Obi-Wan Kenobi’s loss of life was a key second within the unique Star Wars trilogy, however the saga would have been irrevocably totally different if Kenobi had killed Darth Vader as a substitute. The Star Wars franchise’s first lightsaber duel canonically ended with Kenobi permitting his corrupted former pupil to strike him down, shopping for time for Luke Skywalker and the opposite heroes to flee the Loss of life Star and ship its blueprints to the Rise up. If Kenobi had killed Vader, nonetheless, Luke’s Jedi coaching would have been fairly totally different, as would the state of the Galactic Empire after shedding two of its finest leaders. The lore of the canon and Legends Star Wars continuities signifies that The Emperor would have a special substitute for Vader, relying on the universe.
Obi-Wan Kenobi ventured away from Luke, Han Solo, and Chewbacca to deactivate the Loss of life Star’s tractor beams, however upon being detected by Darth Vader, the 2 confronted one another. Vader is kind of assured in A New Hope, having spent years mastering the darkish facet of the Power and studying the tradition of the Sith, actually changing into a Sith Lord slightly than merely being the fallen Jedi he was in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Regardless of his elevated energy at midnight facet, Obi-Wan Kenobi is greater than able to killing a Sith Lord, as proven all through canon and Legends.
Obi-Wan taunts Darth Vader in A New Hope’s 1976 novelization, telling him that “If my blade finds its mark, you’ll stop to exist,” earlier than alluding to the Jedi afterlife, which Sith can’t entry (although they do change into chaotic and harmful spirits who can solely inhabit restricted areas). Assuming that Kenobi’s blade did certainly discover its mark, Darth Vader can be lifeless and Obi-Wan must combat his approach via a small squad of Stormtroopers to succeed in the Millennium Falcon. The Star Wars saga can be fairly totally different from this level on, although who would exchange Vader would depend upon whether or not the continuity is canon or Legends. Here is what would have occurred if Obi-Wan had killed Darth Vader in A New Hope.
The Battle Of Yavin Is a Better Insurgent Victory
With Obi-Wan touring to Yavin IV with Princess Leia, he’d be aware about the Rebels’ plan to destroy the Loss of life Star and sure coach Luke on learn how to information his ship’s proton torpedoes if he makes a trench run. Vader’s plan of monitoring the Millennium Falcon would succeed, even with Vader lifeless, so Tarkin would arrive within the system, making ready to destroy the bottom. Nonetheless, with out Vader getting into the following battle, much more Insurgent ships would survive (together with Biggs Darklighter and Garven Dreis), albeit with out efficiently hitting the Loss of life Star’s most important reactor. Though Luke wouldn’t be in the identical mortal hazard as he’s canonically, Han Solo would nonetheless return to the Rebels and help them within the Battle of Yavin, and Luke would nonetheless destroy the battlestation.
Luke Begins His Jedi Coaching Earlier (With Obi-Wan AND Yoda)
Due to Obi-Wan’s survival, Luke Skywalker would additionally start his Jedi coaching within the quick aftermath of the Battle of Yavin. As he finds his place throughout the Rise up as an X-Wing pilot, Luke would additionally progressively change into extra formidable in his expertise with a lightsaber and the Power. Nonetheless, Luke’s most superior coaching would finally take him to Dagobah, the place he’d work in direction of Jedi Knighthood underneath the tutelage of each Obi-Wan and Yoda.
The Empire Is Devastated With out Tarkin Or Vader
With Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin lifeless, the Empire would have misplaced two of its best navy leaders. Mixed with Luke Skywalker’s Jedi coaching and Obi-Wan seemingly taking a management place throughout the Rise up’s excessive command (since he’s a veteran Normal from the Clone Wars), the Rebels would develop in energy and numbers in addition to win a string of victories in opposition to the Empire. Within the Legends universe, the Empire would possibly be capable of mitigate this by turning to Grand Admiral Thrawn of their desperation. Thrawn wouldn’t be out there within the canon timeline, as he grew to become lacking in motion earlier than the occasions of A New Hope.
