jor_ncas.jhu@Udel-Relay (12/15/82)
From: ** Cathy ** <jor_ncas.jhu@Udel-Relay> I'd just like to get some things straight about "the Other". Excluding all theories that assume that the Other is not a person, there have been three opinions put forth here which I'm commenting on (especially the last one). First, the one I think is most reasonable: that the Other is a character we haven't seen before. It's a good way to introduce a new character. I've also wondered if this person won't turn out to be Luke's brother or cousin or something like that. Apparently heredity counts a lot in determining who gets to be a Jedi. One thing for sure -- it won't be anyone that Kenobi knows about. Second is the theory that the Other is one of the characters in TESB. I think that changing a character like Leia or Han to Jedi material in two hours is asking a bit much. They're just completely on the wrong track. I can sympathize with this, though -- it's kind of disconcerting to find that Luke, the new Robert Redford, will have to share the spotlight with someone we don't even know about yet. But this may have been necessary to save the plot of ROTJ from getting too Luke-against-the-entire-Empire-ish. The third theory is the one that made me want to write back about it right away: ~=''The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi''? *Which* Skywalker? Okay, so here's another idea: Life was often boring on Luke's home planet, so the inhabitants might have sought out each other for entertainment. A couple of days before the Empire shows up, Luke could have been at a helluva party. So the ''Other'' may indeed be *his* son?? The Force seems to have some hereditary aspects..... (from: Hobbit <AWalker at RUTGERS>) First, Luke was the most innocent twenty-year-old in the galaxy, and I caught no hints of anything funny going on in SW. Also, if you might recall, he was entirely given over to space fights and piloting and such (consistent with any young boy, as anyone who has ever had a little brother can attest to). It is VERY hard for me to picture the Luke of that time getting involved in a, shall we say, helluva party. Second, there is relatively little time between SW and ROTJ, so this kid would be at most nine years old, probably younger. I wonder what the Jedi minimum age is? Unless this kid gets brought up on "Super-Gro Vitamin Pills", he just isn't going to fill the bill. I find it much more likely that in referring to "the son of Skywalker", the Emperor was simply using the third person in speaking to his subject -- quite understandable considering that Vader was kneeling before him. Also, there is an implication that Skywalker as he used to be is "dead", and has been replaced by Vader. Better hang up before this gets too long! -- Cathy