned to lucas' earlier scripts and intentions. It appears that Lucas actually had a concept for the prequel's even before the first movie ever came out (concept started in 1975), that was to tell the story of a young jedi named Ben Kenobi (not yet changed his name to Obi-Wan), Luke's father, and the betrayal of Darth Vader. Actually sounds very familiar to what it came to be, except that Luke's father and Darth Vader weren't yet combined. He even had the time frame down, based 20 years earlier.

I also find it interesting that in the original script for the first Star Wars (1973), Darth Vader wasn't even in the script.

 

Exactly stormcloud8.

The Owen/Beru conversation makes more sense if they don't know about Vader than if they do.
Why would Beru even argue to let Luke join the Academy if she know the full truth?
Plus, the only way they would know the full truth is if Obi-Wan told them and why would he? There's nothing to gain and everything to lose. That's a hell of a secret to trust to two people you don't know at all.

 

A-men Stormie

 

First of all, there'd be no reason for Vader to search for Luke on Tatooine because Vader didn't know Luke even existed. Of course, had Luke ever left Tatooine and joined the Academy, his cover would be blown and he'd be a target.

Another possibility: Owen knows everything, but Beru only knows part of it.

Events in ROTS move so fast that it's unlikely that the GFFA at large knows that Anakin and Vader are the same person. Everybody probably thinks Anakin disappeared and was probably killed with the other Jedi. Then, Vader suddenly appears from out of nowhere.

So, Beru was probably just told that Luke is Anakin's son and that Anakin is dead. But Owen was told the whole story. Thus, Beru is willing to let Luke go, but Owen knows just what would be at stake.

And I figure that Owen's problem with Ben is that he blames him for Anakin's downfall, and is afraid that he'll lead Luke down a similar path. He just wants Luke to have a normal life, not go chasing around the universe like his father. (Sorry, wrong franchise.)

 

I love how Lucas has thrown in these little bits that will keep us discussing until the end of time- or some EU author gets permission to tackle it.

At this point I don't think Obi-Wan knows Anakin is still alive, so I don't think Owen and Beru know either. He probably tells them Anakin and Padme are both dead.... though if he elaborates on the circumstances, I don't know.

Obi-Wan has to find out sometime about Anakin still being alive, so it's possible he warns them when he finds out. Maybe that's why Owen doesn't like him, because suddenly they could all be in danger. At some point they decide to lie to Luke about his father's origins... the Lars' obviously know Anakin was a big time Clone Wars hero, if they believed he died as such, then why wouldn't they tell Luke? So they must know something bad has happened, eventually.