What kind of relationship did Luke have with his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru?

Luke Skywalker was raised by his uncle Owen Lars and aunt Beru Lars. For the first twenty years of his life, Luke had something resembling a normal family life...which no Jedi (including Luke's father Anakin) ever experienced.

Twenty-year old Luke was a physically and emotionally healthy young man, which suggests that he was not mistreated by Owen and Beru. Judging from Luke's attitudes and conduct in A NEW HOPE (and beyond), however, what kind of relationship did Luke actually have with Owen and Beru? Owen seemed to be a strict disciplinarian...constantly on Luke's case (and Luke chafed under his uncle's authority). Beru seemed to hardly interact with Luke at all (beyond feeding him). After Owen and Beru were murdered by Imperial Stormtroopers, Luke was unhappy, but didn't seem devastated. His reaction was not that of a person who had just lost the people he loved most.

Did Luke have a good, affectionate relationship with his uncle and aunt? Did they have more tender family moments that wasn't just Owen bearing hard on Luke for getting out of line?

 

Luke had a good relationship with both of them. We only observe their relationship for a few minutes, so it is hard to judge. I disagree and think there is a lot more to his relationship with Beru, that you didn't discuss. The fact is that we only saw them for a few minutes, so we can't judge it based only on that.

After their death, it is logical to assume that Luke was devastated and broken up about it. The reason we don't show that is it gets away from the movie and adds all sorts of emotions that the audience doesn't have to see to believe. It would take away from the mood and tone of the film and wouldn't be relevent to the story. The same can be true for Leia after the destruction of her planet, Anakin after the separation from his mother, Obi-Wan after the death of Qui-Gon, and Anakin after Shimi's death. All of these people become highly emotional after these tragic events, it just occurs off screen.

-Seldon

 

Yes... one piece of evidence I would like to submit that Beru had a good relationship with Luke is her "Luke's just not a farmer" speech. She seems to genuinely care a lot about Luke and understand what he is feeling...

 

In the few minutes we observe their normal life, Beru is seen to be insightful and thoughtful. She a good understanding of the boy and isn't just some stupid servant or ignorant farm girl. She may have a good deal of ignorance of the greater galaxy, but she knows and sees everything that is happening on the moisture farm.

-Seldon

 

Owen and Beru were, for all intents and purposes, Luke's parents.

As we see, Beru is more tenderhearted than Owen, and more accepting of Luke's hopes and dreams, but I think Owen's gruffness is misleading. One of my friends said that she thought Owen was "mean" when she was a kid. I can see why a kid would think that, but Owen isn't mean. He's just stubborn, set in his ways, and not terribly tactful. He is, after all, a man who's lived a harsh life, trying to eke out a meager existence on a fairly hostile planet (hostile in terms of its ecosystem, and also in terms of the natives -- the Tuskens are pretty nasty critters).

When we see a younger Owen in AOTC, he's affectionate toward Beru -- they hold hands at Shmi's funeral. I imagine he was affectionate toward Luke, too, especially when he was a small boy. As I said in another thread, Owen and Beru obviously couldn't have children of their own, and Luke was the closest thing to a son that they would ever have. He was literally a gift from above; Obi Wan flew in one day and placed Luke in their care.

I don't think things got tense between Owen and Luke until Luke got older -- when the restless, adventuresome nature, inherited from his father, that Owen was so afraid of began to manifest. As Beru observes, Luke just isn't a farmer, with the unspoken coda being, "no matter how hard you try to make him one."

Owen is no doubt the type of person who sees everything in terms of absolutes. Thus, in his view, there's safety and there's danger. The homestead represents safety (a mistaken notion, given that that's where Owen himself is murdered). Everything outside the homestead, from the rest of Tatooine to the rest of the galaxy, represents danger. Owen isn't trying to hold Luke back out of meanness, or because he needs a farmhand. He's doing it because he genuinely wants to protect Luke from danger, from the fate that befell his father. Owen most likely believes that Anakin was killed in battle, because I rather doubt Obi Wan told him that Anakin became Darth Vader.

 

Owen most likely believes that Anakin was killed in battle, because I rather doubt Obi Wan told him that Anakin became Darth Vader

What makes you think that? It would explain, Owen's line, "I know. That's what I'm afraid of." He's affraid that if Luke trained, he'll fall and become an evil tyrant like his father.

 

What makes you think that?

Because what would Obi Wan tell Owen, exactly? "Here's Anakin's kid. Oh, by the way, Anakin turned into a Sith lord."

No, seems much more likely that Obi Wan went for something simpler: "Anakin was killed in battle."

It would explain, Owen's line, "I know. That's what I'm afraid of."

But that line can be explained otherwise. Owen didn't know Anakin personally that well, but he knew enough of him to be worried that Luke would be too much like him.

He's affraid that if Luke trained, he'll fall and become an evil tyrant like his father.

Or he's afraid that Luke will end up dying in a battle like his father.

 

Owen knows the truth. Obi-Wan told him that, which is the reason he is over protective about Luke.

