25 Greatest Characters in Star Wars History
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7. Luke Skywalker
(Write-up by Elaine Tveit, Dork Side of the Force Assistant Editor)
He began as a wanderlust youth with a thirst for adventure and excitement. What he was destined for was something much greater: to mark the return of peace and order to the galaxy by becoming a Jedi Knight.
Skywalker’s origins may have been that of a backwater desert planet, but his boldness and connection to the Force soon launched him on a path to the adventure he craved. Embarking on a whirlwind adventure with the mysterious hermit Jedi, Obi Wan Kenobi, he quickly becomes embroiled in the war between the tyrannous Empire and the freedom-fighting Rebel Alliance. His rescue of Alliance confederate Princess Leia and the destruction of the Death Star gain him fame and glory.
But like all heroes on their hero’s journey, Luke must experience much pain and suffering to reach his true destiny. Under the tutelage of aged Jedi Master Yoda, Luke becomes more and more attuned to the Light Side of the Force. His test, however, comes from the Dark Side and Darth Vader, the Sith Lord who enforces the rule of the Emperor with his own evil talents. The secret Vader holds is even more dangerous: the secret that Luke is Vader’s own son.
In coming to accept this burden of his heritage, Luke is filled with renewed hope and patience. He becomes determined to redeem his father from the clutches of his master, the Emperor, and the Dark Side. To do that, he must leave his friends behind and face the evil of the Emperor and his wayward father alone. In so doing, he conquers his own inner demons…as well as those of Darth Vader, who through his son’s innate light and goodness returns to his former self: Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight.
Luke Skywalker embodies the concepts of kindness and the belief in redemption against all odds that evil presents. His journey is one that is timeless, and that is what earns him a place as a top Star Wars character.
Next: He's a card player, gambler, scoundrel. You'd like him