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Star Wars : The Last Jedidivided fans when it revealed the fortune of Luke Skywalker , having sour his back on his family , his friends , and the intact Galax urceolata along with them . As a result , the First Order rose unchecked , putting the pedigree of 1000000 on Luke ’s hand – at least to his harsh critics . But a new glimpse into Luke ’s unseen risky venture suggest he may not be to blame at all , and that his self - impose exile was n’t just his decisiveness … but the direct influence ofEmperor Palpatine , onlythoughtto have died inReturn of the Jedi .
Now that fans knowEmperor Palpatine is return forStar Wars 9 , it ’s time to reconsider what they thought they sleep with about Luke ’s triumph , and the reasons he retired on Ahch - To . It ’s tragic enough that Luke Skywalker lost faith , but he soon replaced it with guilt , anger , and doubt instead . Since those emotion and defeats proved far more efficient in labor him out of the state of war and into isolation than a lightsaber ever could have , it ’s deserving reconsider what role Emperor Palpatine bring in Luke ’s eventual exile . Because as it turns out , Luke decide to do exactly what the Emperor alwayshopedhe would .
The First Time The Emperor Reached Out to Luke
As hard as it may be for some to think that the Emperor work Luke well beyond his assume expiry , the newly releasedStar Wars : Age of Rebellion - Luke Skywalkeris compelling grounds . The issue is just one of a larger series , intended to flesh outthe newStar Warscanonwith never - before - seen moments , conflicts , or inner conflict . And it ’s in this new canonical flashback that Star Wars fan get to see a moment they never get laid took property : the first time Emperor Palpatine make out for Luke Skywalker using the Force , and made contact .
The Emperor is successful in making link – even if Luke could only feel a sudden front of darkness , and Palpatine could only conduct proposition . Most devotee will assume that the Emperor contact out to Luke in an attempt to seduce him using the Dark Side , and obligate him to become his new learner ( as he did when they at last adjoin aboard the second Death Star ) . But as this tarradiddle from Greg Pak , Chris Sprouse , Scott Koblish , and Stefan Landini shows , the Emperor did n’t want to take out Luke closer . He wanted to push him right out of the war completely .
The Emperor Almost Talked Luke Into Quitting
If you believe thatthe Emperor wanted to have Luke Skywalker , like he had intended to do with Anakin , then this unexampled story may be a problem . But in hindsight , it does seem like the simplest scheme the Emperor could have taken . By this full point , Luke has distinguished himself as not just a hero of the Rebellion , but the sole reason for their achiever in defying the Empire . And lie with that he is a Skywalker , Palpatine stoke all of the same pride , resentment , and doubtfulness in Luke as he did in Anakin , to absolve one legal action : fly out . Leave the war behind . Realize that authority shape are all the same … and do n’t answer them when you’re able to serveyourself .
It ’s a hard reminder of just what made Palpatine so successful a leader and operator . More than anyone else , Star Warsis the account of Sheev Palpatine , exposing and take advantage of hypocrisy , greed , ego , apathy , and weakness . When people like himself or Anakin ( or Luke ) are up to of doing so much on their own , any hindrance can lead to thwarting . So at the accurate moment that Luke ’s inherent aptitude in the Force are ignored by his commander , and G of living are put in risk because of it , Palpatine stool his move . As Luke Skywalker ’s middle roll back , lose cognisance and yield to the king of Palpatine , the referee see what Luke does , and what Palpatine wants him to : what would hap if Luke halt fighting ?
Luke has a clear vision of what would look him if he make up one’s mind to turn his back on the bureaucratism , corruption , and endless struggle of the Rebels and the Empire , and decided to just fly away to a distant world . Once there , he sinks his iconic ex - flank beneath the waves , and toss out apart his lightsaber , informing R2 - D2 that those items are no longer of any use . In some obvious elbow room , Luke ’s vision of retirement is a regaining to the aliveness that hewouldhave had if he never leave Tatooine in hunting of resplendency and dangerous undertaking . And stumble upon a small-scale community of farmers , Luke finds his place , finds love , and grows old with children at his knee .
At this point in Luke ’s account , he still conceive that his living could hold such felicity . But the fantasy is soon broken , and Luke regains his senses in time to make a heroic rescue of the Rebel soldier in peril . The Emperor is enraged … but remember : this is literally the Emperor’sfirst attemptto deal with Luke Skywalker , a Jedi Knight far less bribable than his Father-God had been . And withStar state of war : The Rise of Skywalkernow approaching , devotee must postulate themselves if the Emperor ’s seduction ended up working after all .
Luke Gave The Emperor What He Wanted (Eventually)
Sure , the urging and instantaneousness of the state of war combined with Luke ’s own spirit and youthful exuberance pulled him out of his iniquity the first time . But what about when the warfare is won , the Rebels victorious and the Empire crush , and the universe redeem … only for chronicle to simply iterate itself with a novel conglomerate , a newfangled rebellion , and another family torn aside ? From the verbal description above , it should be clear that the temptation bid by the Emperor ( go forth the war , sink your X - wing , and lay off believe you’re able to change the galaxy ) is almostexactlywhat Luke ends up doing . And for mostly the same reasons .
Even ignoring the grounds thatEmperor Palpatine corrupted Ben Solo , not Snoke , set Luke ’s transportation into motility , the case is compelling . Back during the Rebellion , Palpatine need to motor Luke away from the combat so it could be won . When the newStar Warstrilogy begins , it is made abundantly well-defined that Luke may be the key to this entire conflict . And no matter what , the survival of the fittest of the First Order demands that the ResistanceNEVERfind Luke Skywalker . With the movie maker admitting thatthe restitution of Emperor Palpatine was always the plan , and he was therefore still potentially influencing event through or beyond the Force , this fresh meeting connects the dots perfectly .
If the First Order is Palpatine ’s 2d chance , and he needed Luke to really track down by andstayaway this time , then it ’s no happenstance that the Emperor ’s original plan finally comes true . We would n’t say that it lets Luke all off the hook , since he was wangle byEmperor Palpatinejust like his Father of the Church … but it would for certain make his decision to ' give up ' on the Galax urceolata easier to understand .
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