Author Topic: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?  (Read 5442 times)

Offline JoshEEE

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How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« on: May 30, 2003, 05:42 PM »
I can't remember if this is explained somewhere in the EU, but a friend and I are talking about this, and we can't figure it out.

Vader is setting a trap on Bespin for the young Skywalker, and he must not become a Jedi and all......but they don't actually MEET until the duel at Bespin.

He sees him on the Death Star, and he recognizes that Luke has the force during the trench runs....but he never actually meets him, or hears his name as far as I know in the movieline before Bespin.

Anyone?  Is This EU stuff?
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Offline Snively Bandar

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2003, 05:59 PM »
My guess is that Palpatine knew or figured out who Luke was (or that he at least existed) and kept Vader informed, thus the "the son of Skywalker must not be allowed to become a Jedi" line in ESB.

Perhaps the Emperor somehow figured it out after the Death Star was blown up (put 2 and 2 together).  I wouldn't figure he'd have known all along, but with his powers, perhaps he did.  Maybe they just couldn't actually figure out where Anakin's son was hidden, but always knew of him (even though he was "hidden").  Vader never really says anything specifically that he did NOT know that Luke existed.

Who knows?  Interesting though.  Couldn't say anything in regards to whether it's covered in the EU or not - don't read too much of that stuff myself.

Offline JoshEEE

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2003, 06:50 PM »
My girlfriend had this to say:


In ANH during the trench scene.  Remember when Vader was behind him and
sensed that the force was strong with this one?  Fast forward to ESB in the
opening crawl it states that Vader has become obsessed with finding
Skywalker.  
 
I don't remember if anything EU was said about how he found out the name of
that pilot that was strong with the force.  However I'm sure it couldn't
have been too hard.  He was, after all credited with destroying the death
star.  I'm sure he became a hero and a legend.  The empire has military
intelligence after all I'm sure it wouldn't take much digging.
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Offline Muftak

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2003, 06:51 PM »
I remember there was a comic called "Vader's Quest" wherein the quest was to find out who blew up the Death Star: in the end he hears Luke's name for the first time. That's the EU answer for that.

As to recognizing him on Bespin, I think he could "feel" him in the Force.

Offline Snively Bandar

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2003, 07:02 PM »
Smart lady you got there JoshEEE!  I think you and Muftak covered it in these last two posts.  That makes the most sense anyways.

I'm sure Luke's notoriety spiked after polishing off the Empire's ultimate weapon.  Probably wasn't terribly difficult for the Imperial Spies to put their ears to the walls and find out who done it!

I suppose an even better question is:

Why the hell didn't someone change poor Luke's last name somewhere along the line?  Wouldn't Obi-Wan or Yoda have thought that might be a good idea to better conceal his identity and keep him hidden and safe from his nasty Pops?

I think I've seen this question discussed before, and it usually goes something like:  Well, the name Skywalker must be the equivalent to "Smith" or "Jones" on Tattooine, or something to that effect.  Well, I ain't buying it!  Either Ben and Yoda were way stupid, or they almost wanted Luke to be found out eventually.  Perhaps due to him having some kind of date with his family's destiny?

Offline Muftak

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2003, 07:18 PM »
Yeah, Snively, I think you're right about Luke's "date with destiny:" I think Obi-Wan decided Luke was the only weapon left to undo Vader, (whether by turning him back or out-and-out killing him) and that's why the Skywalker name remained intact.

Otherwise, it would have been too easy to change it to "Luke Lars" or whatever. Luke remained a Skywalker as a goad and challenge to Vader.

(And I don't think Yoda was in on Ben's plan, myself--he seems far too reluctant to train Luke.)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #6 on: June 2, 2003, 06:04 PM »
I've always felt that Vader learns of Luke through Luke's own exploits.

During the years after ANH, it's likely that within the Alliance, Luke is a hero obviously.  Luke's exploits I'm sure got back to Vader through Imperial Intelligence, or simple word of Mouth.  

While maybe nobody else knew of Vader's last name, Vader would know Luke's name immediately (As would Palpatine, and maybe a handfull of others like Tarkin had he survived).  The rest of the galaxy would just think of Luke as a hick kid who has proven himself on the field of battle.

