A Study of Character: Luke Skywalker

   The Star Wars movies have been a big part of my life since I was very young. Like all excellent fathers, my dad introduced them to me when I was about six. It’s just about the perfect age to experience Star Wars.

   At six years old, Darth Vader is just scary enough, space is more than sufficiently mysterious, and lightsabers and x-wings become talismans of adventure for the rest of your life.

   I am writing this series, “A Study of Character,” to show how we can find applicable wisdom for real life in fiction. Specifically by examining the stories of characters that we love. For the first in the series, I of course chose Star Wars!

   I think the very moment in Star Wars when Luke Skywalker looks out at Tatooine’s twin suns, with the iconic musical score blaring about, is the moment that most young viewers begin to identify with the protagonist.

   In Luke we see a young, spirited, (moderately whiney) teenager who desperately wants adventure and to serve a greater purpose out of life. If you haven’t felt like that at least once a month since you were fifteen, you’re delirious, or a Christian, billionaire, crime-fighting vigilante, and philanthropist UNICEF ambassador.

(In which case I’d like to borrow some cash)

   We all find ourselves sympathizing and identifying with characters that want more out of life, because that is our own great desire. So lets take a quick look at Luke’s character and learn why we really admire him. We see some significant changes in him as the trilogy progresses.

   At the end of “A New Hope,” we see Luke testing his strength against impossible odds and lethal enemies. He and Han Solo destroy the Death Star, and become heroes of the Rebel Alliance.

   In “The Empire Strikes Back,” Luke has become a commander for the Alliance. He is in the role of a leader, and has risen to the challenge, though there is still much of the exasperated teenager within him.

   This raises an important point. True leadership is beget by true leadership. To leave behind the shortcomings of youth, we have to be led and mentored by a teacher. Under Yoda’s mastery, we see Luke begin to change. He learns his role as a Jedi, and by the end of the movie has the fortitude to reject the lure of the Dark Side, even though it seems the choice will cost him his life.

   From the start of “Return of the Jedi,” we see a noticeable change in Luke. He is now a true Jedi, and has taken to his mission with a firm resolution. Not only is he committed to resisting the Dark Side, but he also chooses to fight to redeem his father against all odds. We see here that doing the right thing is rarely the easy thing.

   The very title of the movie speaks volumes about Luke’s character. “Return of the Jedi.” Luke embodies an ancient and powerful brotherhood being restored. Most importantly it is a brotherhood of men and women, (and aliens) who fight for goodness. This is something nearly everyone wants deep in their being. To belong to, and to fight for a great company of warriors, dedicated to justice and honor.

So what are the biggest lessons we can learn from the character of Luke Skywalker?

·      In our hearts we all long to be an adventurer with a greater purpose to serve.

·      To accomplish this, we need mentors. True wisdom comes almost exclusively from those who have gone before us, and who have fought the good fight far longer than we have.

·      We must to be resolved in fighting for goodness and justice, no matter the sacrifice or difficulty.

   I won’t say more now, as this series is meant to make you look for these truths yourself. I hope you will be inspired to look deeper into your own favorite characters and learn from their journeys. Ask yourself why you love those characters, and what about them do you long to enact in your own day-to-day existence.