Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker is the protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, in which he is portrayed by Mark Hamill as an adult, and by Aidan Barton as an infant in Episode III (and Barton also played his sister as an infant there). Finding himself apprenticed to the Jedi master Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi, he soon becomes an important figure in the Rebel Alliance's struggle against the Galactic Empire.

He is heir to a family deeply powerful in the Force, the twin brother of Rebellion leader Princess Leia of the planet Alderaan, and the son of former Queen of Naboo and Republic Senator Padmé Amidala and fallen Jedi turned Sith Lord Darth Vader (formally, Anakin Skywalker).

Revenge of the Sith
Luke and his sister Leia were born after Obi-Wan Kenobi defeated Anakin Skywalker on Mustafar. His mother Padmé Amidala was heartbroken at Anakin's turn to the Dark Side, and died after giving birth to them. Luke was sent to live with his step-uncle Owen Lars and his wife Beru Whitesun whilst his sister was sent to Senator Bail Organa for safety.

A New Hope
Luke spent nineteen years on Tatooine with Owen and Beru, who told him that his father was a navigator on a spice freighter who is dead. One day him and Owen went to get some droids to help on their farm and they picked a protocol droid called C-3PO and an astromech droid. The astromech droid, however, malfunctioned and C-3PO recommended his astromech friend R2-D2. Later on that night while cleaning R2, Luke found a message that showed Princess Leia Organa requesting the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke wondered if she meant Ben Kenobi, a hermit who lived near the Dune Sea. He asked his uncle and aunt about it but they refused to talk about it. Luke went out and looked at the two suns of Tatooine.

The next day, Luke found that Artoo had left overnight and him and C-3PO go out to find him. They find him near a cam of Sandpeople and while Luke is getting a closer look he is attacked by one. He is saved by a man in robes who frightens the Sandperson away and then recognises him as Ben Kenobi. Ben brings them back to his house where he looks at the message and reveals he is Obi-Wan and has been in hiding for years. He tells Luke that his father, Anakin, was actually a Jedi knight killed by a Jedi turned Sith called Darth Vader. He shows Luke Anakin's old lightsaber and offers to train him in the ways of the force, but Luke refuses.

They then find the Jawas who sold the droids to Luke had been killed by the Empire and Luke realises their search would lead them to his house. Back home he finds his home destroyed and his family dead. Seeing as he has nothing left on Tatooine he decides to go with Obi-Wan and become a Jedi. They go to Mos Eisley Spaceport to find a pilot to bring them to Alderaan and while at the bar two men pick a fight with Luke, but Obi-Wan cuts of one's arm and the two flee. They meet a pilot named Han Solo and his wookie friend Chewbacca and they agree to take them to Alderaan in their ship, the Millennium Falcon. On the way to the ship they are attacked by Stormtroopers but make it out unharmed. On the way to Alderaan, Luke begins to train and Han reveals he doesn't believe in the Force.

They reach where Alderaan is supposed to be only to find it's gone. Luke sees what he thinks is a small moon but Obi-Wan says that it is actually a space station called the Death Star. A tractor beam pulls them on board but Luke and Han disguise as stormtroopers and they go to a security room where they find the cell Leia is in. Obi-Wan goes to disable the tractor beam, C-3PO and R2 stayed in the security room and Luke was able to convince a doubtful Han to help rescue Leia and they pretend Chewbacca is their prisoner. They eventually find Leia, but stormtroopers begin to shoot at them and they escaped through the garbage shoot. While down there a dianga grabs Luke but the others are able to rescue him as the walls start closing in. However, C-3PO, who was worrying, accidentally shut down the walls and saved the group. When the group reached the hangar they saw Obi-Wan dueling Darth Vader and Obi-Wan allowed Vader to hit him, killing him. The group escaped on the Falcon and Luke grieved for Obi-Wan.

On the way back to Yavin 4, the Falcon was attacked by a squad of TIE fighters. Luke and Han shot them all down and they successfully made it to Yavin. They gave the Rebel Alliance the plans to the Death Star and Luke was one of the pilots sent to destroy it. Before he left on the mission, he met his old friend, Biggs Darklighter, who was also a part of the mission. He then found that Han was leaving because he had gotten his reward money for saving Leia, and he has to pay Jabba the Hutt back.

