Luke Skywalker was a Force-sensitive human male Jedi Master who served as a key player in the Galactic Civil War and the destruction of the Sith. He was the son of fallen Jedi turned Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader, and Senator Padmé Amidala, the step-nephew of Owen and Beru Lars, and twin brother of Leia Organa. Skywalker's birth was kept secret from his father and the Emperor, and he was separated from his sister shortly afterwards to protect them from the Sith. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi took Skywalker to his father's homeworld of Tatooine, where he would be raised unaware of his lineage until the age of nineteen.
After encountering the droids C-3P0 and R2-D2, which led to his eventually meeting with Kenobi, Skywalker made his debut on the galactic stage when he took part in the rescue of Princess Leia on the first Death Star. The rescue attempt was a success and, on Yavin VI, he officially joined the Alliance to Restore the Republic in their fight against the Galactic Empire. Skywalker was instantly a hero, a result of his personal role in the destruction of the Death Star mere moments before the superweapon could fire on the rebel base.
Over the next three years, as the Rebellion evaded Vader and the Empire's forces, Skywalker became a legendary member of the cause. Shortly after the Rebels were forced to abandon their base on Hoth, he met the former Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Yoda, and received formal Jedi training. The training was cut short, however, when Skywalker sensed that his friends were in danger. Against Yoda's wishes, he left for the gas giant Bespin and fell into a trap set by Darth Vader—a confrontation that culminated in the revelation that the Sith Lord was his father.
A year later, Skywalker confronted his father and the Emperor during the Battle of Endor. When he refused to fight and turn to the dark side of the Force, the Emperor made to kill him; however, he was saved by the timely intervention of his father, who had returned to the light side of the Force as Anakin Skywalker, and slayed the Emperor. Declaring himself a Jedi Knight, Skywalker became the last Jedi and a symbol of hope in the New Republic.
Skywalker attempted to restore the Jedi Order sometime after the Empire's defeat, but his efforts were dashed when his own nephew, Ben Solo, turned to the dark side and destroyed his fledgling order. Blaming himself for Ben's failure, Skywalker went into exile on the lost planet Ahch-To until he was found again by Rey, a young girl strong in the Force.
Biography[]
After Endor (5 ABY—6 ABY)[]
Once it became apparent that Leia and Han Solo were expecting a child, Skywalker began to suspect that he would be responsible for training the child in the ways of the Force. Unsure of his ability to teach the Jedi ways, he began to search for relics that might help him learn more about the old Jedi Order. To that end, he visited both Lothal and Alaris Prime, but found that the Jedi relics had since been sacked—likely the work of the Emperor.[1]
Coruscant[]
The dark side of the Force has a voice more seductive than the light. Be wary the voices you hear in the Force. They are not always the voices of dead mentors reaching out from the beyond to help you.
—The Force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke
Luke went to Coruscant to investigate the Imperial Palace, which was once the Jedi Temple.
In 6 ABY, Skywalker made his first venture to Coruscant in the hope of investigating the Imperial Palace—formerly the Jedi Temple—for clues about the Jedi and their teachings. Both Han Solo and Leia Organa were skeptical that he would find what he was looking for, but he was determined to try anyways and ventured into the former Jedi Temple during his second day on the planet. At the Palace, he met Ceth Eclissu, who granted him entrance into the Jedi Archives. However, hours into his exploration of the Archives, he found nothing of use.[1]
The Force then called him to a side room, which contained a small Jedi holocron. Upon taking the holocron, Luke was encountered by the the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who encouraged him to take up his role as the next-generation's teacher and instructed him to go to the spiritual world of Jedha to find an apprentice. Before Kenobi could vanish, a reluctant Skywalker asked about a dark presence he continued to feel. Kenobi directed Skywalker beneath the Palace, to an old Sith shrine which was leaking the energies of the dark side of the Force. After receiving a stern warning from Kenobi about the dangers of the dark side, Skywalker took the holocron—much to the chagrin of Ceth, the Palace's curator—and left the Palace, intent on pursuing his mentor's new task for him on Jedha.[1]
Back at 500 Republica, Leia and Han chastised Skywalker for going off on his own. After discussing with them his intentions to travel to Jedha, Skywalker confronted his twin about revealing his plan to visit the Palace to Ceth Eclissu. However, Leia denies her involvement, stating that she had never met a Ceth Eclissu.[1]
Later, onboard the Millennium Falcon, Skywalker and Leia discuss the shortcomings of the New Republic's government before shifting their conversation towards her unborn child. Leia announced that she has been experiencing nightmares about a dark man who takes her child away from her. She fears that it is a premonition that her child will turn to the dark side. Skywalker assures her that he won't allow this to happen, and resolves to go to Jedha to begin truly comprehending the nature of the Jedi way.[1]
Jedha[]
Exile (—34 ABY)[]
In exile, Skywalker became more mythical than historic to the denizens of the galaxy, something the First Order used to spread rumors that the Jedi were finally gone. However, after finding his father's lightsaber on Takodana, Rey—a young girl, strong with the Force—sought Luke out on Ahch-To, home of the first Jedi Temple. Upon meeting Rey, Skywalker resolved to fix his mistakes and began to do so by telling the girl the story of his attempt (and failure) to restore the Jedi Order.[1]
Personality and traits[]
Since the Battle of Endor, Skywalker gradually became a calm and collected individual, even when faced with beings who were angry with him. He was, however, still prone to fear and insecurity in his own capabilities.[1]
Powers and abilities[]
You've gotten better at attuning yourselves to the ebbs and flow of the Force. You have matured since our last meeting.
—Ben Kenobi to Luke Skywalker
During his visit to Coruscant in 6 ABY, the Force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi noted that Luke had grown stronger in the Force and had become better at sensing its various patterns.[1]