The other story's taking place "behind the scenes", probably even behind Luke's closest friends own backs (Remember, Leia even seems to not understand why Luke leaves on Endor, and Han seems to be 100% clueless till Leia tells him that Luke's her brother).

Vader and the Emperor know though, as do Obi and Yoda...  After Tarkin's death (And maybe even before, but he did know who Obi-Wan was, quite well, and he does refer to Vader as "friend" leading one to believe he knows his past) that seems to be it.
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Offline MisterPL

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #7 on: June 3, 2003, 10:17 AM »
This is one of the burning questions Lucas will address when he releases the entire Saga on DVD. ILM will digitally insert a badge on Luke's costumes that reads, "Hello! My name is Luke!"
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Offline dustrho

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #8 on: June 3, 2003, 11:27 AM »
ILM will digitally insert a badge on Luke's costumes that reads, "Hello! My name is Luke!"

That's hilarious!  
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Offline Angry Ewok

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #9 on: June 3, 2003, 02:29 PM »
I always thought that since the Emperor calls Luke the "son of Skywalker", Vader knew Luke's name immediately because when he was Anakin, he must have wanted his son to be named Luke.

Offline Darth Broem

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #10 on: June 5, 2003, 02:41 PM »
Lucas had to have the Emperor say "Son of Skywalker" so that the audience would not know until the end that Vader is Luke's  father. We can't have a line like "Your son Luke must not become a Jedi.  Right Anakin?"  

Word probably got out that this young pilot named Luke Skywalker, from Tatooine no less, destroyed the Empire's super weapon and snickered about it a bit.   People in the know blabbed it to everyone they knew.  Soon it's all over the galaxy.  Kind of how news spreads in a small town.  Soon everybody knows.  Too big of  a secret to keep quiet.

Yes, it would have been better to change Luke's last name to something like Wunkerbunk.  Owen could go around and say "This is my boy Luke Wunkerbunk.  Ain't no one going to call him Skywalker.  Got it?  Right?  Good!"  Of course then kids may have started teasing him and calling him "Luke Skywalker"  just to tick off Owen and the name stuck.  Just think, we could have had action figures that read "Luke Wunkerbunk"  that would have been bad.

Offline JoshEEE

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #11 on: June 5, 2003, 03:23 PM »
So it sounds like the popular opinion goes with what my girlfriend said, and Luke was well known throughout the galaxy after blowing up the Death Star. I suppose it's not much of a stretch....we all know who Osama is, and he just blue up two buildings. Luke and HIS terrorist group blew up a whole moon-sized Base.


Of course, according to all the "New" mythology, it doesn't really matter WHAT his last name was. It's his blood type that counts.

Wouldn't they have him do a blood test when he tried to join the Rebellion (Standard military procedures) and figure out he had a ton of those stupid midichlorians and MUST be the son of Anakin?

I bet the empire could have found out that way too.  :)

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Offline Muftak

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #12 on: June 5, 2003, 04:18 PM »
Well, just imagine if Owen had let Luke "transmit his application to the Academy." I wonder if Vader would review the names of the new applicants?

Once again, I think the idea to not hide Luke's identity could have blown up in Obi-Wan's face. (Say, right about the time the Imperial Fleet showed up to collect Vader Jr.)

Offline Angry Ewok

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #13 on: June 5, 2003, 08:40 PM »
Whose to say the name Skywalker isn't any more common than, say, Williams or Smith or Chin? I'm sure Vader wouldn't read too many applicant's papers until after they've proven themself worthy of being in his special squadrons.

Offline Muftak

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Re: How does Vader know who "Luke" is?
« Reply #14 on: June 6, 2003, 11:26 AM »
Whose to say the name Skywalker isn't any more common than, say, Williams or Smith or Chin?

Hmmmmm...what about Yoda's dying words: "There is another Sky...walk...errrrrrrrrr**"?

If it was the most common name in the galaxy, wouldn't Luke's response have been, "Of course there is. There's old Greedo Skywalker, and Boba Skywalker, and Deak Skywalker, and that's just from Kindergarden!" instead of, "Gosh, that must mean I have a relative!"

And as far as Luke's application, even giving you the possibility that Skywalker is a common name, definitely the return address "Luke Skywalker, Lars Farm, Tatooine" would raise a few red flags Vader would notice.