As the battle begun many Rebels were killed, including Biggs. Eventually it was only Luke and Wedge Antilles left. Wedge's ship was damaged and Luke told him to go back before he was killed. As Luke made his way to the hole in the Death Star that he had to shoot in, Darth Vader was flying a TIE fighter behind him and fired at him. Before he could kill Luke, Han and Chewbacca came and shot Darth Vader's ship causing it to spin in to space and Luke was guided by the spirit of Obi-Wan. With his guidance he was able to destroy the Death Star. Back on Yavin, Luke and Han were awarded for their courage.

The Empire Strikes Back
Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, the Galactic Empire have been chasing the Rebel Alliance from planet to planet in hopes of victory. Since the Battle of Yavin, Darth Vader has been trying to find Luke believing the Force is strong in him. The Rebels were using the icy planet Hoth as a base. While Luke was out securing the perimeter on his tauntaun, he was attacked by a wampa and brought back to it's cave. He woke up to find he was hanging upside down and his Lightsaber was stuck in the snow. He tried to use the Force to grab his lightsaber and when he had it he cut himself down. The wampa came in, but Luke sliced off it's arm and ran out into the snow. While lying in the snow he saw a vision of Obi-Wan telling him to go to the Dagobah system to find Jedi Master Yoda just before he passed out. Luckily Han came to rescue him and cut open his tauntaun and put him inside it. Luke woke up in the medical center while Leia and Han were arguing and Leia kissed Luke. Luke got ready for the Battle of Hoth as the Empire, who had AT-ATs, came closer. Quickly into the battle Luke's co-pilot, Zev, was killed and Luke tried to survive on his own. He wrapped a rope around the legs of one and brought it down, but then crashed himself. He grappled up to the AT-AT and cut a hole in it with his lightsaber and threw a grenade in and then went back to his ship before it exploded. After the battle he and Artoo left Hoth but instead of going to the rendvouz point they went to Dagobah to find Yoda.

Luke crash landed on Dagobah and found that it was a swamp. After he settled in he began to eat when a small green creature startled him, causing him to pull out his blaster. After the creature assured he meant no harm, Luke told him he was looking for a Jedi master named Yoda. The creature said he knew who Yoda was and he would take him to him. While eating in the creature's hut, Luke snapped saying that they were wasting time. The creature began to say that Luke is impatient and Luke wondered who he was talking to, He then heard Obi-Wan's voice and deduced that the creature was Yoda and asked him to train him. After some persuasion Yoda agreed and they began to train. Luke got frustrated when Yoda asked him to move his sunken ship with the Force and asked him to try, but to his amazement Yoda done it and told him that there is no try, you do or do not. Later Luke went into a part of the swamp where he brought only his lightsaber. While there he saw a shadow approaching and realised it was Darth Vader. The two began to duel, with Luke cutting of Vader's head only to see it explode and reveal his own face. He realised this was a vision and went back to Yoda. While he was training Luke saw a vision of his friends suffering in a city of clouds. He decided to go and help them, much to Yoda's disapproval. The ghost of Obi-Wan appeared and told him to not fall to the Dark Side like Vader did.

Luke and Artoo arrived in Bespin, but they were quickly split up. Luke found his friends, who had been betrayed by Han's friend Lando Calrissian, being held prisoner by Boba Fett and some stormtroopers. They began to shoot at him but he made it out okay. He went into a chamber, but was locked in by Darth Vader and the two began to duel. During the duel a glass window broke releasing a fan that began to suck them both in. Vader knocked Luke in, but he was able to hold on to a balcony for survival. Eventually Vader had Luke cornered on a very high balcony and cut his right hand off and it went plummeting down along with his lightsaber. Vader asked Luke if Obi-Wan told him what happened to his father and Luke replied that he told him he killed him. But Vader denied saying he is his father. Luke yelled in disbelief and horror and Vader gave him the option to join the Dark Side or die. Luke says he could never betray his friends and jumped down, went through the tunnel and hung on to a weather vane for survival. He called out for Leia and she, who was on the Falcon with Chewbacca, Lando, C-3PO and R2, heard him and they went back and rescued him.

Back on a medical ship, Luke gets a prosthetic hand and learns that Vader froze Han in carbonite and gave him to Boba Fett who is taking him to Jabba's Palace. Lando and Chewie call saying they will find Han and Boba Fett and Luke wishes that the Force be with them. Him, Leia, C-3PO and R2 all look out into space.

