Does Luke Skywalker Have an Arc? 

Wow, 30 years passed, you showed me there are more layers underneath the story that everyone knows by heart. This video deserves a million views to say the least.

I think there’s a fourth reading as well. Luke has been told by both the dead Jedi and the Emperor that he must kill his father. In throwing away his weapon, Luke rejects the choice altogether-and the entire struggle against the Empire. He rejects the notion that he must choose between one or the other. He chooses to stick to his principles, knowing full well it will kill him. He makes the statement that winning isn’t enough-it’s how we win that matters more.

"Life in slow motion is torture when you're a farmer" as a former gifted elementary schooler, that hit so hard

The trench run is borrowed from The Dam Busters. It still works extremely well in SW since it’s full of tension and George made it personal for the main character, which is of course the point of this video. Star Wars is full of this borrowing from the history of cinema to serve the creation of something greater than what came before. A man stood on the shoulders of giants and became a Titan among titans in an era of truly great filmmakers. Lucas, Spielberg, Kubrick, Coppola, and many more changed cinema and our lives in those years, and that energy, ingenuity and imagination is sorely missed today. All we get now are tired old men and tired old franchises waiting to die.

This was one of the most spiritually powerful and deeply moving things I have ever watched. I nearly cried and I don't cry. This changed me on a fundamental and deep level. This was a religious experience. Return of the jedi has always been my favorite movie, and it is even more my favorite movie now after watching this.

Holy shit. Even just your reading of Luke's arc in Episode 4 dealing with time is the most original thought about these movies I've heard in years

God I love the phycology and subtle themes at play in Star Wars 🎉

I see a lot of comments like this on a lot of videos from smaller creators, but you really deserve more subscribers. This is absolutely great. A lot of video essays from smaller creators suffer from low production value, but more so, they present ideas that are something of a logical stretch. They also tend to feel disjointed and lack any kind of introduction, development, or conclusion. Your video avoids all of these issues, provides insight into a topic that I was curious about, and has a satisfying conclusion. Truly million-sub-level quality.

Your analysis and use of William's music sucked me in so well that the first five minutes felt like the full runtime. Your uploads are masterful, I'm glad I stumbled upon your account.

"quit smoking or people die." As a guy trying to quit smoking, my apologies to Alderaan.

I noticed the physical characteristics and personality traits that Luke and Leia inherited from Anakin and Padme. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Luke has Padme's facial structure and nose with Anakin's coloring and chin. Leia has Anakin's facial structure and nose with Padme's coloring and chin. PERSONALITY TRAITS: Luke's mixture of traits from his parents seems less stable, and a lot more internally contradictory. He inherited his patience, compassion, and idealism from his mother and his impatience, passion, and depressive tendencies from his father. Leia's mixture of traits from her parents meshes fairly well, producing a very functional individual with some significant flaws. She inherited her focus, political acumen, persistence, and self-sacrifice from her mother and her temper, impatience, and ambition from her father.

Youre gonna have a huge sub count one day if you keep this up

This is by far the most wonderfully in-depth look I've seen into Luke's character progression in the original trilogy. In fact, I'd argue it's the best on RU-vid. Breaking it down into the metaphysical talking points, relating back to Oedipus Rex, and the Apollonian/Dionysian relations between Jabba and Palpatine, for examples, look far deeper than what many of us could have noticed, and have such beautifully nuanced talking points spread throughout this video without meandering and going off-point or taking anything away from the crux of your talking points about Luke's arc. I audibly gasped in agreement a few times during this video, those moments of "...I never thought about it like this. I don't know if I ever could have", and those realisations, of those comparisons, of those arcs, struck me like a eureka discovery. As someone else pointed out, this video is spiritually powerful. Immensely so. By the end of this video, you completely opened up a new perspective for me on viewing Luke's arc throughout the original trilogy. To have brought together all these points, coalesced magnificently into a sub-20 minute video, deserves nothing short of millions of views and many, many more subs. Next to The Philosophy of Kreia, this is now easily my favourite Star Wars video on RU-vid. I am awe-struck, and honestly a bit emotional. Brilliant video. Subbed.

