Star Wars question - Uncle Owen

[JoeZhang]

Why is Uncle Owen walking around dressed as a Jedi*?

For that matter, why is Ben who is suppose to be lying low wandering around dressed as a Jedi?




* yes I know the real world history but give me an in-universe explanation.

 

[C.E. Evans]

It's not so much that Owen is dressed as a Jedi than it is hooded robes are sort of common throughout the galaxy. Now if you see someone wearing a hooded robe with a lightsaber, well...

 

[Checkmate]

Because, originally, it was a disguise and Lucas kinda-sorta forgot about that in the prequels? We saw what a "proper" Jedi would probably wear in Luke's black outfit. But I guess Lucas (and fans in general, who went on to embrace it in their artwork and the expanded universe crap) decided that Tattooine casual wear was more fitting.

 

[David cgc]

Don't forget that Anakin was also wearing Tattooine robes as a ghost at the end of "Jedi." You could make a case based on that film that either the black suit or the robes were regular Jedi wear.

 

[The Wormhole]

Kind of off topic, but I'll ask it here anyway. Wasn't there a theory (probably fanon) going around way back before the prequels were made suggesting Uncle Owen was in fact Obi-Wan's brother?

The prequels sure have shot that theory down.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Kind of off topic, but I'll ask it here anyway. Wasn't there a theory (probably fanon) going around way back before the prequels were made suggesting Uncle Owen was in fact Obi-Wan's brother?

The prequels sure have shot that theory down.

I think was an idea proposed in the novelization of Episode VI, but never mentioned onscreen, IIRC.

 

[David cgc]

It wasn't really fanon. It was in the original script for Return of the Jedi, and the novelization. Obi-Wan gave a fuller explanation of Luke and Leia's birth than he did in the final film.

BEN
Your insight serves you well. Bury your
feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit.
But they could be made to serve the Emperor.

Luke looks into the distance, trying to comprehend all this.

BEN (continuing his narrative)
When your father left, he didn't know your
mother was pregnant. Your mother and I knew
he would find out eventually, but we wanted
to keep you both as safe as possible, for as
long as possible. So I took you to live with
my brother Owen on Tatooine... and your mother
took Leia to live as the daughter of Senator
Organa, on Alderaan.

Luke turns, and settles near Ben to hear the tale.

BEN (attempting to give solace with his words)
The Organa household was high-born and
politically quite powerful in that system.
Leia became a princess by virtue of
lineage... no one knew she'd been adopted, of
course. But it was a title without real
power, since Alderaan had long been a
democracy. Even so, the family continued to
be politically powerful, and Leia, following
in her foster father's path, became a senator
as well. That's not all she became, of
course... she became the leader of her cell
in the Alliance against the corrupt Empire.
And because she had diplomatic immunity, she
was a vital link for getting information to
the Rebel cause. That's what she was doing
when her path crossed yours... for her foster
parents had always told her to contact me on
Tatooine, if her troubles became desperate.

 

[nx1701g]

Kind of off topic, but I'll ask it here anyway. Wasn't there a theory (probably fanon) going around way back before the prequels were made suggesting Uncle Owen was in fact Obi-Wan's brother?

The prequels sure have shot that theory down.

One of the old character guides (the ones LucasFilm releases) from the early 2000s - before AOTC - listed Ben Kenobi and Owen Lars as brothers.

 

[Silent_Bob]

It wasn't really fanon. It was in the original script for Return of the Jedi, and the novelization. Obi-Wan gave a fuller explanation of Luke and Leia's birth than he did in the final film.

BEN
Your insight serves you well. Bury your
feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit.
But they could be made to serve the Emperor.

Luke looks into the distance, trying to comprehend all this.

BEN (continuing his narrative)
When your father left, he didn't know your
mother was pregnant. Your mother and I knew
he would find out eventually, but we wanted
to keep you both as safe as possible, for as
long as possible. So I took you to live with
my brother Owen on Tatooine... and your mother
took Leia to live as the daughter of Senator
Organa, on Alderaan.

Luke turns, and settles near Ben to hear the tale.

BEN (attempting to give solace with his words)
The Organa household was high-born and
politically quite powerful in that system.
Leia became a princess by virtue of
lineage... no one knew she'd been adopted, of
course. But it was a title without real
power, since Alderaan had long been a
democracy. Even so, the family continued to
be politically powerful, and Leia, following
in her foster father's path, became a senator
as well. That's not all she became, of
course... she became the leader of her cell
in the Alliance against the corrupt Empire.
And because she had diplomatic immunity, she
was a vital link for getting information to
the Rebel cause. That's what she was doing
when her path crossed yours... for her foster
parents had always told her to contact me on
Tatooine, if her troubles became desperate.

Who says George Lucas can't write snappy dialogue. Jeez that lecture is almost as bad as Anakin's sand speech.

 

[Mr. Sin]

Some of the initial concept art for The Phantom Menace have Jedi in outfits that looked a bit like Luke but had more of an armor look to them.

According to some of the reference books, the design is met to identify the Jedi with the common civilian.


It's interesting that while the movies stick with the robes, the Clone Wars toons give them armor. I think that's partially due to the fact that robes would be harder to animate.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

I think that's partially due to the fact that robes would be harder to animate.

Oh, so that's what the whole cloaks with the armor underneath instead of jedi robes (In the film and the last Mandalor episode) is about.

 

[RoJoHen]

There was a server at my restaurant yesterday wearing a pirate hat. That doesn't mean he's a pirate.

 

[Thespeckledkiwi]

Was Obi-Wan an Alderaan? Was Owen a Tatooine native?

 

[Skywalker]

Was Obi-Wan an Alderaan? Was Owen a Tatooine native?

Obi-Wan's homeworld is unknown, and Owen was born in the Core Worlds, but raised on Tatooine.

 

[Anwar]

Geez, so now it is doubly bizarre that NEITHER Luke or Ben cared when Owen was killed by the Stormtroopers...

 

[Mike Farley]

Um, Luke certainly did care that his Uncle and Aunt were killed.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

There was a server at my restaurant yesterday wearing a pirate hat. That doesn't mean he's a pirate.

Still, you should watch your booty around him, for he could still be a pirate and one of the "butt" variety.

 

[Trekker4747]

A better question would be why on a desert planet one would wear heavy wool robes? Sure, the nights in a desert on earth can get chilly, but druing the day as we see in the SW movies? Anikan, Obi-won and Owen should've been sweating like Joe Don Baker in a cardiologist's office.

 

[Skywalker]

There was a server at my restaurant yesterday wearing a pirate hat. That doesn't mean he's a pirate.

Sounds like he should have gone to FreeCreditReport.com.

 

[Anwar]

Um, Luke certainly did care that his Uncle and Aunt were killed.

Yeah, for like 4 minutes. He was more PO'ed over Ben "dying" than them.