Return of the Jedi
Luke sent R2 and C-3PO with a hologram of him making a deal to sell the droids in exchange for a frozen Han Solo. Jabba refused and took the droids anyway. He later came to rescue his friends who had been captured in Jabba's Palace due to a rescue plan gone wrong. He tried to negotiate with Jabba, but Jabba tricked him and opened the tap door he was standing on, thus leading him to the rancor pit. Although he didn't have his lightsaber, he was able to activate a door that came down and killed the rancor. Jabba then sentenced him to be fed to the sarlaac at the Great Pit of Carkoon. C-3PO, who was forced to work for Jabba, asked if Luke had any last words and he replied that Jabba could let them go now or die, but to everyone's amusement. R2, who was on Jabba's sail barge, shot Luke's lightsaber to him and he began to kill Jabba's men on the small carriers him, Han, Chewie and a disguised Lando were on. Although Han was blind, a side effect of the carbonite, he was able to shoot Boba Fett, thus sending him into the pit. Luke went on to the sail barge and rescued Leia, who had just killed Jabba, and they swung on to the carrier the group were on and flew away as the barge exploded.

While the other team went to the Rebel rendevouz, Luke and R2 went to Dagobah to complete Luke's training. While there he found Yoda dying and asks if he can complete his training, but Yoda tells him he has no more training but he has to face Darth Vader to become a Jedi. Luke asks if Vader is his father and Yoda confirms it but before he dies tells Luke there is another Skywalker. He then vanishes and Luke leaves. While outside he sees the ghost of Obi-Wan and he asks why he told him Vader killed his father. Obi-Wan says that from a certain point of view he was right meaning the evil Anakin Skywalker killed the good one and became Darth Vader. Luke refuses to kill his father and asks what Yoda meant by another Skywalker. Obi-Wan tells him that he had a twin sister who he was separated from as a baby to be safe from the Empire. Luke deduces that it is Leia and leaves. Obi-Wan tells him if he doesn't kill Vader than all is lost.

Luke went back to the rendevouz and agreed to be part of Han's strike team for the Forest Moon of Endor. They had found out that the Empire were building a new Death Star and they would have to take out the shield generator so Lando's team could get to it. On the way to Endor Luke saw a shuttle he sensed Darth Vader was on. Han was able to pass by easily and they landed on Endor. While exploring the forest they encounter a squad of stormtroopers and Han's attempt to take them out quietly fails so Luke and Leia chase three on speeders. Luke rides with Leia but he's able to take the speeder of another one and him and Leia split up. Luke then crashes his and jumps off and reflects the trooper's blasts with his lightsaber and it kills him. When Luke met with the group he found that Leia was missing and they began to search for her. While searching they found a dead animal hung up and Chewie ran to it, thus setting off a trap and they were all hung in a net up high. Than little furry creatures called Ewoks came out and brought them to their village as prisoners, with C-3PO as an exception as they treated him like a god. The Ewoks planned on cooking and eating them, but C-3PO tried to stop it but to no avail. Luke told him to say that if they didn't let them go than he will be very angry use his powers on them. Luke made it believable by using the Force to lift C-3PO up and they set them free. They found out that was were Leia was staying and they all had a party as C-3PO told the Ewoks the story of what had happened since Luke joined the Rebellion. A saddened Luke, however, left in the middle and Leia went outside to see if he was okay. Here, Luke revealed to her that Vader was his father and she was his sister. Leia said that somehow she always knew that. Luke said that the longer he was with the group, he'd be putting them in danger and left to face Vader.

Luke allowed himself to be captured by the Empire, and was brought to Darth Vader aboard the Death Star. Luke tried to convince him to join the Light Side, but Vader said that Anakin Skywalker is dead and he will always be Darth Vader. Vader than took Luke to see The Emperor in his throne room. When they arrived The Emperor ordered his guards to leave and him and Luke began to talk. Eventually The Emperor showed Luke that he had set up the Rebels and they were prepared for the attack. He made Luke watch his friends be killed trying to destroy the Death Star. He gave Luke the opportunity to take his lightsaber and kill him but Luke refused. After taunting The Emperor taunted him, Luke gave in and used the Force to take his lightsaber, but as he was about to hit him Vader blocked him with his lightsaber and they began to duel. At one point Luke went on to a high scaffolding and when he refused to give in to the Dark Side Vader threw his lightsaber at scaffolding, causing him to fall down. Still refusing to kill Vader, he hid in the darkness and Vader tried to anger him into coming out. It was when he said that if he didn't turn Leia would, that made him come out and began to attack him. He had Vader cornered at a balcony when he cut of his dueling hand The Emperor wanted Luke to kill him, but after coming to his senses, Luke refused saying he was a Jedi like his father. The Emperor, who was outraged, shot lightning out of his hands trying to kill Luke, but when Vader saw Luke in pain he grabbed The Emperor and tossed him down a big hole, thus killing him. He brought Vader back to a ship and wanted to bring him to Endor, but Vader asked Luke to take off his mask so he could look at his son with his own two eyes. Luke did so and saw a burnt white face. Luke cried as Anakin passed away and he got on a shuttle and left just as Lando destroyed the Death Star.