Absolutely love your insight on the point of Jedi training, spirituality in general and how it all relates back to alchemy and even life science: not to replace your flaw with your boon, but to turn your flaw into your boon. To practice continuous, if not constant harmony with oneself. You also do well to note that both dynamics become an alchemic process and cycle in themselves.

I would say he has riffs more than one solid arc, which is exactly what you need for a trilogy.

How does this not have more views? Great video!

hard to find actually thoughtful and unique analysis on youtube. good work :)

This video has given me a deeper understanding and connection with Luke. Love your content, thank you for this.

It's always fun to see patterns, lessons, and stories where none were intended. It really is a testament to the writers, director, and crew that they made something that can have new meaning even 46 years later.

I watch Star Wars and Star Wars related content my hole life and I'm alway surprised there are perspectives on the story I never considered. Great video.

Luke was only character in the entire franchise capable of actually calling Palpatine's bluff.

God damn bro, I watched the Anakin video before this one and just assumed you had at least 100k subscribers due to the thought provoking complexity of both videos. Needless to say both videos are extremely well done and thought out, superb job. Especially as a devout star wars fan, you pointed out layers to the story I previously hadn't realized.

Love the parallel on the usage of targeting system. Luke learns to trust his intuition whereas Vader relies on the machinery further explaining how far Vader have gone from the very intuitive Anakin to absolute deprivation of trusting his instincts aka becoming a machine. And to add even more layer, that very focus on the targeting system exposes Vader to Han to take him out hence speaking volumes of Vaders lost capability to even take on account that someone would have a friend to have their back (something Vader struggled with even when he was Anakin)

I love your analyses! I am a published, Swedish fantasy author, and using dialectics and the balance between opposites have helped me with writing great character archs. I'm glad you're making this more known through Star Wars. It brings Lucas' geniousness to the forefront, after all the criticissm, showing why the pt is better than the st. Well done!

this is one of the best videos on star wars i’ve ever seen. I hope your proud brother!

Awwww, I'm sad that it ends so quickly. I was honestly hoping you'd go into detail about Luke's arc in the sequels and how his complacency in maintaining inner balance caused everything around him to fall yet again.

Now this is quality content

the fact that your channel isn’t big should be a crime.

Everybody knows luke conquering vader is his moment of reaching equilibrium and finding balance within himself something yoda couldn’t do but you said it in a way that was more interesting compelling and different. That third conclusion i feel like was the best definition of Luke’s character arc that some fans who study sw know of & some fans who watch casually for the cool fights don’t. This video xplains it in a way you can catch it either by watching it casually or studying it

Very nice analysis!!! Seriously, well done! A good story always has many layers to it, and obviously deeper themes!

Wow man speechless that was one of the best Star wars videos i seen hands down🔥💪🏼🙌🏼🤩

Brilliant video! 40+ years later and yet you’ve managed to bring a fresh, nuanced interpretation of Luke’s arc in a way that makes me want to rewatch the OT just to relive it. Love the foreshadowing for you next video at the very end, which I thoroughly enjoyed as well and was actually the first video recommended to me on your channel.

You’re so talented!!? This is incredible!! I love you!!

How the hell are you only at 400 subs? The quality here is freakin incredible! Very interesting video essay about a topic I find interesting, with no points that are really boring or hard to watch. You, fine sir, have gained my sub, and here's hoping you gain many, many more

“The moment he wins is not when he kills the bad guy, it’s when he recognizes himself in the bad guy.” Brilliant man😢😊

3:59min "Let go of everything you fear to lose!"

I thought there was nothing else to say about Star Wars but Ive never thought about Luke’s character like this

For half of the year Apollo would reside at Delphi and the other half of the year Dionysus would reside at Delphi Just thought that was worth mentioning

Yeah dude, WOW. This has really made me look at this in a whole new light. In life in general as well. Do you think these concepts were thought out before hand or "a universal story" that can't help but be played out in our lives and in the art we create. I love the deep thought. Great video, I'm subbing. Balance.... Mr Miyagi was right.

