Warning: SPOILERS for Marvel's Star Wars #58
Luke Skywalker is a hero known throughout the galaxy as the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, the rebel who vanquished the Emperor, and the Jedi who faced down the whole First Order... so how is it that Luke never falls in love with a special someone and settles down?
As a whole, the Star Wars franchise isn't overly concerned with romance, even if its characters' romantic relationships often have a huge impact on the galaxy. The marriages of both Anakin and Padme, and Han and Leia sadly led to the rise of two of the galaxy's most vile villains. And while it's possible these examples are what convince Luke to never fall fall in love, the latest issue of Marvel's Star Wars comic makes another argument: Luke is too obsessed with being the hero to ever stop and think about something else.
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Following the recent "Hope Dies" arc - in which the Empire comes dreadfully close to annihilating the entire Rebellion - the trio of Luke, Leia, and Han are on the lam, hiding out on the isolationist moon, Hubin. They've been stranded for roughly a week in this pastoral paradise and with no ship or transmitter to contact one, truly stuck until the sole trading vessel visits the moon... in six months! With all sorts of time on their hands, Han relaxes while Leia thinks and plans their next move, but Luke is restless, obsessing over all the evil the Empire could be doing while he's trapped on this moon. So he begins building a transmitter, defying Hubin's isolationist practices.
Hubin is home to the Markona clan, former mercenaries who gained ownership of the moon during one last mission and chose to give up the game and settle down. Their leader is Thane, the son of a Jedi who turned her back on the order after falling in love, and whose daughter, Tula, has become a great admirer of Luke's. She asks Luke to join her on a walk - a "definitely-not-romantic walk," Han jokes - during which Tula explains to Luke how her clan's isolationism is making the younger generations feel restless. Tula shares this with Luke to prove to him that she understands how he feels, but unlike Luke, she isn't so naive or single-minded.
Tula knows Luke is building a transmitter and cautions him against it, warning that it may lead to his rescue, but could also alert other, less friendly forces that would punish the clan. She stresses that the galaxy will still be there in a few months time, so is it really worth risking Hubin's peace just to return to the fight so soon? In Luke's opinion: Yes. The issue ends with him firing up that transmitter, and it's his brazen disregard for Tula's very rational concern which highlights exactly why Luke never finds love - he must always play the hero.
While Luke's devotion to the cause is on the one hand admirable, it's also foolish, and in this instance, not only threatens a kind and welcoming community, but jeopardizes one of the few opportunities Luke has to get close to someone who isn't his sister or a smuggler. (Not that he actually knows Leia is his sister at this point, but still.) Here is a beautiful, young woman who is clearly growing fond of Luke, and he can't see what a gift it would be to spend a few months with her on this idyllic moon. Instead, all he can think about Vader and thwarting whatever the Sith Lord does next.
Luke is a hero, of that there's no doubt. But he cannot look past the fight against evil and see the things that worth fighting for. Not yet, anyhow.
Star Wars #58 is now available from Marvel Comics.