Anakin and Luke Skywalker--Heroes of Their Time

Originally posted on July 31, 2006

This entry is dedicated to the *HEROES* of the SW saga...Anakin and Luke Skywalker. In a way, I guess you could say "like Father like Son" in this respect. They were both considered to be the heroes of their time...Anakin during the time of the Old Republic, and Luke during the time of the Empire and beyond. They shared the desire not only to help others in need, but also to save them. 

Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One and the Hero Without Fear

As we all know, Anakin was considered the "Chosen One," brought forth to bring balance to the Force in a time of need. He was discovered at the age of nine by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Qui-Gon helped to free Anakin from a life of slavery and took him to the Jedi Council, requesting that he be trained as a Jedi. There was much discussion among the members of the Council on whether Anakin would be trained...in the end, it was decided that Obi-Wan Kenobi would train Anakin. During the Clone Wars, Anakin went from being a Jedi Padawan to a Jedi Knight, fighting side by side with his mentor Obi-Wan. Throughout the Galaxy, Anakin became known as the *Hero Without Fear* for his "courageous" acts in battles against the Separatists. However, at the close of the Clone Wars, Anakin's personal fears got the better him, and he turned to the Dark Side, becoming Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith.   Over twenty years later, when his son appeared in his life, Anakin was able to fulfill the Prophecy that was his destiny from the day he was born. In doing so, he destroyed the Sith and once again brought balance to the Force.

Throughout his life, Anakin wanted to save those closest to him...from his mother, Shmi, to his wife Padme', even to his son, Luke. When he could not save the two women most important to him, he saw no hope, and lived his life in "isolation" as a Sith Lord. It took the one act of love displayed by his son to save him from himself...something nobody could do years before no matter how hard they tried.

Luke Skywalker, the Son of Anakin and a Hero in His Own Right

As we all know, Luke was called "The Son of Skywalker" by Palpatine in ESB. However, Luke knew little of his father, as he was raised on Tatooine by his Aunt and Uncle, Anakin's step-brother and his wife. What Luke "knew" of his father was that he was a pilot on a spice freighter and that he had died. Little did he know that his father was Anakin Skywalker, the "Chosen One," Jedi Knight turned Sith, and the most feared man in the galaxy. Luke inherited Anakin's Force abilities...abilities Luke probably could not explain until he met Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi. After much persuasion by Obi-Wan and following the death of his aunt and uncle, Luke decided to accompany "old Ben" on his way to Alderran and to learn the ways of the Force, to become a Jedi, *like my father.* Luke instantly became a hero with the Rebel Alliance by helping to rescue Leia and by destroying the Death Star. Once he learned the truth about his father, he took it upon himself to save him...to bring him back to the Light Side. He was willing to give his life to save Anakin, he knew there was still good in him just as Padme' did before she died (that is another entry).

During the few years of his training, Luke became a powerful leader in the Rebel Alliance and became a powerful Jedi Knight...things I am sure would make both Padme' and Anakin proud. He was faced with not knowing anything about his parents, his family, his place in the galaxy. Then, one day, his world was turned upside down, and he learned the truth about his father (not so much about his mother), his sister, his place in the galaxy. He was given the task of forming a New Jedi Order without really any guidance from the Old Order and with trying to help maintain peace in the galaxy (I have not read any EU regarding Luke and the events after ROTJ, so I am going on what I have read in others' blogs with this).

To me, both Anakin and Luke were heroes...they both accomplished what they were sent to do, however round about that may have been. Now...who would you say was the hero--Anakin or Luke or both? Thoughts...anyone?

May The Force Be With You