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The Worst Plan Ever Notes from the Outer Rim #1 by Cap'n Andy Published 6/1/02 What was Obi-Wan thinking? |
Ooona goota, readers?
No? Good! Then I've got time to introduce myself. I am Cap'n Andy, hailing from the Books section here at Echo Station. I asked for this
column because I often come up with odd Star Wars related tangents (readers of my reviews
already knew that), and I'd like a place to share them with all you wonderful people out
there. It might just help me keep my reviews on track, too.
In this inaugural installment, I'm going to share with you something that's been really
bothering me.
Let me set the scene ... just before Episode IV starts. Luke Skywalker is on Tatooine,
still dreaming of joining the Imperial Academy, where his friend Biggs is (he doesn't know
Biggs has defected to the Rebels yet). With Owen and Beru Lars alive and the homestead in
one piece, he's got no reason to hate the Imperials. Steeling himself for inevitable
disappointment, he asks Uncle Owen if he can join the Academy ... and Uncle Owen, worn
down by pleading and begging, says yes. Luke signs up that day.
Now, I know that didn't happen, but think for a second: what if it had? You think the
Imperial computers might just be programmed to recognize a Skywalker from Tatooine joining
up? I certainly do. You think this would flag Darth Vader to come take a personal interest
in the boy, and discover just where his son has been hidden all these years? Yeah,
probably. And what happens then? Luke has never met Obi-Wan; he has never been told that
Darth Vader killed his father. He has no reason to hate the Empire. He has no Jedi
training. The way I see it, Luke is reunited with his father, who he always believed to be
dead, and Vader and the Emperor get themselves a new apprentice, immensely strong in the
Force.
Was this Obi-Wan and Yoda's plan? It sucks! My best guess is all their hope
rested on Leia. Leia was given a new last name and sent off to another planet. Luke kept
the Skywalker name and lived on Tatooine under the care of Anakin Skywalker's
brother-in-law. To me, that says "bait." I'm guessing they intended to
wait for Vader and the Emperor to be distracted with training Luke and move in on Leia,
training her to become a Jedi and then sending her off to confront the rest of her family,
hoping that the revelation of an unknown sister/daughter who is now a Jedi would be enough
to pull Luke and/or Vader back from the Dark Side. Well ... that's iffy at best. Although
Leia is certainly strong enough in the Force (in the EU, even though she never receives
full Jedi training, she's powerful enough to be mistaken for a Jedi Knight in a few
separate books), it's a heck of a gamble. First off, Obi-Wan and Yoda would have to move
fast, or Leia will probably be killed when the Death Star blows up Yavin 4 ... remember,
no Luke to make the shot. Secondly, what if Luke and Vader can't be turned, or only one
turns and then the other strikes down the weak one? There's still good in Vader, true, but
we don't know what having Luke as an apprentice will do to that, and plus, Luke could well
be evil through and through.
Anyway, I'm interested in hearing what all of you have to think about this one. Just what was
Obi-Wan and Yoda's plan? How do you think they expected things to play out? Do you think I
should pitch this to LucasArts as the story to a comic? I saw one they did already ...
Infinities: A New Hope, where they ask, "What if Luke failed to blow up the
Death Star" ... so who knows? Write to me, I love getting mail. Really.
And that's all for now, until the next time I write one of my Notes from the Outer Rim!
Discuss this article on our message boards.
(Cap'n Andy has read every NJO book so far. When he's not reading, he's usually playing games, messing around on his computer, or roleplaying. And he's seriously stoked about Galaxies coming out soon.)