How Darth Vader Learned Luke Was His Son in Star Wars

Star Wars has been dominated by the story of the Skywalker family. We know the story now, but back in 1977, fans had no idea that Luke Skywalker was Darth Vader’s son, and neither did the Sith Lord. Here’s how Darth Vader learned Luke was his son in Star Wars.

Darth Vader Sought the Identity of the Rebel Pilot

Luke Skywalker would become one of the most powerful Jedi ever, but he had just learned about the Force in A New Hope. He could feel his connection to the Force but was still far from the Jedi we see in Episode VI. Still, Darth Vader was able to sense how strong with the Force Luke was while pursuing him in the Death Star trench.

Since Vader was part of Order 66, which eliminated almost all of the Jedi, when he senses a Rebel pilot who is strong with the Force, he becomes obsessed with learning their identity. In the first issue of the outstanding Darth Vader comic book from 2015, Vader tasks Boba Fett with learning the identity of the Rebel pilot.

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How Darth Vader Learned Luke Was His Son in Star Wars

Over the next few issues, Vader works to uncover a deceitful enemy in the Empire’s ranks, but he doesn’t forget about the search for the Rebel pilot. In Darth Vader #6, Cavan Scott gives us and Vader the answer. At the conclusion of the issue, Fett returns to Vader aboard Vader’s Star Destroyer and tells him that he was able to get the name of the pilot: Skywalker. Darth Vader now has the information he was after – the Rebel pilot he had pursued is his son.

This revelation is really important for a couple of reasons. First, it explains why Darth Vader refers to Luke as “Skywalker” at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back. Second, it tells Vader that Palpatine has been lying to him the entire time. He knows that when Palpatine told him that Anakin killed Padme, it was a lie. At that moment, what he had suspected was confirmed as truth for him: Emperor Palpatine had been manipulating him the entire time.

Knowledge of that manipulation further explains why Darth Vader seeks to overthrow Palpatine. He is actively recruiting Luke to join him and kill the Emperor at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. Aside from it being a very Sith-like thing to do, Vader is playing along but has lost trust in his master. He is seeking the right moment and knows he needs Luke’s help to defeat Palpatine. This discovery also tells us that when Emperor Palpatine contacts Vader via hologram in the middle of Episode V, Vader already knows that Palpatine is lying to him.

And that’s how Darth Vader learned that Luke Skywalker was his son in Star Wars.

Star Wars comics are available to read on Marvel.com.