How did the Rebel Command react to Luke?

dworkin · Post by **dworkin** » 2006-01-15 03:37pm

Specifically, after the retreat from Hoth (ESB) Luke goes off on his vision quest and returns a few weeks later to patch up and go rescue his friend (ROTJ), a smuggler who was only hanging around because he's trying to get into an ex-senator's pants.

The next scene is aboard Home One with Han in a critical role and people accepting Luke just breezing in and saying 'I'll come too'.

OK it's a space opera and these guys are the heroes. Still.

Luke goes off in an X-Wing. While it's only a fighter, the rebels seem so strapped for ships that designating squadrons by primary colours is OK.
It's not the 301st (Hellnocks), it's Green. I'm sure Rebel command missed it and it's hotshot pilot and they couldn't of been happy over the reason.

OOtD: "Mr Skywalker, why did you not proceed to the rendeavous with 'all due haste'."
Luke: "The ghost of my former mentor who, I might add I only knew for a week told me to go to to an isolated swamp on a remote planet to visit the leader of the extinct Jedi council."

Being 'last of the Jedi' must get you far.

But, it gets better. Luke then hares off, taking one of the best rallying symbols of the rebellion (Leia) and an awesome and desperatly needed mechanic (Chewbacca) to rescue a sometimes sympathsiser.

How did they pull that? OK, these days we know about how wookies will bestow life debts for anything more serious than a paper cut (I'm looking at you KOTOR) and so restraining Chewie may of been hard. But how did Leia convince anyone?

Rebel Leader: "This 'Han Solo' matter. Sure being in suspended animation is a nasty business but we've got bigger things on at the moment. And it is suspended animation. Can't you go rescue him after we've defeated the emperor and his latest Death Star?"
Leia "But I love him."

Lastly, after all this running off on personal quests the entire gang, including Token Black Dude are given positions of responsibility in the upcoming forlorn hope.

Were the Rebels so desperate that they'ld accept any help?
Did they veiw the Death Star assault as a forlorn hope and fired these unreliables right into the breech?

Comments on the above? What do you think was happening behind the scenes? What does the average Alliance commander think of the heroes?
Are they valuable, inspiring role models or a dangerous liability forgiven only for their massive success?

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2006-01-15 03:45pm

To be fair the dialogue in AHN implies Obi-Wan and Luke have met before. Luke certinaly recognised him by sight at least.

And Luke did kill the Death Star, massive fame and heroism buys you favours I would imagine.

Not to mentio the majority of the rebellion's leadership will probably be Clone War vets and recognise the names Kenobi and Skywalker. According to RotS Novel they were exceedingly famous. So they probably put two and two together and realised Luke was a good bet. What with the Lightsabre and all...

dworkin · Post by **dworkin** » 2006-01-15 04:01pm

Crazedwraith wrote:Not to mentio the majority of the rebellion's leadership will probably be Clone War vets and recognise the names Kenobi and Skywalker. According to RotS Novel they were exceedingly famous. So they probably put two and two together and realised Luke was a good bet. What with the Lightsabre and all...

But they died under clone troopers guns like all the other Jedi (from a certain point of view). Why didn't those two save the Republic from the Emperor? Could be they're no longer household names and a reminder not to put too much faith in heroes forty years on.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2006-01-15 04:15pm

Actually given that no one gave him slack in SoTE in the Rebel command structure, and he was still the de facto leader of Rogue Squadron, as well as future source point to the fact the recognized his Jedi status, he could've just told them, and they took his word for it.

He's the Hero of the Death Star and is acknolwedged in the Alliance army as the man who faced Darth Vader and LIVED.

I doubt they are thinking he's some backwater moron who spinning tales.

As for the Han Solo matter, Leia notes it's a personal bit in SoTE but that the Rebel High command approved of the mission.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2006-01-15 05:10pm

Solo is also a recognized contributing member of the Rebel Alliance and he must have been very highly regarded since they gave him a high rank and command of one of the most important missions in the history of the Rebellion when he got back. I see no reason why the Rebel High Command would not consider his rescue to be a worthwhile operation, especially since they were risking only a very small number of personnel.

Alan Bolte · Post by **Alan Bolte** » 2006-01-15 05:22pm

Also, the Death Star victory owes as much to Han as to Luke. Vader would have shot the fighter down and never known he had a son.

Raw Shark · Post by **Raw Shark** » 2006-01-15 05:27pm

dworkin wrote:Lastly, after all this running off on personal quests the entire gang, including Token Black Dude are given positions of responsibility in the upcoming forlorn hope.

Which Token Black Dude was that, the experienced pilot / large-scale administrator? I didn't see a long line of those waiting to join the Rebel Alliance...

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2006-01-15 05:30pm

Don't forget that Han was also a hero of Yavin. Also, General Rieekan made it pretty clear that he was a valued member of the Alliance and that he'd be missed.