Emperor Palpatine Replaces Darth Vader (However Who With?)
Darth Vader’s loss of life wouldn’t solely hurt the Galactic Empire’s struggle effort in opposition to the Rise up, however it will additionally necessitate that Emperor Palpatine, because the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, finds a substitute for his fallen apprentice. As proven in 2020’s canon Darth Vader comics, Palpatine had already initiated his Sith Everlasting experiments on Exegol by the occasions of the unique trilogy, so he’d presumably have a strandcast exchange Darth Vader, coaching one to change into a Sith Lord. In Legends, Palpatine had quite a few darkish side-trained brokers serving him within the Empire, however since Shira Brie (the eventual Sith Girl Lumiya) hadn’t began her Sith coaching but, the clearest decisions for Vader’s successor are the Inquisitor (and former Jedi) Jerec and Palpatine’s adopted daughter, Mara Jade.
Jerec is an excellent and scholarly darkish facet consumer who proves his management after Return of the Jedi when forming a bunch of darkish facet warriors and main a contingent of navy items from the Imperial warlord faction often known as the Pentastar Alignment. Jerec lengthy wished to supplant Darth Vader and is extraordinarily highly effective at midnight facet of the Power, mastering Kind II of lightsaber fight as effectively. Mara Jade, nonetheless, is just not solely educated by Palpatine himself within the methods of the darkish facet, however she additionally has a robust Power bond with him, drawing energy from Palpatine (till his first loss of life). Whereas Jerec might almost rival Darth Vader’s energy, Mara Jade and her mastery of the lightsaber fight Kind IV would prevail, and he or she’d change into the brand new Darkish Girl of the Sith after killing him.
Luke’s Religion In The Jedi Is Shaken When He Learns Vader Was Anakin
Though Obi-Wan Kenobi’s survival would make Luke’s Jedi path far simpler, he would finally battle with the darkish facet, although on this case, maybe extra intensely than he does within the movies. In the end, Luke would study the reality about Darth Vader, discovering that Obi-Wan killed his father with out making an attempt to redeem him (with Palpatine’s new apprentice maybe being the one to inform Luke this fact). This may play completely into Palpatine’s plans, as Luke’s religion in each his mentors and the Jedi approach itself can be broken.
Would Luke Skywalker Defeat Palpatine In Star Wars Canon?
Since Luke Skywalker has no emotional connection to Palpatine or his strandcast apprentice, Luke’s rising battle with the darkish facet would inevitably lead him to kill Vader’s substitute. Together with his religion within the Jedi approach in shambles, Luke would most likely be a part of the Sith and exchange the strandcast, making him the subsequent nice menace to the Rise up. In his newfound place as a Sith Lord, Luke wouldn’t solely lead the Empire to victory over the Rise up on quite a few fronts, however he’d seemingly betray and kill Obi-Wan Kenobi (and probably Yoda as effectively). The one approach that the Jedi and Rebels might succeed is that if Leia turns into a Jedi (maybe educated by Yoda or the Power ghosts of him and Kenobi), defeating her brother and The Emperor in a redemption arc for Luke that mirrors Anakin’s in Return of the Jedi.
Luke Skywalker Redeems Mara Jade In Star Wars Legends
In Legends, Luke would most likely resist the darkish facet in an identical method to Return of the Jedi. Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade fell in love within the Legends timeline, and whereas they’d be bitter enemies on this alternate Star Wars unique trilogy period, their eventual emotions for one another might simply nonetheless develop. Simply as Luke appealed to the great inside Vader, utilizing their paternal bond to redeem him, he’d seemingly assist Mara Jade reject the darkish facet utilizing their romantic attachment, serving to them each defeat Palpatine and finally set up the New Jedi Order as they’d each see that the outdated Jedi methods of shunning attachments are flawed. This may additionally assist Luke forgive Obi-Wan and Yoda, who would possibly be a part of Luke and Mara Jade’s New Jedi Order on this new model of the Star Wars saga.
- Rogue Squadron (2023)Launch date: Dec 22, 2023
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