How could Luke NOT know Vader's identity?

[Mr. JabbaJohnL]

Or, did no one know that Anakin was Vader aside from Obi-Wan and Yoda? Did the Holonet just report that Anakin was killed in the Clone Wars or Order 66?

I'd have to think that Luke would have at least done a little research on his father, I mean, I bet that he did at least once in the 22 years before he learned the truth. At the very least, he should've known that his old man was a Jedi, the most famous one of all? And shouldn't he have realized that Ben Kenobi was Anakin's partner-in-crime, Obi-Wan?

Or did the Empire basically squash every mention of famous Jedi out of the archives?

What's the deal?

[Rocketboy]

Luke tried to research it once, but Owen was cheap and would only pay for dial up internet. Luke became easily frustrated, whined for an hour, then went to the Toshi station to pick up some power converters (or so he told Owen). ;)





No, I have no real answer, but I couldn't resist.

[Darth Jax]

to the victor go the spoils, as well as the chances to rewrite the history books. the jedi are mistrusted by supposedly mistrusted by many by the times of the great purge. afterward who's going to try and change the lies spread by palpy about them. by the time luke would go looking for info on his father, it's unlikely he'd find anything about him.

the only ones that know anakin survived the assault on the temple are the droids, padme (dead), obi and yoda (in secret exile), his legion and bail. why would bail break a secret bestowed by jedi when it would mean endangering his own life. the legions are brainwashed clones bred to be unswervingly loyal to palpy, so unless he orders it they'll keep the secret.

if you believe in EU then it's even more obvious why luke doesn't know vader is his father as all mention of jedi heroics from the clone wars are purged and the valiant parts given to imperial officers/clones instead of the jedi. it was in a recent edition of the comics (Empire).

that's my excuses for lucas. personally i find it hard to believe as well that nobody was able to put together vaders identity beyond yoda, ben and palpy.

[JimJamBonds]

I don't think all that many people knew and if they did they wouldn't be saying "Hey buy the way you know your old man? Well he's Vader!" Also Luke hadn't heard of Obi-Wan Kenobi until Leia says the name via the message in R2, at that he wondered if she meant 'old Ben.' Ben also tells Luke that his dad was a Jedi but Vader killed him and if we want to count the movie novels then some pilot tells Luke before going up in his Xwing that he knew Lukes dad.

So long story short there are a few bits of info out there but I don't think anybody is going to be saying all that much. *cough*Obi*cough*

[2-1B]

John I started a similar thread this summer and offered as my opinion that Anakin Skywalker was officially KIA:

"The question came across my mind, Who all knows that Anakin became Vader ? Specifically, who among the Imperial ranks is aware ?

I say nobody knows, only Palps.

In ROTS Padme is watching the action at the Temple when Threepio comes to her and says that the chancellor's office said Anakin had returned to the Jedi Temple. The same Temple where many Jedi were killed. Of course, Anakin did leave there and head to Mustafar as the pre-suited Vader BUT the only people to encounter him and see what he looked like were corpses in a matter of short time.

Therefore, it is my theory that nobody really knows that Vader was Anakin (except for maybe a few clones that helped him into that capsule ?). Anyway, I don't even think that Tarkin necessarily knows, other than Vader is Palpatine's new employee.

As a matter of record, I think it would be noted that Anakin was killed during the raid on the Temple."

http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?t=29324

[X13VADER]

Also The Republic Does Not Exist On Tatooine At The Time. So The People Might Not Of Ever Heard About Jedi Heros.at The Time Of The Empire They Really Expanded The Empire For Evryone To Hate It.according To Luke At Least.he Is On A Backward Planet Away From Everything.

[El Chuxter]

But the Empire does exist on Tatooine by the time of ANH. And if you buy into EU, the Empire has taken hold there within a few months of ROTS, as "Ben" is already noticing Stormtroopers.

[JimJamBonds]

Therefore, it is my theory that nobody really knows that Vader was Anakin (except for maybe a few clones that helped him into that capsule ?). Anyway, I don't even think that Tarkin necessarily knows, other than Vader is Palpatine's new employee.

What about your boy Deuce Uno Beta?

[2-1B]

The Deuce doesn't know who the slab of meat on his table was before his traumatic injuries and even if he did, he can keep a secret. ;)

[El Chuxter]

Never doubt the Deuce. He devoted his life to truth and justice when he learned what the Vader he'd built did to cute fuzzy bunnies on hundreds of Outer Rim worlds.

[The 'Xir]

Yeah this is just another crazy thing we gotta put up with, with this crud story we got handed, so I think we are to assume that Owen and Berus' sheltering of Luke from the truth is why this naive kid has gone without for so long! Weak, but I guess it's enough. :rolleyes:

[JEDIpartner]

I figured he was so busy whining and pouting about this and that the whole time he was growing up that he missed the passing reference.