Seems to me Han was probably regarded as a no bullshit guy who simply got shit done without even being asked by the time of TESB. He rescued Luke. He charged out to investigate the probe droid's transmission. He got Leia off Hoth. The man deserved some payback for all he did because the Alliance would have been fucked without him.

The Original Nex · Post by **The Original Nex** » 2006-01-15 05:46pm

It should be noted that in the New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way, Luke's escapades off to Dagobah, and his other "Jedi-buisness" sidetracks come back to bite him in the ass. Senator Fyor Rodan, a Cheif of State candidate, pulls up Luke's military record and berates him about its inconsistancies. However, Rodan is simply pulling a political maneuver, and there's no proof that Alliance High Command was so upset back when the events mentioned actually occured.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2006-01-15 06:19pm

dworkin wrote:But they died under clone troopers guns like all the other Jedi (from a certain point of view). Why didn't those two save the Republic from the Emperor? Could be they're no longer household names and a reminder not to put too much faith in heroes forty years on.

Bail Organa was joint CiC of the Rebellion. He knows everything that happened on Mustafar.

Wyrm · Post by **Wyrm** » 2006-01-15 06:23pm

dworkin wrote:It's not the 301st (Hellnocks), it's Green. I'm sure Rebel command missed it and it's hotshot pilot and they couldn't of been happy over the reason.

OOtD: "Mr Skywalker, why did you not proceed to the rendeavous with 'all due haste'."
Luke: "The ghost of my former mentor who, I might add I only knew for a week told me to go to to an isolated swamp on a remote planet to visit the leader of the extinct Jedi council."

Not to mention losing that X-wing to the Empire!

OOtD: "Okay, then where is your craft now?"
Luke: "I left it behind on Bespin."
OOtD: "What?! Do you have any idea how hard it is to get those things?!"
Luke: "I can imagine."
OOtD: "Then why did you do it?"
Luke: "Because while I was trying to rescue Princess Leia and Solo, I got into a scrap with Darth Vader, got my hand cut off, and I had to get rescued from hanging under cloud city... Sir, why are you banging your head against the wall? It looks painful."

Let's have a full account of how much pull Luke must have.

Base Delta Zero · Post by **Base Delta Zero** » 2006-01-15 06:24pm

Not to mentio the majority of the rebellion's leadership will probably be Clone War vets and recognise the names Kenobi and Skywalker. According to RotS Novel they were exceedingly famous. So they probably put two and two together and realised Luke was a good bet. What with the Lightsabre and all...

Which brings up an interesting question... if people recognized those names, and, as you said, 'put two and two together' wouldn't someone have figured out that Luke was Anakin's son? Of course, the easy explanation is that Skywalker may well be a rather common name in the SW universe... but there might be something else...

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2006-01-15 06:27pm

There's also the insane amount of stuff that they got up to in the comics after Yavin.

dworkin · Post by **dworkin** » 2006-01-15 06:48pm

Galvatron wrote:Seems to me Han was probably regarded as a no bullshit guy who simply got shit done without even being asked by the time of TESB. He rescued Luke. He charged out to investigate the probe droid's transmission. He got Leia off Hoth. The man deserved some payback for all he did because the Alliance would have been fucked without him.

Agreed. With a major desperate gamble like Endor in the offing I can imagine Rebel Command wanting Han and being prepared to move small planets to get him.

I have no trouble with Han and Luke being able to do what they did because they were such massive heroes. My thoughts are over how did that fly with the Rebel Leadership? Or the regular rebels.

Breifing Officer: OK, that's it. Antilles. Your Squadron Leader.
Pilot: What's happened to Skywalker?
Briefing Officer: He's off on some Jedi thing. He'll be back.
Pilot 2: I want to see my aunt, can I have some time off?
Briefing Officer: Just as soon as you start taking down AT-ATs single handed and blow up a couple of battlestations you can have all the personal time you want.

Galvatron · Post by **Galvatron** » 2006-01-15 07:25pm

My guess is that the rebels wasted no time in circulating word that Luke was a bonafide Jedi, perhaps even that he's the long-lost son of the great Anakin Skywalker, if only to give their rank and file "new hope."

I can imagine that rebel command at least tacitly granted him a certain measure of autonomy and freedom to pursue his training.

dworkin · Post by **dworkin** » 2006-01-15 07:41pm

Wyrm wrote:
Not to mention losing that X-wing to the Empire!

Oppotunity for a short mission in a SW RPG. The Imps have run off chasing Skywalker and everyone has forgotten the X-Wing sitting on the pad. Go in and um, steal it back.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2006-01-15 09:54pm

It's been stated in support material that, after blowing up the Death Star, Luke was offered ANYTHING HE WANTED by the Rebellion. He just wanted to pilot ships

"Okay, the guy that blew up the Death Star wants to fly ships and play hero? Dam it, let him!"

