CT Was it common knowledge to the galaxy that Luke destroyed the Death Star?

Was it known across the galaxy who the specific person (Luke Skywalker) was that destroyed the Death Star? Or did they just think it was some random person who was part of the Rebellion?

 

It couldn't have been common knowledge since Vader had to deliberately seek out what his name was and even people like Lando never heard of "someone named Skywalker!"

 

By the time of TFA, even an isolated scavenger in the desert was aware of the legend of Luke Skywalker. What did the people know, and when did they know it?

 

In Legends, the Rebellion actually put some effort into keeping the identity of "The Man That Destroyed The Death Star" secret for a while - conscious that the Empire might specifically target him in order to score a propaganda victory "We Destroyed The Man That Destroyed The Death Star".

Luke's name eventually gets out though. And after the Battle of Endor, Luke becomes well known.

In the newcanon - it's not clear to what degree the events of the Battle of Yavin became widely known amongst the general public.

 

I don't see how it would be know, nobody other than the Empire and the Rebels knew the DS even existed, the Empire wouldn't want it known it's great might has been undermined by a couple of Rebel Alliance starfighter squadrons. It's how long can the Empire keep quiet the destruction of Jedha and Scarif followed by the total annihilation of Alderaan....eventually word will leak.

Vader used his spies to find who the pilot was that gave off such a strong Force connection, so he was more than just after revenge. Once Vader found out he kept it to himself only for the Emperor to find out too, with death of the Emperor Luke became known as he sought out potential Jedi.

 

I could see the basic events leaking fast - the Rebels have incentive to publicise the Alderaan Atrocity, as well as their response to it (destroying the station responsible) - even if the exact details take longer.

 

But as we learned in AOTC, the Sith are good at hiding planets.

 

On planets where the Empire control the local media it will be something that can only spread by word of mouth, that takes time. When Coruscant is in uproar after the Emperor is killed the holonet could be captured and news spread far more quickly.

 

Rebels had a good example of "capture a messaging tower and broadcast a message" back in Season 1. Presumably, where the rebels have limited military power, this kind of news-spreading will be a major part of rebel effort - get the population distrustful of the Empire and angry at it.

 

Would have leaked out you can't keep a secret like that and not have a lot of people suspecting who it was. Likely it was heard about yet they could not figure out what he looked like.

 

I only go by the movies.

As StartCenterEnd aleady mentioned Lando did not know who Luke was in ESB but he was a businessman who probably kept to himself and didn't pay attention to news and politics. Can you name the American soldier that took out Bin Laden? I bet most people can't.

I would guess that to anyone that actually fought and served in the war, or paid attention to the war, Luke was a pretty big deal.

 

I'd expect Lando to pay very close attention to news and politics. As a businessman, it would behoove him to be aware of galactic happenings and how they affect the market.

 

Luke made sure everybody knew it. He couldn't wait to get to Toshi Station to brag about how he went full on beast mode on the Empire. The Power Converters (the guest dancers) recorded the whole thing and gave it to the TMZ of Star Wars. TMZ had no ethics. They even posted Death Star 911 calls on the Holonet.

 

Corrected

 

"Have you seen this man? We've identified him as Luke Skywalker, formerly a citizen of Tatooine, Hutt region, Outer Rim. He's been formally charged with treason, murder, assault on Imperial personal, illegal entry into an Imperial facility, theft of Imperial property, destruction of Imperial property, resisting arrest and association with known criminals. Most recently, he was involved in an incident at the Imperial [REDACTED] facility near [REDACTED] system. See below for his physical description. He's been seen in the company of known criminals Han Solo of Corellia (see attached), Leia Organa, formerly of Alderaan (see attached), and Chewbacca of Kashyyyk (see attached). He's also believed to be a follower of the outlawed Jedi cult. If you've seen him or know of his whereabouts, do not attempt to apprehend him. Notify your local Imperial Security station immediately. If your information helps effect an arrest, a reward of 10,000 credits has been offered. Have a nice day."

 

But they did not know what he looked like the cameras in the Death Star that recording him coming and going were lost once the station was destroyed so the Empire had no way to know what he looked like. He could've been anyone.

 

I was kidding.

 

It wouldn't be completely out of the question though, for DS1 camera records to have been uploaded to other sources. Or Mos Eisley camera records for that matter. And after a few post-Yavin run-ins with "guy carrying a blue lightsaber" eventually the Empire will figure out what Luke looks like.

 

From the January 1, 1976 draft of Star Wars:

Striking from a fortress hidden among the billion stars of the galaxy, rebel spaceships have won a crushing victory over the awesome Imperial Starfleet. The EMPIRE knows that one more such defeat could bring a thousand more solar systems into the rebellion, and Imperial control over the galaxy would be lost forever.

From the first draft of ESB:

​

WILLARD​

Since we destroyed the Empire’s Death Star, many more systems have found courage to join the rebellion. At the last count, one thousand and twenty-six. But as you see, we’re widely scattered and still vastly inferior in ships and men. This base, if we can establish and hold it, is strategically placed for….​

​

There is no doubt to me whatsoever, that the Alliance didn't advertise their defeat of the Death Star as widely as possible. But I'm confident they would have (IMHO appropriately) announced it as a group effort (along the lines "See? We can do it") and not something to be owed to the special abilities of one particular pilot. ​

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The way I see it (only) the Empire knew by the time of ESB that Luke Skywalker had been the pilot who destroyed the Death Star and the 'official' reason for Vader (and his officers) to find him was probably to bring him to justice. Nevertheless, I'm confident it was kept a secret (from people like Lando, too) because it would have done the Empire PR-wise not too much good to announce the identity of the pilot but ultimately being unable to apprehend him (think Bin Laden).​

Once the Empire / Vader would have apprehended him, it would have been probably announced along the lines of "No one escapes the justice of the Galactic Empire"... ​

 

Probably not common knowledge, but it was no secret either.

 

So how comes somebody like Lando hasn't heard of him and just refers to him as "someone named Skywalker" as StartCenterEnd correctly noticed?

Either Skywalker is such a common name in the galaxy that nobody pays attention to it anymore, or the Empire was merely using images from the Tatooine archives without providing a name (although I find this unlikely for the reasons I mentioned above).

 

Mos Eisley would not have cameras installed as it would have upset all the customers who are criminals and smugglers of the Galaxy, and as for DS1 cameras being loaded to other sources the Death Star was the epicentre of the Imperial order the Star Destroyers would be uploading data to the Death Star or at least it would have been once the ship had begun tracking and hunting down Rebel Alliance planets. Still possible though that they did send out some footage of Luke.

Look at it like this Luke Skywalker is a typical farmboy on Tatooine. Of all the moisture farmers on Tatooine id' reckon he would fit the profile of many such people. The planet is known as a hotbed of Rebel activism. The moisture farmers would have a fair amount of grievances against the Empire they would come under sever punishment for this so they would want to keep their silence.

 

Exactly, thank you. Lando's expression says it all. It's clear he barely even remembers the name and thinks of him as a nobody. "Somebody named uh....Skywalker!" It was like he didn't know Luke Skywalker from John Smith.

And cmon, Lando was obviously a worldly (or galaxian? ) guy. You don't become leader of an entire planet or city without knowing what has to be the biggest current event news of the day.

 

All you say is true but Lando was a shrewd business person he sold out his friends to the Empire for the cut of an Imperial payoff. He had many mouths to feed most of them criminals and this was a way of him to sort out his debts. Get on good terms with the Empire so associating with wanton pirates like Han would undermine all the work he had put into Bespin.