The reveal of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker's father-son connection at the end of Empire Strikes Back changed the trajectory of the Star Wars franchise, and popular culture as a whole – but it could have been very different, if George Lucas had left in the original reading of the line, and fans long clamored to know what the franchise would look like if Obi-Wan had killed Luke's father.
For years, fans have questioned what the franchise would look like if, instead of admitting his parentage, Vader had instead accused Obi-Wan Kenobi of slaying Luke's father. This article explores the question in more detail, and looks at a few of the most talked-about "What if?" options.
The Original "Empire Strikes Back" Line, Explained
"Obi-Wan Killed Your Father"
Routinely misquoted as "Luke, I am your father," what Darth Vader actually says in the climactic moment of Empire Strikes Back is "No, I am your father," in response to Luke's declaration that "Obi-Wan told me enough...he told me you killed him." This rightfully stands among the most legendary cinematic reveals of all time – but it was almost very different. As has been reported in several different places over the years, the original line spoken by Vader body-actor David Prosw during filming was "Obi-Wan killed your father," which was later overdubbed with the final version by voice-actor James Earl Jones.
From the time he was a child, Anakin Skywalker was told that he was the Chosen One, and he eventually believed it, even after he became Darth Vader.
Though it is understood now that this was a misdirect on the part of George Lucas, in order to preserve the film's major twist, it has still prompted legions of Star Wars fans over the years to consider what the franchise would be like if this version of the line had made it into the film. It has perhaps the greatest single "What if?" in franchise history. The implications for the trajectory of the story, and the pop culture significance of Star Wars, would have been understandably significantly different than what ultimately happened.
Dark Horse Comics' "Star Wars Infinities" Line, Explained
First Released In 2002-2003
What many fans might not realize, however, is that Star Wars comics actually have a history of exploring "What if?" questions, especially when it comes to the events of the Original Trilogy, in the form of the Infinities line of alternate continuity stories. In 2002, Dark Horse Comics released Star Wars: Infinities: A New Hope, a four-issue miniseries depicting a radically reinterpreted version of the original film's events. Infinities: Empire Strikes Back was released later that same year, while Infinities: Return of the Jedi followed in 2003.
Should [Star Wars] want to revisit the Infinities concept, this would be the perfect place to start, because it would satisfy the urge to ask "What if?" that this bit of trivia has instilled in fans for years.
These series are best remembered for their wild swings, such as Darth Vader surviving Infinities: Return of the Jedi and being redeemed, appearing with the heroes in the final pages in all-white armor to signify his re-embrace of the Light Side. Notably, Infinities: Empire Strikes Back diverged from canon in its first issue by having Luke Skywalker die as a result his injuries sustained in the Wampa attack on Hoth, meaning everything from the ice planet forward followed a dramatically different trajectory.
While this was a dramatic surprise, and lived up to the Infinities promise of upending everything readers knew about the Star Wars mythos, it also left an opportunity on the table. That is, the chance to explore the potential of Vader's "Obi-Wan killed your father line," and its massive implications for the franchise. While Star Wars comics are now predominantly published by Marvel, should they want to revisit the Infinities concept, this would be the perfect place to start, because it would satisfy the urge to ask "What if?" that this bit of trivia has instilled in fans for years.
How Star Wars Could Spin A Story Out Of "Obi-Wan Killed Your Father" – Option #1, "Evil Obi-Wan"
Kenobi Becomes An Antagonist
Custom Image by El Kuiper
There are many different directions Star Wars could take an alternate continuity story in, starting from the "Obi-Wan killed your father" line, so it is worth focusing in on the two most likely options. The first is the one that many fans immediately jump to – the idea that Obi-Wan's lie, once exposed, would reveal a previously hidden nefarious dimension to the character. In this version, Obi-Wan would have actually killed Anakin Skywalker, for reasons that the story would have to justify.
In the full-on "Evil Obi-Wan" version of this alternate continuity, Kenobi becomes an additional antagonist for Luke Skywalker to overcome; in less drastic variations, perhaps Obi-Wan's killing of Anakin is justified, and Luke has to come to terms with that.
This is notable because it would upend Luke's relationship with his beloved first Jedi mentor, and presumably lead him to question the true nature of the Light and Dark Side of the Force. Even more significantly for Star Wars lore, however, it would possibly lead to a version of the story in which Darth Vader is not Anakin Skywalker, meaning he is not Luke Skywalker's father. This in itself would be an almost-unfathomable change to the franchise, and the variables in terms of how it could play out are nearly limitless, and endlessly fascinating.
In the full-on "Evil Obi-Wan" version of this alternate continuity, Kenobi becomes an additional antagonist for Luke Skywalker to overcome; in less drastic variations, perhaps Obi-Wan's killing of Anakin is justified, and Luke has to come to terms with that. Vader meanwhile, lacking an emotional connection to Skywalker, would likely be bereft of his redemption arc, and could serve as an even more ruthless antagonist in the final chapter of the Saga. Of course, these are just some of the many permutations the idea could take.
How Star Wars Could Spin A Story Out Of "Obi-Wan Killed Your Father" – Option #2, "The Misdirect"
Vader Is The Ultimate Deceiver
Another option for how a Star Wars Infinities story could play off the "Obi-Wan killed your father" line would be to make it a form of misdirection, or misinformation delivered by Darth Vader, in order to sow doubt in Luke's mind, and drive a wedge between him and his Jedi mentor. In this version, one way to tell the story would be for things to have gone as they did on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith – that is, Obi-Wan defeating Anakin and leaving him for dead. Essentially, this version is an inverse of Obi-Wan's claim that Vader killed Anakin.
That is, it mirrors Obi-Wan's "from a certain point of view" logic, from Vader's perspective. In Obi-Wan's mind, his friend and Padawan was "killed" by the Sith identity that supplanted him, but for Vader, Obi-Wan's betrayal is tantamount to murder. This would present a degree of ambiguity that Luke would have to navigate during the critical third act of the story. It would involve less overhauling of existing Star Wars canon, and instead, more in line with the original Infinities stories, present an alternate pathway for the story to precede.
Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side could have been easily avoided if only he had what Luke had to escape Palpatine and the corruption of the Dark Side.
It would also make Vader more manipulative – and less interested in his familial connection to Luke. This would, again, make his redemption less feasible from a storytelling perspective, though not impossible. Ultimately, there are, of course, many different ways this version of the Original Trilogy could proceed other than the ones outlined here; Marvel Comics could produce an entire anthology around different Infinities takes on the "Obi-Wan killed your father" line, each of which would be controversial and satisfying in their own ways to diehard Star Warsfans.
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
Custom Image by Nathaniel Roark
Custom Image by El Kuiper
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