The Skywalker Saga acts as the mainline story for the Star Wars franchise, consisting of nine major films and several spinoff stories. As the franchise continues to expand this story through Disney+ series like Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Skywalker Saga grows in both depth and scope with each passing year.While the story of the Skywalker Saga is complex and nuanced, some fans have truly captured the spirit of the franchise through surprisingly poignant memes, which essentially sum up the plot of the films without getting bogged down in the details.
Rise And Fall
The "Sassy Uncle Own" template is one of the prevalent meme formats to come out of Obi-Wan Kenobi, used in this juncture to poke fun at Chancellor Palpatine's foreboding works in The Phantom Menace, as he tells a young Anakin Skywalker that he will watch his career "with great interest."
While this line foreshadows Anakin's eventual downfall due to Palpatine's meddling, the meme points out an even further future. Anakin's career does indeed lead to the Dark Side but ultimately ends after betraying and killing Palpatine, redeeming himself during his very last moments.
A Controversial Character
Luke Skywalker is a character very dear to fans' hearts, leading his reappearance in the sequel trilogy to become quite controversial among the fanbase. The above meme compares Luke from the original trilogy to a magnificently carved wooden horse, whereas the sequel version of the character is likened to a toy horse merely taped to a banister.
Many Star Wars fans hate the version of Luke Skywalker depicted in The Last Jedi, believing his personality to be far out of line compared to that of the original films. While others argue that Luke's entire arc in the sequel trilogy brings him back to the hero he once was, many fans will never forgive the filmmakers that changed their favorite character.
Should've Phrased That Differently
Star Wars fans can be a sadistic bunch, often finding humor in some of the franchise's most gruesome and graphic moments. Such seems to be the case with a Reddit meme depicting Anakin claiming he would "give an arm and a leg" to be known as the best Jedi of all time, which of course, does literally occur in Revenge of the Sith.
While humorous, this joke does allude to Anakin's character arc in the prequel trilogy. The young Jedi, so consumed with his need for validation and power, sacrificed everything to attain these aspirations, only to pay dearly for his actions.
The Skywalker Legacy
One Reddit user took the time to point out a parallel between scenes from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and The Book of Boba Fett. In each, the hero, Harry Potter and Luke Skywalker respectively, is told how similar he is to their father.
There are plenty of similarities between Star Wars and Harry Potter, but the legacy of one's father is one of the most prevalent shared themes between the franchises. In Star Wars, Luke is more like his father than many would admit, which makes him both a powerful Jedi and a danger to others should he be tempted by the Dark Side.
All For Nothing
One hilarious meme reimagines an iconic scene between Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine at the end of Revenge of the Sith wherein, upon learning that his wife Padmé is dead, Vader decides that he no longer requires his Dark Side powers and leaves.
The death of Padmé Amidala was certainly one of the worst things that ever happened to Anakin Skywalker and something that he tried to avoid for weeks, even turning to the Dark Side in desperation. However, the Redditor makes an interesting point in that, after Padmé's death, there really is little reason for Anakin to remain a Sith Lord.
It's Always Tatooine
One Redditor imagines a conversation between Darth Vader and an Imperial Officer in the beginning of A New Hope in which the Sith Lord declares that the Death Star plans are almost always on Tatooine, as that seems to be the designated planet for major events in the Star Wars franchise.
While spoken in jest, this meme speaks a striking truth for the Star Wars franchise in that far too many films focus heavily on Tatooine. The planet, though relatively lackluster, always seems to find itself revisited just in time for a new major event in the Skywalker Saga, causing fans to wonder why other planets are not given the same treatment.
Chosen One?
Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, and Rey Palpatine each spearhead one of the three trilogies set within the Skywalker Saga. However, since each of them could feasibly have brought "balance to the Force," one Star Wars fan on Twitter makes their own argument that it is indeed Anakin who fulfilled the Prophecy.
Like many other fiction franchises, Star Wars includes a prophecy about a "Chosen One." However, while the prequel films hinted heavily that the Chosen One was indeed Anakin, the original and sequel trilogies make the case for Luke or Rey, leading many fans to wonder if the Prophecy was of any use at all. Even George Lucas has weighed in on this subject, though his comments only serve to deepen the mystery by adding a fourth candidate to the mix.
Priorities
After the death of Ben Kenobi at the hands of Darth Vader, Luke mourns the passing of his mentor. The recently rescued Leia Organa attempts to console her newfound friend and, though her actions are quite magnanimous, one Twitter user points out that Leia herself suffered a far greater tragedy only hours ago in the destruction of her home planet, Alderaan.
This post speaks to a larger issue in Star Wars wherein major and tragic moments are often skimmed over in service of the story when they would prove far more poignant if explored deeper. The destruction of Alderaan is only one example of bypassed tragedies, while many more, including the obliteration of five planets by Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens, litter the franchise with missed opportunities.
Familial Folly
One particularly dark meme depicts Luke Skywalker explaining his trouble with his absent father, have played catch with the wall instead of with Anakin. As would be expected, Ben Kenobi, having heard all this, gives Luke a concerned and compassionate look.
This bit of dark humor highlights a common familial folly among the Skywalkers in that they tend to abandon their friends and families when the going gets tough. Much like Anakin left his children to be raised by strangers, Luke would eventually leave his friends and sister after failing his nephew, disappearing for 30 years. While Luke did not leave behind any children as his father did, he still has more justification for his self-imposed exile than Anakin did for his own absence.