Then, has mentioned, he pulls stunts in the comics left and right that leave the High Command going "WTF!?" One example that comes to mind is him, leia, some throw-away female character and the droids succesfully breaking into the most secure facility in the empire, stealing a new experiement ship under heavy guard, and taking off (ref Star Wars: World of Fire, comic novel)

Same with Han. Hell, Han and Chewie are the guys that got the power gem that let them take down Executors shield enough for the rebellion to make it off Yavin!

Also, Leia was high ranking in the rebellion, so she probably arranged for Luke and Han to have lots of lee-way.

People that complained after the fack, like that idiot senator, fail to reailze the gravities of the situations they were in, the odds against them, the fact they pulled it all of, and that had it not been for Luke, Han, Leia, and to a lesser extend Lando, Chewie and 2 unassuming droids, the galaxy would be a gigantic warmachine/dark side power source for the Sith.

Post by **Coyote** » 2006-01-16 12:29am

dworkin wrote: Breifing Officer: OK, that's it. Antilles. Your Squadron Leader.
Pilot: What's happened to Skywalker?
Briefing Officer: He's off on some Jedi thing. He'll be back.
Pilot 2: I want to see my aunt, can I have some time off?

Briefing Officer: Very well! Off with you then! And you... I suppose you'd rather be playing the piano than marching up and down the square...!?

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

Qwerty 42 · Post by **Qwerty 42** » 2006-01-16 02:31am

You know, we never actually saw Luke's X-Wing fire in the movies after ANH. For all we know, after Luke told the crew on Hoth that he was told by a ghost to fly to a swamp planet, they gave him a fake X-Wing with broomsticks for lasers and Tickle-Me-Elmo in a tin can in the back.

PainRack · Post by **PainRack** » 2006-01-16 10:39am

Base Delta Zero wrote: Which brings up an interesting question... if people recognized those names, and, as you said, 'put two and two together' wouldn't someone have figured out that Luke was Anakin's son? Of course, the easy explanation is that Skywalker may well be a rather common name in the SW universe... but there might be something else...

You forgot something. Not many people knew that Darth Vader was Anakin Skywalker. Or if they did know, they didn't care.

Not to mention that the Rebels apparently made a massive effort to hide the fact that Skywalker destroyed the orginal Death Star in the marvel comics, with Vader expending a massive effort to locate clues to determine the identity of Luke Skywalker.

Lord Revan · Post by **Lord Revan** » 2006-01-16 10:44am

Also X-Wing alliance suggests that Rebel pilots are allow to go on personal mission if they're vital enough to the Alliance.

000 · Post by **000** » 2006-01-16 11:08am

Base Delta Zero wrote:Which brings up an interesting question... if people recognized those names, and, as you said, 'put two and two together' wouldn't someone have figured out that Luke was Anakin's son? Of course, the easy explanation is that Skywalker may well be a rather common name in the SW universe... but there might be something else...

There wasn't any need to "put two and two together"-- they knew Luke was the son of Anakin Skywalker, hero of the Clone Wars from the start. Red Leader flew with Skywalker Sr. on Virujansi and says as much in ANH. What they didn't know, of course, was that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were one and the same. Nobody knew outside of a select few very senior Imperials prior to a couple of years post-Endor.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2006-01-16 11:28am

There wasn't any need to "put two and two together"-- they knew Luke was the son of Anakin Skywalker, hero of the Clone Wars from the start. Red Leader flew with Skywalker Sr. on Virujansi and says as much in ANH. What they didn't know, of course, was that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were one and the same. Nobody knew outside of a select few very senior Imperials prior to a couple of years post-Endor.

Bail Organa knew as well, although its possible he never told anyone, likely to protect his own daughter.

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2006-01-16 11:29am

Noble Ire wrote:
There wasn't any need to "put two and two together"-- they knew Luke was the son of Anakin Skywalker, hero of the Clone Wars from the start. Red Leader flew with Skywalker Sr. on Virujansi and says as much in ANH. What they didn't know, of course, was that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were one and the same. Nobody knew outside of a select few very senior Imperials prior to a couple of years post-Endor.
Bail Organa knew as well, although its possible he never told anyone, likely to protect his own daughter.

Did he? Anakin's never called Vader in public and Anakin was also beleive killed after Mustafar. Its possible Bail didn't know Anakin = Vader.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2006-01-16 11:30am

Crazedwraith wrote:
Noble Ire wrote:
There wasn't any need to "put two and two together"-- they knew Luke was the son of Anakin Skywalker, hero of the Clone Wars from the start. Red Leader flew with Skywalker Sr. on Virujansi and says as much in ANH. What they didn't know, of course, was that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were one and the same. Nobody knew outside of a select few very senior Imperials prior to a couple of years post-Endor.
Bail Organa knew as well, although its possible he never told anyone, likely to protect his own daughter.
Did he? Anakin's never called Vader in public and Anakin was also beleive killed after Mustafar. Its possible Bail didn't know Anakin = Vader.

He discovers Vader is Anakin in Dark Lord.

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How did the Rebel Command react to Luke?

How did the Rebel Command react to Luke?

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