That he never went away, he was simply misguided and taken advantage of in a time of dire need.Įven without knowing the truth of his mother, before he even knows Leia is his sister Luke is already thinking there’s a way he can save his father. That Anakin is still there, that Anakin was always still there. When he states that, “ it’s the name of your true self, you’ve only forgotten it,” what he means is that he recognizes what Vader does not, what Obi Wan does not. Luke is convinced that Anakin is still good, still has something just to fight for. Anakin never ceased to exist, because he’s still right there. Vader is his father, and his father is Anakin Skywalker. Luke doesn’t see Vader as somebody separate from Anakin. Calls Obi Wan out on his lie, and even Obi Wan has to confess that what he said of Anakin was only true from “ a certain point of view”.

So, despite Luke needing some time and confirmation from Obi Wan and Yoda that Vader was - is - indeed Anakin, once he does have that he accepts it. Luke is certain of the fact that he must have inherited something from Vader, if they are family, and since he is neither cruel nor selfish - it has to be an inner goodness. And simply because Luke is a good person, as far as that goes, he can’t imagine that there would be nothing good inside of Vader. He’s aware of the cruelty, and the evil this man is responsible for - capable of.Īnd still, he is able to reconcile with the fact that this is his father. How he’s murdered several of their comrades, rebels they’ve been fighting alongside. Luke is well aware of what despicable things Vader has done, is well aware of how Vader has tortured both Han and Leia. He acknowledges that they are next of kin. But as soon as Vader reaches out for him through the Force, he calls him father. When Luke learns the truth - at first denying the revelation of Vader being his father - he is of course overwhelmed. He’s impulsive, dives blindly into saving Leia simply because it’s the right thing to do. Luke, on the other hand, grows up with his aunt and uncle on a faraway, wasteland desert planet. Despite the fact that that is an impossibility. In his mind, he forms the same sort of denial fueled conclusion that Vader himself is trying to validate and maintain - that Anakin was destroyed by Darth Vader another side of him. Because, from the way he sees it to be able to cope that’s what happened. Obi Wan never has for intention of lying to Luke, when he tells him that Vader killed Anakin Skywalker. And he doesn’t want to admit that Anakin could ever be as vile, and as cruel as Vader - despite knowing that indeed, it’s the same boy he trained and grew to love that became the monster behind the mask. The fact that the person Obi Wan had such blind faith in - was so utterly convinced could never turn away from him and what’s right and good - does fall, is too much to bear.īecause Obi Wan feels it’s on his own conscience, that the innocent blood on Vader’s hands is ultimately his fault. Obi Wan knew Anakin as a friend, as a brother - their bond only ever rivaled by Padmé’s in Anakin’s regard. That he failed to see how Anakin was damaged from the getgo, how his past as a slave had formed him into being an insecure, attention seeking, obsessive person. That he feels like he could, and should, have done more to help him. That he failed in his way of training Anakin. And it hurts too much to admit that, even if Obi Wan is constantly aware of the fact that he failed Anakin. Because the truth is that Anakin never died, that he simply evolved in a direction Obi Wan could have never predicted. That’s why he persistently has to tell himself that Vader killed Anakin. Obi Wan had his shortcomings, and he does blame himself for what Anakin eventually became, but he loved Anakin.

Obi Wan knew Anakin at a time where there was no way for either of them to suspect how the future might turn out. That Anakin would never let him down, as he says himself, “ he never has”. That despite his inevitable and uncountable mistakes, Anakin would make up for them. When he was fighting for what they both believed in, and when Obi Wan could be convinced that Anakin would - could - do nothing harmful. When he was, perhaps reckless, but loving. Obi Wan knew Anakin, probably closer than anyone - even Padmé - when he was the hero of the galaxy. He never knew the bright young man, with a promising future, who seemed to be a pure force of chaotic good nature. The key lies not in the fact that Luke is his son, but in the fact that Luke never knew Anakin before he fell. About the difference between how Luke Skywalker sees Anakin Skywalker, and how Obi Wan Kenobi sees Anakin.

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