Episode 1-6 has such great characters even in the parts of bad dialogue in the prequels and originals

Thank you for making this and your other videos ❤

Just subscribed , you definitely deserve way more views and subs

Luke’s soul = world soul

This guy nails it

It’s fuckin crazy you aren’t getting the views you deserve. Amazing bro

Great video man. ✊️

I didn't even realise the way I read likes victory over vader as the 3rd option you put forward I always read it as he recognised vader inside of himself and unlike anikan he was able to fully accept that he has a dark side and doesn't decides to not let that darkness control him but for him to control that darkness which is what anakin tried and failed to do himself

Man, I love your videos. Thank you!

Great vids. We will be watching your career with great interest

this video brought me to tears

And this is why the Disney sequels failed so miserably. They are devoid of meaning and complexity. And heart. An awesome trip. Thank you.

Body, soul and intellect (nous) is a view of man that is distinctly Christian throughout history primarily in Eastern Christianity of course as the west philosophically collapsed the intellect and soul into each other scholastically speaking.

this was fantastic.

After watching the end of Empire Strikes back, we’ve realized that you are wrong about Luke achieving “exactly nothing” at Bespin. He achieves exactly ONE thing that saves everyone multiple times over: He brings R2 with him. R2 saves Leia and co when fleeing and then saves everyone by fixing the hyper drive at the end when they realize Lando’s people still didn’t fix it. Without him, they’d’ve been unable to jump and been caught again. R2 is the true hero of Empire strikes back. Thanks for bringing him, Luke!

This is a masterpiece

13:34 there’s a difference though. All the other people Luke killed were actively fighting him, and he killed them in self defense. Darth Vader in that moment was disarmed, and defeated. If Luke killed Vader then, he would be killing for no reason other than vengeful anger, which can be considered morally different then killing in self defense, which he needed to do.

I could cry, so good are your analysis videos on Star Wars (I-VI)!!! Please, keep exploring the Star Wars movies and then sharing with us your knowledge! Thank you!!! I subscribed!

15:35 This is why Luke training the Jedi the exact same way as yoda and Obi Wan did again; the exact same mistakes, is so frustrating in the sequel trilogy/mandalorian. As dumb as the EU was (and beleive me, i absolutely DESPISE a lot of the EU), this was the one thing they understood very well; Luke's Jedi Order would've been a significantly different order since it was led by someone who's conception of the Force and the balance within was very different than most of the Jedi of the past (Qui Gon being a possible exception) And there could've been a very interesting conflict about people obsessed with the scales of balance of the Force vs the balance within; the connection to the cosmic force vs the Living force; but that would imply Disney would think about consequences.

If he killed Vader, he wouldn’t just be killing his father, he would be just like him, living in his own shadow, his own darkness, and the Sith would live on in him. He had to use love in order to win not by killing, but by sacrificing himself to save his fqtehr

Damn, that is great thought material! Awesome vid 👌

Very good review!

I have always thought that what you've described as the "Jungian Reading" is the story of Star Wars and the sequel trilogy's largest misstep. The Jedi have strayed too far from the center, toward the "Light Side," that they become careless and corrupt. Too blinded by their ways to see the evil that's already won. They continue to be blind, refusing to train Luke initially, lying to him, giving him advice that he can't follow, telling him to ignore his emotions, and ultimately, failing him. It isn't until Luke defeats the Sith by using his emotions- most of all love, which the Jedi forbid- that the balance is restored. This is getting into Prequel territory, and I am about to watch your Anakin video so I apologize if you address this there, but Anakin is another example of their failure. The Jedi's cold lack of feelings makes them okay with abandoning extremely force-sensitive children to be slaves in the outer rim because they understand that a child has attachment and love by the age of ten. Qui-Gon, a character that recognizes and uses his emotions to better the galaxy, resents this, and is against the order; it is not an original opinion of mine that Anakin may have received the parental treatment he needed if Qui-Gon had lived. Obi-Wan did his best to follow in the ways of the order (their differing viewpoints on this are shown in the very beginning of Episode 1), and raised Anakin- and briefly Luke- in the way he thought he should, not in the way he was. Obi-Wan became one of the greatest Jedi of all time. Anakin became their greatest failure. But it was Luke that saved the Galaxy.

