"I'm your father" -- Not
One thing I’ve loved about this book for years is its unequivocal statement on the matter of Luke’s father/Darth Vader; to wit, that they were two different people. Wit, for Lucas, ended the moment he decided to change this dynamic and turn Vader into Luke’s father (and, god help us, Leia into his sister). So it was with mixed emotions that I learned — only when writing my review — that Lucas didn’t actually write the book. I wasn’t happy for whatever ammunition that might give the poor, misguided souls who bought into Lucas’ soap opera shenanigans. Oh, I think the film is statement enough: only if Ben Kenobi lied to Luke could it be otherwise, and I don’t believe Ben would lie (nor do I see any evidence in the movie to support the notion that he would). Still, it was nice having the book to back this up, where Lucas (no, damn it, Foster) states plainly that “unlike Owen Lars,” Luke’s uncle, Ben “was unable to take refuge in a comfortable lie.”
One thing I’ve loved about this book for years is its unequivocal statement on the matter of Luke’s father/Darth Vader; to wit, that they were two different people. Wit, for Lucas, ended the moment he decided to change this dynamic and turn Vader into Luke’s father (and, god help us, Leia into his sister). So it was with mixed emotions that I learned — only when writing my review — that Lucas didn’t actually write the book. I wasn’t happy for whatever ammunition that might give the poor, misguided souls who bought into Lucas’ soap opera shenanigans. Oh, I think the film is statement enough: only if Ben Kenobi lied to Luke could it be otherwise, and I don’t believe Ben would lie (nor do I see any evidence in the movie to support the notion that he would). Still, it was nice having the book to back this up, where Lucas (no, damn it, Foster) states plainly that “unlike Owen Lars,” Luke’s uncle, Ben “was unable to take refuge in a comfortable lie.”