The Empire Strikes Back’s Darth Vader plot twist was key to Luke Skywalker’s character arc in the original Star Wars trilogy, but what if he’d killed Vader before learning the truth? Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, despite having the best intentions in mind, chose to keep Luke and Leia in the dark regarding their father’s true identity, hoping that they’d kill the Sith Lord and help topple the Empire. While the Empire would likely still fall in this alternate Star Wars trilogy, it would not be Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) who defeats Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).
Luke Skywalker’s characterization in Return of the Jedi is brilliant both from an in-universe perspective and as a refreshingly different sort of path for a science fantasy protagonist. With the truth about his father revealed, Luke no longer sees Darth Vader as a monster who must be killed but rather as a fallen hero who can be redeemed. Luke is instructed by his mentors to kill Vader, an action that he not only couldn’t bring himself to commit but also one that would play into Emperor Palpatine’s schemes perfectly. By defeating the dark side by appealing to Vader’s inner goodness instead of Force powers and lightsaber combat, Luke rose above the failings of the prequel-era Jedi Order while becoming a more sentimental sort of action hero.
This means that Yoda (Frank Oz) and Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness), unfortunately, came up with a flawed plan to defeat the Sith. Although their intentions were altruistic, they continued the morally dubious pattern of their outdated Jedi Order, setting Luke up to simply kill and replace Darth Vader as Emperor Palpatine’s Sith apprentice. Had Luke unknowingly killed his father, it wouldn’t end up being him who defeats the dark side in Return of the Jedi, but rather his sister, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), who Yoda described as another hope for the galaxy if Luke were to fall. Whether it’s Luke or Leia who defeats the Sith in Return of the Jedi, it’d be by rejecting the dark side and the old Jedi ways, allowing for an improved Jedi Order to replace Yoda and Obi-Wan’s generation. Here's what would have happened if Luke became a Jedi and killed Vader before The Empire Strikes Back's father twist.
Luke Completes His Jedi Training (Leaving His Friends In Imperial Captivity)
Luke Skywalker’s devotion to his friends and loved ones is both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness. Experiencing visions through the Force of his friends in pain, it was in Luke’s character to rush off to Bespin and save them, even if it meant abandoning his goal of becoming a Jedi. Perhaps, if Yoda also saw Luke’s visions and anticipated his actions, he’d prevent the Jedi-in-training from leaving by temporarily dampening his connection to the Force at the moment, preventing Luke from seeing his friends in pain. While yet another morally questionable action, Yoda would believe himself to be doing the right thing, and thus Luke would remain on Dagobah and complete his Jedi training. Meanwhile, despite Lando Calrissian’s (Billy Dee Williams) best efforts, he and the rest of the Rebels would remain captives of the Empire while Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is delivered to Jabba the Hutt.
Luke Eventually Rescues Han & Leia - And Then Kills Darth Vader
It would only be after Yoda deems Luke a Jedi Knight that he’d allow the Force visions of Luke’s imperiled friends to reach him. With Luke now a fully trained Jedi, he’d set off to rescue his friends first from the clutches of the Empire. Along with rescuing Leia, Lando, Chewie, and C-3PO, Luke would also confront Darth Vader, where he’d best the Sith Lord, thanks to his completed training. It’s here that the dying Vader would reveal that he’s Luke’s father, leaving Luke with a profoundly worse trauma than what’s canonically shown in Empire. Luke would carry this pain with him as he plots and executes the rescue of Han Solo within the next few months, only unlike the swashbuckling heroics shown in Return of the Jedi, Luke would be slipping towards the dark side as he battles Jabba the Hutt’s forces.
Luke's Faith In The Jedi Is Gone & He Falls To The Dark Side
Following Han Solo’s rescue, Luke would likely still return to Dagobah, though not to complete his training, but instead to berate Yoda for his deception. The dying Jedi Master would explain his actions as best he could, but Luke would, understandably, lose his faith in the Jedi for manipulating him to kill his own father. This would eventually lead him to confront Emperor Palpatine, who’d turn his anger towards the Jedi and pain over having killed his father against him. Luke would, tragically, fall to the dark side and join the Sith as Darth Vader’s successor.
The Emperor Replaces Darth Vader With Luke Skywalker
As both the new second-in-command of the Galactic Empire and a Sith Lord, Luke would relearn everything he knows about the Force just as Anakin did after becoming Darth Vader. Having been a key member of the Rebel Alliance, Luke would be invaluable to the Empire’s war effort, likely leading them to decisive victories and helping them capture Rebellion leaders like Mon Mothma. Luke might avoid going after his closest friends in the Rebellion, however, so not only would Lando Calrissian and Wedge Antilles likely survive the Empire’s gradual victory, but Leia would have the opportunity to defeat the Empire and succeed where Luke failed.
Princess Leia Becomes A Jedi Instead Of Luke
Although the Rebellion would be in shambles thanks to Luke’s Imperial leadership, Leia and the others he’d rescued from Vader would keep the Alliance alive. Leia would eventually begin Jedi training as well, learning the truth about her familial relationship to Luke from the start - while Leia’s teachers would be the Force ghosts of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, something that the Star Wars franchise has done before via Kyle Katarn, a Jedi Knight whose first mentor was the ghost of the Clone Wars-era Jedi Master Qu Rahn. Leia would eventually become a Jedi and confront her brother, though not with the intention of killing him.
Princess Leia Redeems Luke Skywalker
Similar to the canonical version of Return of the Jedi, Leia, now a Jedi Knight, would battle her Sith Lord brother as Palpatine tries to corrupt her, thus creating a win-win scenario for him. After defeating but refusing to kill Luke, Leia would be unprepared for Palpatine’s dark side powers, but Luke would save her life, killing The Emperor but dying in the process. In this case, the Rebel Alliance would be in no position to turn into the New Republic nearly as quickly as it did in canon and Legends.
Moreover, the fractured Empire would be at war with the heroes for far longer, making Palpatine’s eventual resurrection far more perilous for the galaxy. Leia would also have to rebuild the Jedi Order as a newer and better institution, just as Luke did in Legends and Rey likely will in canon. The Sith and the Galactic Empire would likely still be defeated in this alternate Star Wars saga, but having Luke become a Jedi early and kill Darth Vader before The Empire Strikes Back’s famous plot twist would make his story far bleaker.