You make surprisingly good content for someone so new to the field. Almost made me think the prequels were good with that Anakin ark video.

This mindset is alluded to by apollo in rocky 4, the champion throughout the ages who exists for the challenge and when the time comes...goes into 'the zone'of confidence,control,to make the killer blow.

What you said in the first two minutes can be summed up by „Luke is young, his uncle is old, because of that they experience time differently”

You have fantastic analysis of my favorite movies. Subscribing

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Ngl i never got the idea of ROTJ Luke of looking like and being a sith. In fact I'm pretty sure when Luke choked those two guards, the writers weren't thinking "yes this is sith Luke now", im pretty sure they just thought it looked badass.

great job

Damn, it’s safe to say I’m here before this video and channel blows up lmao. 787 subs right now? Bro you’re gonna hit 100k real quick if you keep the quality up 🤘🏽

Where's my arc, Paulie?

i’m too high for this man

Luke had a arc disney just decided other people should have one unfortunately. Luke will forever be my favorite. Hermit luke is not cannon in my opinion. I hope in this new ahsoka series we see his full potential once again

If the pull between the intuitive and the rational is resolved in episode 6, then how do you think Luke's arc/character would have been handled in a sequel trilogy? Or does he just become a perfect, static mentor.

A season in farming is actually a year though

Fantastic!

16:04 master skywalker, theres too many of them, what are we going to do?

People hate the musical number in Jabba’s Palace?

I just realized something but there isn’t gravity when people in starwars are in the fighters. Like stuff should be floating around Lukes Xwing cockpit but it isn’t.

This video helps make RotJ make sense, which is a good thing since it seems so disjointed and odd compared to the rest of the OT. Good job!

👏🏼 all in favor of letting this man cook say aye

Amaziiiing. Please do one about Ashoka Tano.

I dont understand what youre saying at all but it sounds cool

I prefer Christian philosophy (Orthodox in particular) over say Buddhist or jungian philosophy because it harmonizes and disarms dialectics. One becomes free of attachments yet chooses also to sacrifice himself for the sake of others for he knows he has no reward in wealth or influence yet knows he must love others above all else, love your enemies lest you be like them. It also favors balance being achieved by purgation of evil, not using the correct amount of evil to keep the good in check.

how do you have under 300 subs?

That X shaped chart is great. It's especially good if you're trying to write characters in terms of establishing both their conflicts and how they resolve it Is that a chart you found or did you make it yourself?

You know who had an arc? Noah

You nailed it! And THIS is why Star Wars was great. It had a story and characters that we could understand. Now?...........sigh....

Do you think it would be possible to continue a character arc past the synthesis stage?

Can you do a part 2 with The last Jedi?

Even though I disagree that any superpower was meant to the point. Luke struggle Is with the medane Hero’s aren’t the ones that run in and save the day It was the 10,000 hours put into mastering anything The hero is the one that can make the shot through focus and above all skill. Luke needs to trust his ability to hit womprats But ur take that Luke is a flawed character is more keen to the truth. It makes legends read like fan fiction. It makes George’s treatment of Luke being self exiled make complete sense. It makes way more sense then yoda exile himself after almost single handedly defeating palpatine. Yoda keeps his hands!!!! To the uninitiated You’re so hilarious. I don’t comment on these most of the time bc they are usually so off on what’s really going on. The fact that Luke is still staring at the horizon after the empire is defeated. This means that it wasn’t adventure or evil that causes Luke’s internal flaw. It’s hubris itself Luke believes he’s special and is meant for greatness but there is no greatness that will satisfy this fundamental insecurity which comes from a lack of purpose …. From a lack of a father Same insecurity born in the virgin birth savior anakin

My main reason for hating the musical number in the Jabba scene is how they change it for the special editions.

