The Impact of Star Wars' Prequel Trilogy on Luke Skywalker & Ben Solo: A Critical Analysis

The critical Jedi policy set by the Jedi Order in the Star Wars prequel trilogy had a significant impact on the characters of Ben Solo and Luke Skywalker in the sequel trilogy. The original trilogy, which came before the prequels in the Star Wars timeline, showed Luke's struggle to understand the history and teachings of the Jedi with limited information. It wasn't until the prequel trilogy that the structure and rules of the Jedi Order were fully revealed, shedding light on key elements from the original trilogy and setting the stage for the events in the sequel trilogy.

While the prequel trilogy delved into Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader, the sequel trilogy had more flexibility in terms of storytelling. Despite the wealth of material in Star Wars Legends, the sequel trilogy took a different path in terms of canon. However, the groundwork for key character development had already been laid out by the Jedi Code established in the prequel trilogy.

Luke Skywalker's Canon Story Is Dictated By The Jedi Rule Against Attachments

Mark Hamill Luke Skywalker as seen in the Star Wars sequels: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi - Luke Skywalker's Canon Story Is Dictated By The Jedi Rule Against Attachments

In Legends, Luke is depicted as having a wife named Mara Jade, a dark side Force-user known as "the Emperor's Hand" who worked as an assassin for Palpatine during the Imperial Era. This aspect of Luke's character was intriguing for various reasons, although not entirely surprising. The original Star Wars trilogy did not explicitly address the issue of attachments, reserving that exploration for the prequel trilogy, particularly Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

The final two films of the prequel trilogy solidified the Jedi Order's strict stance against attachments. Anakin's storyline exemplified the dangers of forming attachments as he secretly married Padmé, fixated on protecting her, and ultimately succumbed to the dark side due to his fear of losing her. The prequels emphasized the Jedi Code's prohibition of attachments and illustrated the dire consequences that could result from disregarding this rule. Consequently, within the context of the prequels' narrative framework, it was inconceivable for Luke to have a wife.

Star Wars Legends' Luke & Ben Were Much Better

Mara Jade, introduced in 1991's Heir to the Empire, was unable to enter canon due to the timing of The Phantom Menace release. In the sequel trilogy, Luke retreats to Ahch-To, abandoning the Force and Jedi beliefs after the destruction of his Jedi Temple. Consequently, his son, Ben Skywalker, never comes to be.

Kylo Ren asks Rey to join him in The Last Jedi - Star Wars Legends' Luke & Ben Were Much Better

Criticism of the sequel trilogy's portrayal of Luke Skywalker has been loud. In the transition from Return of the Jedi to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Luke evolves from a hopeful Jedi who redeemed his father, a formidable Sith Lord, to a disillusioned individual who has lost faith in the Jedi ways and isolates himself from his loved ones, including his sister Leia, amidst the battle against the First Order. On the other hand, the Luke Skywalker depicted in Legends successfully establishes a thriving Jedi Order and leads the Jedi as the Grand Master into the coming age.

This version of Luke feels much more like a prophecy fulfilled; he turned his father back to the light and defeated Palpatine, bringing balance to the Force, and he went on to truly "return" the Jedi to something like what they were before.

Ben Skywalker, of Legends, had a similarly better Legends arc than the Ben Solo of canon did. Ben Skywalker, as Luke and Mara's son, was incredibly powerful in the Force, but his trajectory as a Jedi remained complicated; it wasn't a straightforward, boring character arc.

Ben Skywalker, despite his power, shuts himself off from the Force in Legends after experiencing the horrors of the Yuuzhan Vong War, and he is only coaxed back into using the Force by his cousin, Jacen Solo, Leia's and Han's Legends son. Ultimately, though, Jacen turns to the dark (seemingly aligning somewhat with Ben Solo's arc in the sequels) and even kills Ben Skywalker's mother, throwing Ben into turmoil. He remains a light side Force-user, though, and fights many battles alongside his father.

The arc for Ben Skywalker in the Star Wars Sequels is much more compelling than his end in The Rise of Skywalker. The title of the movie seemed to hint at Ben Solo being the last Skywalker, but instead, he died, ending the bloodline. While Luke and Leia appeared for Rey on Tatooine at the end, they were not by Ben's side when he died.

The Star Wars Sequels Should Have Ignored The Attachment Rule

Luke Skywalker from The Book of Boba Fett and artwork of Mara Jade from Star Wars Legends - The Star Wars Sequels Should Have Ignored The Attachment Rule

One of the issues with the Jedi's attachment policy is its inconsistency in the franchise, which not only robs audiences of significant character arcs but also creates confusion. An example of this is seen in how Anakin is condemned for his attachment to Padmé in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, yet Obi-Wan openly refers to Anakin as a brother, showcasing his own attachment to him. Furthermore, Luke forms attachments to Leia as his sister, and other Jedi like Kanan Jarrus maintain romantic relationships without falling to the dark side, such as his connection to Hera Syndulla.

The attachment rule was flawed even when upheld; the Jedi insisted that attachments were bad, but this contributed to things like Master Yoda telling Anakin not to mourn or miss the dead with very little extra guidance when he was grieving. It also left the Jedi choosing between emotional bonds and the life of a Jedi, which made many Jedi conflicted. Obi-Wan himself tells Satine Kryze, Bo-Katan's sister, that had she asked him to leave the Order for her, he would have, demonstrating the extent to which great Jedi were prone to leaving the Order solely because of this policy.

The issue with attachments is also misunderstood. Anakin's issue wasn't with attachment, really; it was with possession and control. He didn't struggle with the dark because he loved Padmé; he struggled because he was desperate for more power to control life and death and because he let himself become swallowed up in fear. Interestingly, Star Wars does seem to be exploring this issue more, with Grogu having chosen a life alongside his now adoptive father Din Djarin in The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian & Grogu movie will now see Grogu as a Force-user, with attachments, who isn't a Jedi.

Ultimately, the decision to adhere strictly to the Jedi Code of the prequel era in the sequels deprived Star Wars of a compelling exploration of what it meant for a powerful Jedi to establish a new Order and challenge the old ways. This policy cost Luke Skywalker and Ben Skywalker/Solo more dynamic story arcs, ultimately leading to Ben's untimely demise. It is a missed opportunity that the canon did not follow the path of Star Wars Legends, which would have allowed for the continuation of the Skywalker bloodline with Ben Skywalker.

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Editor's P/S:

This article delves into the significant impact of the Jedi Code established in the prequel trilogy on the characters of Luke Skywalker and Ben Solo in the sequel trilogy. It argues that the strict rule against attachments, which was reinforced in the prequels, limited the character development and compelling storylines in the sequels.

The author highlights the inconsistencies in the attachment policy and how it hindered the exploration of complex character arcs. Luke's retreat to Ahch-To and the absence of a wife in the canon story are seen as a result of this rule. Additionally, Ben Solo's demise in The Rise of Skywalker is viewed as a missed opportunity for a more dynamic story arc. The article suggests that if the sequels had ignored the attachment rule, it could have led to more compelling character development and a continuation of the Skywalker bloodline.