"He has too much of his father in him"
"Yeah thats what I'm afraid of."

"That is what your uncle told you."

These lines indicate that Owen Lars knows the truth.
He is fearful that Luke will also follow down the dark path which is why he wants the boy to remain on Tatooine.

Shelley, watch A New Hope one more time and see for yourself. It is clear that Owen is afraid for the boy and that he his bitter about Obi-Wan. The reason is that he blames the Jedi Master for Anakin's turn.


-Seldon

 

I don't think Luke agreed with Owen very much.

 

LUKE: Leia . . . do you remember your mother? Your real mother?

LEIA: Just a little bit. She died when I was very young.


Hey, things change. Leia remembered her mother dying when she was young, now Lucas says she's mistaken. Owen could or could not know the truth about Anakin. It's reasonable to believe he simply didn't want Luke to end up dying for a useless crusade (from his POV). Or he could know the truth. Maybe we'll find out in ROTS, maybe we won't.

L8r

 

Owen knows the truth. Obi-Wan told him that, which is the reason he is over protective about Luke.

"He has too much of his father in him"
"Yeah thats what I'm afraid of."

"That is what your uncle told you."

These lines indicate that Owen Lars knows the truth.
He is fearful that Luke will also follow down the dark path which is why he wants the boy to remain on Tatooine.

Shelley, watch A New Hope one more time and see for yourself. It is clear that Owen is afraid for the boy and that he his bitter about Obi-Wan. The reason is that he blames the Jedi Master for Anakin's turn

Agreed. There is more evidence in the SWRD. Luke recounts an incident where he and Deak took some Dewbacks out into the Dune Sea because they were bored. They got lost and were rescued by Obi-wan. When they were taken back to the Lars homestead, Uncle Owen got really angry at Obi-wan, telling him to get off the far and never return. Obi-wan adds detail to this anecdote later on, telling Luke that he had also tried to give him Anakin's lightsaber at that timw. This is why Owen got so angry at Ben. He knew that the presentation of Anakin's lightsaber to Luke would represent the start of Luke's training and this was something that Uncle Owen could not allow, knowing the truth about Anakin.

 

Owen knows the truth. Obi-Wan told him that, which is the reason he is over protective about Luke.

"He has too much of his father in him"
"Yeah thats what I'm afraid of."

"That is what your uncle told you."

These lines indicate that Owen Lars knows the truth.

They indicate that he knows Anakin met a bad end.

He is fearful that Luke will also follow down the dark path

Does Owen even know what the dark path is?

which is why he wants the boy to remain on Tatooine.

He is fearful that Luke will go off on some damnfool idealistic crusade and meet a bad end like his father did.

Shelley, watch A New Hope one more time and see for yourself.

I've watched ANH many times, both before and after the prequels started coming out, and I've always drawn the same conclusion: Owen doesn't know Anakin's true fate, but he knows that he met a bad end.

It is clear that Owen is afraid for the boy and that he his bitter about Obi-Wan.

Yeah. It is not clear that he knows Anakin became Vader.

The reason is that he blames the Jedi Master for Anakin's turn.

Where's your evidence of that? You're guessing as much as I am.

 

I disagree. I think Owen was told exactly what had happened to Anakin when he and Beru were given Luke to raise as their son, otherwise, how eles can you explain why Owen would tell Luke that his father was a navigator on a spice frieghtor instead of the truth which was that his father was a fallen Jedi Knight. Go listen to the Star War Radio Drama. Obi-wan explains how he had already tried once to give Luke Anakin's lightsaber, but Owen stopped him, knowing that this would signal the begining of Luke's training and as well as the fact that Luke would have to be told the truth about his parentage. Owen believed that if he could keep Luke ignorant of these things he could keep him safe.

 

I disagree. I think Owen was told exactly what had happened to Anakin when he and Beru were given Luke to raise as their son, otherwise, how eles can you explain why Owen would tell Luke that his father was a navigator on a spice frieghtor instead of the truth which was that his father was a fallen Jedi Knight.

How else can you explain it? Several ways, actually, but the one that jumps out at me is he didn't want Luke to get even bigger stars in his eyes than he had with regards to his father. He didn't want Luke to do exactly what Luke ended up doing: deciding to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like his father. (Luke repeats this in ESB. Yoda asks, "Why wish you become Jedi?" Luke: "Mostly because of my father, I guess.")

Go listen to the Star War Radio Drama. Obi-wan explains how he had already tried once to give Luke Anakin's lightsaber, but Owen stopped him, knowing that this would signal the begining of Luke's training and as well as the fact that Luke would have to be told the truth about his parentage.

That's nice, although I don't view the Radio Drama as being on the same level as the movies. Anyway, "the truth about his parentage" could simply mean: "His father was a Jedi knight." Not "His father became Darth Vader."


Owen believed that if he could keep Luke ignorant of these things he could keep him safe.

Right. And "these things" weren't necessarily "His father became Darth Vader." IMO, they were more likely, "His father was a Jedi knight."

