Stravo wrote:Not changing Luke's last name. Why didn't they simply call him Luke Lars? Calling him Skywalker just makes it that much easier to raise some flags. What if there is an Imperial census? Skywalker from Tatooine may draw unwanted attention from prying eyes. What if there is a draft? A Private Skywalker from Tatooine may warrant some attention by interested parties.
I doubt that Vader personally oversees every application to the academy. It would have to catch some recruiting officer's eye first. And that would only happen if they were told to look for it. Sure, it's a risk, but not as big a risk as you think.
And from a much more minor slant frankly wouldn't it have been easier for all involved for Luke to think that Owen and Beru were his actual parents? It would keep Luke from inquiring after his dear old dad and make him less of a dreamer if he didn't have a sense that he didn't belong on Tatooine. (Yoda seemed to think this was a character flaw in ESB)
It's possible that he did, initially. But we know that he had contact with Obi-Wan in and out throughout his childhood. Obi-Wan might have told Luke that his real last name was Skywalker, and that Owen and Beru weren't his real parents. That would explain why Owen was so hostile to the man who'd delivered he and his wife a child to raise as their own.
Leia adopted by Bail Organna. The over riding concern is keeping the children safe from the Sith - in Obi Wan's words Far from where the Sith might detect them. Ohhhohhhh I know...how about in the household of one of the more prominent senators in the Rpeublic. Occasionally she would have to make appearanced at dinners or receptions where the Emperor himself or more likely his agents would attend. If we assume Leia is as powerful as Luke, and there is no reason to not think so, let's remember that Vader detected Luke's force sensitivity in the midst of fighter combat, I would think hanging out at a dinner party would make things easier for him to detect.
I find it odd that you send one child out to the Outer Rim, a logical choice if you want them away from the Sith (But then it's one of the Sith Lord's homeworlds so bzzztttt on that one) yet the other child is raised basically in the Core, in the middle of Imperial High Society giving the Sith access to this child.
Remember that the galaxy was under the impression that Padmé died before delivering her children. Hell, the galaxy probably had no idea that she was carrying twins.
And Leia hiding in plain sight isn't a terrible idea. As far as anyone was concerned, she was the fiery little daughter of Bail Organa. That's how she made her name. No one was sitting around thinking, "Gee, I wonder if she's Padmé Amidala's undelivered child." She wasn't running around using the Force or anything, so how could anyone suspect?
Aside from that, putting one child on the Outer Rim and the other in the Core eliminates suspicion of any connection between the two. If one is discovered to be Anakin's child, that does not compromise the other.
Allowing Luke to apply to the Academy - Yes, I am well aware that Owen was very resistant to allowing Luke to go but frankly Luke was reaching that age where Owen may not have been able to stop him. Yet Owen was ready and willing to let Luke apply next year. This leads to the obvious issues of having a Skywalker from Tatooine signing up. Owen could have said something like "Our family has some issues in the Imperial hierarchy, I think your dad or some crazy uncle was wnated by the Imperials and they might take it out on you. How about joining up with some Corporate Sector guys if you really want to get off world?"
In the Radio Drama, it's made pretty clear that Owen is just stringing Luke along the entire time. Owen thought that if he kept Luke on the farm long enough, his ambitions would just fade away eventually.
Allowing Leia to become a Senator - This far more than the Luke one bugs me to this day. You just went through armageddon with trying to smuggle those children away from the Sith, you know damn well what the Sith would do if they found them yet not only do you allow one of them to be raised in the very belly of the beast but then you let her be seen and heard by these self same Sith. In fact she spouts some pretty rebel friendly stuff and is virtually considered a member of the Alliance "You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor - take her away!" putting her squarely in the Emperor's and Vader's sights - something that Luke would not do anywhere as easily being a faceless recruit in the Imperial military - and opening up the possibility of them ferreting her identity out.
Again I point to the Vader detecting Luke's force sensitivity in the heat of combat at a distance to show how brightly Luke shone. For now I have no idea how to explain Leia's captivity on the DSI and not tripping the "The Force is strong in this one."
And yet, he help Leia captive on the Death Star and saw her witness the destruction of her home planet without having a clue that it was his daughter.