The moralist reading isn't that killing = bad, it's that killing a disarmed opponent in anger is inherently immoral, an extension of christian concepts of radical empathy

I've never liked rotj that much, there are many reasons others more knowledgeable than me have said before. Luke Skywalker has always been my biggest issue with the last movie, and most of his appearances afterwards. And its not that i dont like what he does, his actions always make sense, SW in general has a really good story that gets shrouded by the block buster nature. Luke feels like a different character in episode 6, his actions stay the same but his personality feels cold and distant to me, which is a massive turn off when hes so full of life in the other movies. And hes stuck like this for the rest of the sw canon, always boring and static. Its why i actually like the last jedi, luke gets to have some fun. And this isnt a hard fix, as i said everything he does lines up, just the way he does it is uninteresting. The mandalorian, battlefront 2, and stuff like them have shown me this the most, when luke reappears and is super stoic. He picks up grogu like hes just a thing, where every other character treats him like the child that he is. Make luke smile, have him bounce grogu a little bit, remind me that luke is human. And to me he shouldnt be this perfect jedi, the jedi were flawed and the prequels show this better than anyone. The force is light and dark, there is no good or bad side. To find balance is to use both sides if the force without falling into either. Luke is the perfect character for this, and i think some legends stories do something like it. Darth vader was spurred by the jedis unwillingness to give into emotion, and the sith only are evil because they give into their emotions. Yoda thought anakin was to old and then luke comes in a full fledged adult and saves the galaxy. He's been as brash and angry as hees been calm and collected. He can make an order that avoids the problems the jedi and sith have fallen into.

I think Luke is such an interesting and amazing character that George Lucas spent so much time building and developing only for the sequels to ruin that development and character with poor writing

I paused the video at the 0:01 mark solely to comment. Of course he has an arc, douche. It’s called The Hero’s Journey. Granted, that arc requires Empire and RotJ to complete it. Although, if ANH had been a one-off, Luke still demonstrates growth just in that film alone.

The creation of Star Wars doesn't lead to a lot of your conclusions. Lucas didn't know about Leia being Luke's sister when he wrote the first film, but he did know about the Dam Busters, where British pilots landed an impossible bomb to destroy a German dam in WW2. The Death Star Trench came about because of a seam on the mold used to create the model. The idea that this whole trench run is some ingeniously designed test of patience just doesn't hold water. And especially, I think it takes more than the touch of a button to land the shot.

You give George Lucas waaaay too much credit. His wife was the editor for this movie, and made some significant changes to the original script for Star Wars (before it was a new hope), at the time of filming, and post production. She helped ground his vision, as, George needed a LOT of help with this movie. If you disagree, then I use the prequal series as evidence. Where he was left to his own devices, and even admitted, at the private viewing, at Skywalker ranch, that he had went too far, and it was too late to make changes. He even went back and ruined his own original trilogy, by stick horrendous CGI inserts, into every frame. CGI that does not age well by today's standards. Phil Tippet should have been involved, as his expertise in movies like Star Ship Troopers, and Jurassic Park, has aged superbly, and I challenge anyone to watch that movie's today, on a 4K release, to say that the CGI modelling does not hold up nearly 35 years later. Peace out fellow nerds, and may the force be with you always.

Well... its about a thousand times better than any of the trash disney created!

@josh_from_xboxlive i got into Jordan Peterson lectures in the past year and the way he breaks down the bible and references psychologists reminds me a lot of how you’ve been breaking down Star Wars. Idk if you’re a fan of his, but if not I’d bet you dig it. Ive also watched an ungodly amount of Star Wars film critiques and I have to say this one is very refreshing and distinct. Thank you!