 

So the fact that the Radio Dramas are condisered to by G-level canon means nothing then?

 

I think that Obi Wan told Owen the truth, but Owen just didn't trust him. In ANH, he clearly does not want anything to do with Obi Wan. Owen probably just didn't know what to believe. All he knew was that something really bad happened to Anakin, and just decided to keep Luke away from the life of a Jedi.

 

That's possible. Obi-wan may have explained that Anakin fell, but Owen may not realize just what the idea of a fallen Jedi actually means. For all Owen knows, Anakin was simply expelled from the Order.

 

So the fact that the Radio Dramas are condisered to by G-level canon means nothing then?

Pretty much.

 

Owen Lars was not sophisticated enough of an individual to understand or really care about all these intricacies of Jedi vs. Sith, Light Side vs. Dark Side of the Force, etc. Owen obviously knew what Jedi were, but I doubt he knew what Sith were...and probably didn't care either way.

Any discussion of Anakin's turn to the Dark Side would have been lost on Owen; he deals in terms closer to home. It would probably suffice for Owen to know that Anakin, whom Owen did not regard badly in AOTC, had met a dire end.

 

You know, I usually find myself in opposition with Shelley, but not today. Everything she said I stand by. There is no hard evidence that Owen knows anything more than Anakin met an untimely end. Anything more is merely inference.

L8r

 

Owen may or may not know that Anakin and Vader are the same person. I'll wait until ROTS comes out before I decide, though I agree it's unlikely Obi Wan gave them the full story of the Sith corruption. Otherwise, I think Owen may be concerned with what would happen if Luke got involved with Obi Wan the way Anakin was in the wars. And why not? He only meets his stepbrother (and stepsister) only once, then watches them fly off into outer space adventures only to find out a few years later that they "died" young due to their involvement with the outside world. Given the state of the galaxy in Luke's time, I'd be especially concerned about letting him go so easily.

Also keep in mind...Owen's only impression of Anakin can't be very positive. The one time they meet, Shmi is captured and assumed dead, which leads Anakin to being emotionally unstable, angry, and generally standoffish. This is not saying he hates Anakin, but it's certainly not the best circumstances to meet under. Owen's opinion of Anakin may be further negatively compounded if news of the Tusken Raider slaughter found its way back to the farmers. I think murder of that nature, however justified they may feel it to be, would frighten anybody.

 

What BuriedAlien, RogueScribner and Chaotic_Serenity said.

 

Luke had a spirit of his own, and seemed to lean toward his own understanding. Being raised by your aunt and Uncle isn't the same as being raised by two or even one of your own parents.

There's really no deep connection Luke had to them. They raised him, but Owen wanted Luke to be a farmer. Luke wanted to be a pilot. Luke wanted to move on with life past Tatooine while Owen wanted him to stay. Luke seemed to know his heart was elsewhere, and he could always come back and visit Beru and Owen once he left.

I've always thought also that Luke's friends on Tatooine meant more to him than Owen and Beru did.

 

I think owen and baru know something of what anakin became. they know he is a jedi and they know obi wan is a jedi. but they are farmers they live a simple life away from the rumblings of the empire.

I think they have a good relationship. if a bit overprotective. they want to control lukes adventurness. baru is very loving and understanding of who luke is. I bet she spoils him. which is contrasted by owen's gruffness. not mean or cruel. he is very matter of fact and protective. so he is bossy. they clash but luke does love him.

why else obay his wishes.

 

Luke had a spirit of his own, and seemed to lean toward his own understanding. Being raised by your aunt and Uncle isn't the same as being raised by two or even one of your own parents.

Agreed. If Lucas has any message to his audience in SW, it's regarding the importance of parents to children, particularly the influence of a father on a son. Though we certainly see that there is a drastic difference between the two Skywalker boys, one where Anakin grew up in an unstable environment seeking adult figures, whereas Luke, while still yearning for his blood ties, had competent, effective parental role models.


There's really no deep connection Luke had to them. They raised him, but Owen wanted Luke to be a farmer. Luke wanted to be a pilot. Luke wanted to move on with life past Tatooine while Owen wanted him to stay. Luke seemed to know his heart was elsewhere, and he could always come back and visit Beru and Owen once he left.

I've always thought also that Luke's friends on Tatooine meant more to him than Owen and Beru did.

Uh, what? They were his surrogate parents. They meant the world to him, as evidenced by his reluctance to join Obi Wan. Luke may have yearned for the galaxy beyond, but that doesn't exclude feelings of love for Beru and Owen. Owen is the reason why Luke didn't simply run off and join the academy. Not because Owen controlled Luke's life, but because emotionally, Luke felt a duty to the man he's loved as a father figure. Lucas rather distinctly states this in the commentary regarding the Tatooine sequences in ANH. Luke's detachment is a product of natural independence that stems from his coming-of-age (he's 19, after all, that's when most kids leave home and go to college, work, etc.), but that doesn't mean he doesn't care for his aunt and uncle. Their deaths hit him just as hard as everyone else he cared about.