I've thought about these two things every few years since 1980 and am finally getting around to throwing them out there: 1) When Luke chose to jump off the walkway and into the cool Bespin evening air, did he know he would be funneled into ventilation system? I like to think that he did and he force controlled his fall right into that round ventilation intake. It's the aesthetic in me. and... 2) After Luke fell, was Anakin too far away from him at that point to sense whether he was alive or dead? Here are some things to think about: - When Leia sensed Luke hanging under Bespin in Ep.5, she was in the Falcoln probably about 2000 yards away. - When Anakin & Luke sensed each other in Ep.5 from the Falcoln/Avenger they were about 2,500 yards apart. - When Luke sensed Anakin in Ep. 6 from the stolen shuttle/Avenger they were about 1,000 yards apart. What do you guys think about this? Frank
My impression has always been that at that point in ESB, Luke simply feels that *any* fate would be preferable that to join his father and become part of the evil he hates so much. As for the force-sensitive people being able to feel each other's presence, I don't think it has very much to do with the physical distance. Well, realistically it's just a plot device, of course. But even within the logic of the SW universe, I don't think that it would have as much to do with physical distance as with the strength or sensitivity of each force-user.
It's definitely not physical distance; in the ROTJ cut scenes, Vader can contact Luke on Tattooine while Vader is on Endor.
I see. That's it, then. You nailed it right on the head, DB. From a cut scene in a film, even! Thanks.
Not a problem. FWIW, in the EU the Emperor has an agent named Mara Jade; she is mildly Force Sensitive and he can contact her from anywhere in the galaxy.
How does sensing someone work. Vader senses Obi-wan on the Death Star but just a feeling he had when he was last near Obi-wan. I mean does sensing someone tell Vader who it is or just a feeling like it could be Obi-wan. I mean is it like a smell, or a feeling you cant complete place. Like sometimes I will smell something and it will take me back to a feeling of 6th grade, standing in line for lunch at school. I cant really place what the smell is, what the food was but it brings back that memory
I don't think Luke had any idea that he would have survived the fall, he was too shocked and disoriented to think out a plan like that. At that point he was defeated and had nowhere to go, and by jumping he pretty much chose death over joining the dark-side. Which he did again later in ROTJ, but had more meaning because at that point he had just had a taste of the dark-side.