Back on Endor they had a celebration in honor of the of the defeat of the Empire and also a funeral for Anakin. While at the party Luke saw the ghosts of Obi-Wan, Yoda and Anakin. They all smiled as they looked at Luke and he smiled back.

Behind the Scenes
In early drafts of the Star Wars story, Luke Skywalker's role of farmboy-turned-Jedi hero was filled by Annikin Starkiller, a character who combined the traits of Luke and Prequel-era Anakin Skywalker. The name Starkiller was changed to "Skywalker", which had less violent connotations, late in the script's development. "Starkiller" later became the name of Darth Vader's secret apprentice in the video game the Force Unleashed.

Luke Skywalker was portrayed by Mark Hamill in the Star Wars Original Trilogy, the Star Wars Holiday Special, and other media, including a commercial for the New Jedi Order book series Robot Chicken: Star Wars, and an episode of the Muppet Show. In Revenge of the Sith, Aidan Barton briefly appeared as the infants Luke and Leia. Several voice actors have portrayed Luke in Star Wars radio dramas and video games, including Bob Bergen, Joshua Fardon, and Mark Benninghofen.

Force Powers
As the son of the chosen one, Anakin Skywalker, Luke is immensely powerful, and has an amazingly strong connection to the Force, stronger than any force user alive.

Lightsaber Skills
Like his father, Luke is extremely skilled in lightsaber combat, and he is an extraordinarily gifted duelist after only one brief session with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and later, Yoda, Luke also uses his force powers to not only increase his physical speed, but also increase the speed of his attacks, similar to his father's fighting style (Anakin only used his force powers to increase his physical speed to make his lightsaber combat skills more proficient in combat) that makes him a formidable opponent alone in combat.

Weapons & Equipment
As a valued member of the Rebel Alliance; Luke possesses an array of weapons and equipment to assist him along the way.
 * Lightsaber: As a Jedi; Luke's valued weapon and possession is the lightsaber. So far he has only had 2 lightsabers.
 * First Lightsaber: Upon arriving at Obi-Wan Kenobi's home on Tattooine, the elder Jedi Master gave Luke the lightsaber used by his father, Anakin. The weapon was indeed the one that Obi-Wan took from Anakin after the intense fight on Mustafar. During his fight with Darth Vader on Bespin, Luke lost both his lightsaber and his hand. This weapon was powered by a natural blue crystal.
 * Second Lightsaber: After losing his father's lightsaber on Bespin, Luke eventually returned home to Tatooine where he not only planned to rescue Han Solo but also to return to Obi-Wan's hut and construct a new lightsaber. His new lightsaber was based on his first mentor's weapon. After completing the weapon, he placed it in R2-D2. The weapon was seen throughout all of Return of the Jedi. Unlike its predecessor this lightsaber had a thick green blade that was powered by a synthetic crystal.
 * DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol: Before completely utilizing the lightsaber as his weapon of choice; Luke was standard issued a DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol along with his pilot uniform. This weapon was never seen again after Empire Strikes Back.

Trivia

 * In 2008, the character was selected by Empire magazine as the 54th greatest movie character of all time.
 * Luke is listed at number 14, of the Fandomania.com 100 Greatest Fictional Characters.
 * He is similar to Simba from The Lion King. They seek to save the setting from a tyrannical figure (Simba saves the Pride Lands from Scar while Luke saves the Galactic Empire from Darth Sidious) and they both see the ghosts of their respective fathers (Simba sees Mufasa while Luke sees Anakin), who each coincidentally had been voiced by James Earl Jones.