Luke's grief over the deaths of Owen and Beru

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2005-03-18 03:20am

Beyond the scene in which he finds their charred remains, doesn't it strike anyone as odd that Luke never mentions or even shows the slightest bit of grief over the death of the couple who raised him since birth?

Sure, Owen came across a little gruff, but no worse than a lot of fathers out there (my own included). He wasn't abusive, just a bit strict. If anything, he seemed to genuinely care about Luke to the point of being overprotective. And Beru didn't show even an inkling of being anything other than a kind, caring mother-figure.

For all intents and purposes, Owen and Beru were Jonathan and Martha Kent to Luke's Superman. I can understand George Lucas's decision to move the story along and not have Luke dwell on his loss, but it always kinda bothered me that the EU never addressed this in any way.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2005-03-18 03:26am

A jedi has inner peace.

Old Plympto · Post by **Old Plympto** » 2005-03-18 03:42am

I thought that he was crying WA WA WA all the way to Obi-Wan & the droids, then WA WA WA all the way to Mos Eisley... then he sobered up.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2005-03-18 03:49am

One could argue, if they were willing to paint Luke as thsi cold hearted, that he honestly was unconcerned. He was going to be a Jedi, to live his dream, assuming his personality is anything liek his father he might not have cared.

It's horribly cold, i know, but considering...it's all i can think of. Plus, hey, like i said his dad wasn't exactly a loving, kind person either. Course i'm most likely wrong but it's all i can think of.

Aki-Wan Hanabi · Post by **Aki-Wan Hanabi** » 2005-03-18 04:05am

I think Luke did grief for his aunt and uncle, it was only shown so little time, when he stood before the ruins of his home, watching the burned bodies...and after all, it was a revenge for his "parents" that made him to join the Rebellion, you can cry and cry a long time, but when you have a chance to pay back to those who have destroyed your home, is it not possible to turn your sadness in to a weapon against your enemies? I think Luke griefed, but he did it in his own way, and used it as his strenght when he began his own personal campaign against The Empire...or then i am just on idiot...

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-03-18 04:37am

The EU definitely should have picked it up. It's understandable that he didn't break down in ANH, because he was totally swept up in the events. By the time of ESB, he's had time to deal with it and move on. But the EU should have made use of the storyline at some point.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2005-03-18 07:12am

I think Luke became to busy afterwards to really grieve publically

I'm sure there were nights and time alone he cryed and grieved

After all, you need to do something while in Hyperspace. Especially with Leia not biting.....

Also, you have to remember, he lost Ben a few hours later (okay, maybe a day later). And that's didn't really cripple him.

Maybe growing up on Tattooine he developed a thick skin and some stoisisim

Admiral Drason · Post by **Admiral Drason** » 2005-03-18 07:20am

It just seemed to me that he was more broken up about Ben then he was about this parents. Maybe he used the energy that had been created when they died and used it to greive Ben instead.

Aki-Wan Hanabi · Post by **Aki-Wan Hanabi** » 2005-03-18 07:34am

When Ben died, it all came crushing down on Luke, he had lost his aunt and uncle and now he had lost his mentor, the shit hits the fang, and everything goes straight to hell

But Leia did not grief for her homeplanet either...except in the scene where she was forced to watch its destruction.

Spartan · Post by **Spartan** » 2005-03-18 09:31am

We have to remember that Luke was not from suburbia! First he's a farmers son, and being one I can tell you you that you get used to death, loss and disappointment at a very young age. Tatoinne is no tourist trap, moisture farmers are always being raided by tusken, or attack by native wildlife.

Now that's not to say that he didn't greive for them, just that with his circumstance and enviroment we should expect that he'd have become some what harden to life.

Also, remember when he tells Ben he's going with him to Alderan. He's very determined, I would think that he planned to honor their memory be taking revenge against the Empire as a Jedi.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2005-03-18 06:37pm

Sort of like how when Biggs gets killed. In the novel and the radio drama Luke is genuinely upset/pissed. In the movie, virtually no reaction.

He's just really good at suppressing certain emotions in public I guess.

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2005-03-18 06:54pm

You know, it wasnt the Empires fault that Owen and Beru died. Everyone knows that there was a domestic disturbance, things got out of hand, and Beru blew herself and Owen up with a thermal detonator.

