MovieChat Forums > Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) Discussion > What do you think Luke was thinking when...

What do you think Luke was thinking when forced ghost Hayden appeared?

posted 2 years ago by FootOfDavros (8681)
15 replies | jump to latest

Everyone selfishly always talks about the effect seeing Hayden Christensen forced ghost being stuck over the top of the original Anakin ghost in ROTJ had on them.

However what has very rarely - if ever! - been considered / been the subject of discussion is what Luke himself was thinking under these trying circumstances.

This thread, being created right here, right now provides us with an opportunity to correct this oversight, so what do you think?

What was going on in Luke's head? Was he scared? Bemused? I mean he sees these glowing ghosts of his pals Obi-Wan and Yoda appear, then this other figure appears! Has he ever seen what Anakin looked like? Did Owen Lars and Beru have a family album with some pictures (now burned to ash) that he instantly recognised? Or did he have no clue who the third forced ghost was? Maybe he was just laughing because it looks like Obi-Wan and Yoda have a new pal?

What do YOU think Luke made of this troubling reveal?

[–] Otter (24464) 2 years ago

I bet he thought "Who is THAT?".

How would he know what his father looked like when young? Owen, Yoda, and Ben wouldn't have had pictures, and if any pictures of individual Jefi were in the media, Palpatine would have had Anakin's erased.

[–] FootOfDavros (8681) 2 years ago

How would he know what his father looked like when young?

That's the question - maybe there was some old holograms kicking around somewhere at the Lars homestead. But unlikely...

Otherwise, maybe that pilot in that deleted scene who knew Anakin showed Luke a picture of them together? Of screen, and I guess that guy is non canon since he got cut, but - trying to make any sense of it - probably the more likely acceptable explanation.

[–] millsey72 (10914) 2 years ago

You're asking a question about a fantasy sci fi story. Nothing was ever filmed or even suggested about Lukes reaction on screen about Anakins ghost. Your question is impossible to answer

[–] FootOfDavros (8681) 2 years ago

Well Luke smiled on screen, so we saw that much reaction for sure.

However, if you look back at the OP it asks us, the readers, what WE thought Luke's thoughts were rather than literally what Luke's thoughts were. Therefore the good news is that the question is indeed possible to answer.

[–] millsey72 (10914) 2 years ago

The reaction of Luke was filmed originally when the ghost of Anakin was that old man. Lucas used the exact reaction of Luke when he changed the ghost

[–] FootOfDavros (8681) 2 years ago

That's true. Lucas forced Hayden's ghost right over the top of that old guy's face. It was a pretty disrespectful thing for a director to do for sure but still, I think we can still have a view on what Luke was thinking when he saw that retconned face.

[–] Otter (24464) 2 years ago

Owen Lars met Anakin once that we know of, and while he was there Anakin committed a massacre and buggered off to leave the local people to face the wrath of the Tuskens with no Jedi support. He hated everything Jedi, he might have had pictures of Shmi around but not Anakin! And Ben and Yoda fled the wreck of the Jedi with the clothes on their backs, considering Anakin their worst enemy, they wouldn't have old Jedi family albums.

And I really do think that Palpatine would have suppressed any evidence of Vader's true identity, he'd be more intimidating if nobody knew who or what he was, and above all it was Vader's job to be intimidating.

[–] FootOfDavros (8681) 2 years ago

And Ben and Yoda fled the wreck of the Jedi with the clothes on their backs...

Going off topic here but that raises an interesting question I hadn't thought of before - How come the rebels already had that moon base - where Obi-Wan took Padme - established?

[–] Otter (24464) 2 years ago

It can't have been a Rebel mooonbase, there was no Rebellion at that point. I presume it was just a friendly place.

Maybe Padme owned it personally.

[–] Gd5150 (11948) 2 years ago

He’d be like, who the force are you? Are you talkin to me?

It’s not like uncle Owen and aunt Beru had family Photo albums laying around.

It would have been moving if Hayden had stepped forward and asked his son if he wanted to have a game of bullseye womp rats. The tears would’ve flowed.

[–] FootOfDavros (8681) 2 years ago

It would have been moving if Hayden had stepped forward and asked his son if he wanted to have a game of bullseye womp rats. The tears would’ve flowed.

No without precedent - Isn't that pretty much what happened in Field of Dreams? I'm pretty sure Kevin Costner plays ball with his similarly de-aged father...

[–] Gd5150 (11948) 2 years ago

Yeah that’s kinda what I was implying. Luke and his dad having a game of catch.

Imagine how great Luke was, he’s got the 2 force ghosts, and then ends up a degenerate loser on some island.

[–] FootOfDavros (8681) 2 years ago

He had three ghosts - Obi-Wan, Yoda and whichever version of Anakin you prefer. But lets forget about that island and that woeful film... The events ended here.

[–] Gd5150 (11948) 2 years ago

3 ghosts, that’s right. All they needed was the ghost of the Samuel Jackson posse and a corn field and they could’ve had a full game. Yoda would be a great catcher. Perfect height and he could steer the ball into the glove.

[–] FilmBuff (7431) 2 years ago

Presumably he knew through "the force" that it was his father he was seeing.