How old ae Luke and Leia in ANH?

Post by **Gandalf** » 2003-06-08 01:02am

My personal guess was about 20, but that means they should be born at the end of AOTC. Which means the next movie should be interesting. Is there any canon evidence of anything to do with this?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-06-08 01:23am

I thought TPM was 35 years before ANH, AOTC was ten years later, then Episode III would be about five years after that, being 20 years before ANH, making Luke and Leia about 20.

Post by **Gandalf** » 2003-06-08 01:36am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:I thought TPM was 35 years before ANH, AOTC was ten years later, then Episode III would be about five years after that, being 20 years before ANH, making Luke and Leia about 20.

My VHS copy of TPM says it's 30 years before ANH.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2003-06-08 01:48am

They're 18.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-06-08 02:04am

CaptainChewbacca wrote:They're 18.

*drumroll* Evidence?

Admiral Johnason · Post by **Admiral Johnason** » 2003-06-08 02:07am

Both the EGs and Time magizine say that they are 19.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2003-06-08 02:44am

DPDarkPrimus wrote:
CaptainChewbacca wrote:They're 18.
*drumroll* Evidence?

Essential Chronology puts their birth at 18 years Before Yavin.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-06-08 02:47am

The "Essential" guides are kind of low on the whole "canon/official" chart, aren't they? I mean, the Guide to Characters list characters that were in books that contradicted each other!

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2003-06-08 02:53am

Well, until we get something better...

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2003-06-08 08:10am

I heard that they were 17. I think it was on the BTM CD.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2003-06-08 11:48am

Star Wars Trilogy Paperback
A New Hope Novelisation p. 14

"Luke Skywalker was twice the age of the ten-year-old vaporator, but much less secure."

Star Wars Trilogy Paperback
The Empire Strikes Back p. 183

"Luke was well-known on the base and, although barely twenty-three years old, he was addressed as Commander Skywalker by the other Rebel warriors."

Tribun · Post by **Tribun** » 2003-06-08 01:35pm

20 years doesn't match.

17 years is more likely thier age in ANH.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2003-06-08 01:41pm

Tribun wrote:20 years doesn't match.

Why?

17 years is more likely thier age in ANH.

Unless you'd like to provide a reason, the ANH and TESB quotes Cal has provided are perfectly canon.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-06-08 04:29pm

In 1977 Mark Hammill was 26 and Carie Fisher was 21. Maybe this will lead you somewhere.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-06-08 04:44pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:In 1977 Mark Hammill was 26 and Carie Fisher was 21. Maybe this will lead you somewhere.

Aren't they supposed to be twins?

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2003-06-08 04:52pm

Simon H.Johansen wrote:
Wicked Pilot wrote:In 1977 Mark Hammill was 26 and Carie Fisher was 21. Maybe this will lead you somewhere.
Aren't they supposed to be twins?

The characters, not the actors.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-06-08 05:25pm

YT300000 wrote:
Simon H.Johansen wrote:
Wicked Pilot wrote:In 1977 Mark Hammill was 26 and Carie Fisher was 21. Maybe this will lead you somewhere.
Aren't they supposed to be twins?
The characters, not the actors.

Yes, and they're twenty years old.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-06-08 05:27pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:In 1977 Mark Hammill was 26 and Carie Fisher was 21. Maybe this will lead you somewhere.

Actors often play characters younger than they are. It means little.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2003-06-08 05:29pm

neoolong wrote:
Wicked Pilot wrote:In 1977 Mark Hammill was 26 and Carie Fisher was 21. Maybe this will lead you somewhere.
Actors often play characters younger than they are. It means little.

Don't believe him? Portman was ~ 16 when they filmed TPM. In the film, Amidala was 14. In AotC, she played someone half a decade older than she was.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-06-08 06:06pm

neoolong wrote:Actors often play characters younger than they are. It means little.

Of course, but when you get into discussions into how old a character 'looks', then the performer's age can be a helpful starting point.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-06-08 07:34pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
neoolong wrote:Actors often play characters younger than they are. It means little.
Of course, but when you get into discussions into how old a character 'looks', then the performer's age can be a helpful starting point.

True, but in this case I don't think it really helps other than that they're not in their thirties. No matter how they look, the characters have to be less than the ages of the actors.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2003-06-09 07:04am

Don't believe him? Portman was ~ 16 when they filmed TPM. In the film, Amidala was 14. In AotC, she played someone half a decade older than she was

Actualy in most movies it works the other way around. Actors especialy child actors play characters that are younger than themselves. In TPM for instance as you mentioned Portman was around 16 years of age while the character she played was around 14.

BTW Padme was 24 in Aotc . Since her real age at the time was 21 that would make her 3 years older in the film not "half a decade" older.

PainRack · Post by **PainRack** » 2003-06-09 11:56am

Didn't the initial toy franchise put Luke skywalker as 18 at ANH and Leia as 20 something?

This was before GL decided to make them twins and Vader their father of course.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2003-06-09 03:07pm

Damn guys, it's not hard. The movies are top tier. However, we never hear an age. Therefore we move to the novelisations which are next in line. There, Luke is 20, making Leia 20 as well. It's not that hard to understand.

Silver Jedi · Post by **Silver Jedi** » 2003-06-09 03:22pm

I seem to remember the ANH Novelisation saying Luke was 20 (as quoted above) and that Leia was 16. This was obviosly before they were ment to be twins