Episode IV — A New Hope
Luke
Skywalker
From the twin-sun deserts of Tatooine to the cockpit of an X-wing, Luke Skywalker's journey from humble farm boy to the last Jedi is the beating heart of the Star Wars saga.
- Homeworld
- Tatooine
- Affiliation
- Rebel Alliance / Jedi Order
- Weapon
- Blue Lightsaber
- Role
- Starfighter Pilot / Jedi
The Story of a Hero
Luke Skywalker grew up under the twin suns of Tatooine, raised by his aunt and uncle Owen and Beru Lars on a moisture farm far from the turmoil of the wider galaxy. Dreaming of adventure and a life among the stars, young Luke chafed at the isolation of his desert homeworld — unaware that destiny had already marked him.
Everything changed the day two droids arrived at the Lars homestead — the protocol droid C-3PO and his astromech companion R2-D2, who carried within him a secret message from Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. When Luke discovered a plea for help directed at the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, a chain of events was set in motion that would alter the fate of the galaxy.
The murder of his aunt and uncle by Imperial stormtroopers shattered Luke's last ties to Tatooine. He joined Obi-Wan Kenobi on a journey to Alderaan, learning his first lessons in the ways of the Force during the passage aboard the Millennium Falcon. Obi-Wan spoke of a mystical energy field that bound the galaxy together — and hinted that Luke's father had once been a Jedi Knight.
Arriving at the Imperial Death Star disguised as a moon, Luke, Han Solo, and Chewbacca rescued Princess Leia from captivity — though Obi-Wan Kenobi sacrificed himself in a duel with Darth Vader to allow their escape. His mentor gone, Luke carried the grief of that loss with him as the Rebellion prepared its desperate assault on the battle station capable of destroying entire worlds.
In the Battle of Yavin, Luke piloted a T-65 X-wing fighter through a gauntlet of TIE fighters and turbolaser fire. Other pilots faltered. When the targeting computer failed to provide a clear solution, Luke silenced it — trusting instead the Force, and the voice of Obi-Wan whispering "Trust your feelings." His proton torpedoes found the exhaust port. The Death Star erupted. The Rebellion was saved.
Standing at the medal ceremony on Yavin 4, surrounded by the friends he had found and the allies he had earned, Luke Skywalker was no longer the farm boy who had gazed at twin setting suns and dreamed of something more. He had become a hero — and his journey was only beginning.
“I want to come with you to Alderaan. There's nothing for me here now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father.”
Luke Skywalker — A New Hope (1977)