Cookie for the reference.

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2005-03-18 06:59pm

Agent Fisher wrote:You know, it wasnt the Empires fault that Owen and Beru died. Everyone knows that there was a domestic disturbance, things got out of hand, and Beru blew herself and Owen up with a thermal detonator.

Cookie for the reference.

Troops

"With these people, it's almost to be expected."

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2005-03-18 10:25pm

Petrosjko wrote:
Agent Fisher wrote:You know, it wasnt the Empires fault that Owen and Beru died. Everyone knows that there was a domestic disturbance, things got out of hand, and Beru blew herself and Owen up with a thermal detonator.

Cookie for the reference.
Troops

"With these people, it's almost to be expected."

Damn that was too easy.

Cykeisme · Post by **Cykeisme** » 2005-03-21 04:09pm

As has already been said, if genetics have anything to do with a person's character, Luke might be the kind of person to bottle up all his grief and rage and turn it into determination instead.. in this case, against the Empire.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2005-03-21 04:19pm

In AOTC Anakin just buried his mother after being tortured to death and dying in his arms after not seeing her for over 10 years and in a few scenes is off galavanting into a fight on Geonosis and declaring his undying love to Padme.

I think that Luke like his father turned to anger and hatred to console himself. His first instinct after burying his aunt and uncle was to say "I want to learn the ways of the Force and be a Jedi like my father." Why? "I will be the most powerful Jedi ever." Echoes of his father. Luke's form of grief is to latch onto power to avenge his loss or prevent further loss.

Says alot about how desperate Obi Wan was that there was no way in hell Luke was trying to be a Jedi for a noble reason. He wanted to get back at the bastards that did this to him. Yet Obi Wan gladly took him under his wing. Do these Jedi ever learn?

Remember how quickly and whole heartedly he joined the rebellion? He wanted to get at those Imperials any way he could. Even Obi Wan got a cursory sad scene on the Falcon until action pulled him out of his funk and then Luke was fine. Luke is a man of action like his father and as such they lose their sorrow in the fight.

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2005-03-21 04:37pm

It's due to the media. If SW was a television show with 30 half-hour episodes per season, they could spend an episode dealing with the grief of a character at a death. In a 2 1/2 hour movie, you don't have the luxury of that much time to expend on something that, in the end, is relatively incidental to the plot.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-03-21 04:56pm

Just because something isn't shown, doesn't mean that nothing happened.

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2005-03-21 05:17pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Just because something isn't shown, doesn't mean that nothing happened.

I know that. I just wish the EU had addressed it in some way. Perhaps remembering fondly the two people who actually raised him during a moment of reflection.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-03-21 05:21pm

I don't know, maybe WEG might have covered it in one of their short story things that they had in their sourcebooks.

But if they didn't, they should have. They were good at that.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2005-03-22 03:22pm

Galvatron wrote:
Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Just because something isn't shown, doesn't mean that nothing happened.
I know that. I just wish the EU had addressed it in some way. Perhaps remembering fondly the two people who actually raised him during a moment of reflection.

The EU fails at something and you're surprised?

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2005-03-22 03:44pm

This is why I started this thread in the first place. IMO, Owen was Luke's father. Anakin was just the dipshit who conceived him.

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2005-03-22 03:54pm

Luke appears to have been told all his life that his father was dead, which to perhaps Owen and Ben was the truth as their 'brother' and friend they saw as gone forever. When Beru says he has too much of his father in him, Owen replies, That's what I am afraid of. Its obvious that Owen was a kind and loving parent as well as Beru. Luke loving them is obvious. In truth, We never get to see what happens as after he sees their charred bodies and during the drive back. His morning might have been done there. It may be that after Ben died he finally let all his feeling poor out, yet he never got to finish his morning for right away he was needed in a fight. right after that he is preparing to take on the DEATH STAR. There are times in the movie that we are not shown. After take off in the Falcon there is time we aren't shown, etc.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-03-22 03:58pm

Also to keep in mind is that according to the OT ITW, a day passes between Luke's discovery at the Lars Homestead and his departure from Mos Eisley.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2005-03-22 04:56pm

Bullshit Owen as a child abuser crap flushed to the HOS.