Originally Written June 5, 2020

This idea came to me while mindlessly searching Star Wars memes on the internet.  I came across the one below where it’s creator mocked Luke for looking right down the emitter of his father’s lightsaber right after Obi-Wan gave it to him:

OK, funny, but Luke isn’t THAT big of a doofus.  This exact scene or moment also never appeared in “A New Hope” either, so I can only conclude the picture is photoshopped.  Still funny.  Anyway, I finally did start thinking “what if” though…  Here’s my take:

THE STORY:

Luke momentarily turned away from his work reattaching Threepio’s arm, and chuckled slightly.  “My father didn’t fight in the wars, he was a navigator on a spice freighter.

“That’s what your uncle told you.  He didn’t hold with your father’s ideals… thought he should have stayed here and not gotten involved.” Kenobi replied with a slight scowl as he rubbed his beard. 

A look of quiet disbelief washed over Luke’s face.  “You fought in the clone wars?”

“Yes,” Kenobi replied, looking away.  His troubled expression didn’t escape Luke’s notice.  “I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father.”  He leaned back in his seat and rubbed his chin.

“I wish I’d known him.” Luke replied quietly.

“He was the best star pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior” Kenobi replied with a brief hint of a smile.  “I understand you’ve become quite a good pilot yourself.”

Luke smiled and half shrugged, returning his focus to finishing Threepio’s repairs.

Kenobi’s gaze drifted backwards in time and he allowed himself a brief smile again.  “He was a good friend…”  He glanced sideways and then stood up.  “Which reminds me…” Kenobi strolled across the small room to an old trunk.  “I have something here for you.”  He opened the chest rummaged through it.  “Your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn’t allow it.  He feared you might follow old Obi-Wan on some damned fool idealistic crusade like your father did.”  Kenobi found what he was looking for and stood up straight as he removed it from the trunk.

“Sir, if you’ll not be needing me, I’ll close down for a while.” Threepio interjected.

“Sure, go ahead.” Luke replied, taking a quick glance at Threepio before returning a fixed gaze to the thick metallic cylinder in Kenobi’s hands.  He stood up and met Kenobi half way across the room.  “What is it?” he asked.

“Your father’s lightsaber.” Kenobi said, holding it out to Luke.   “This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight.  Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster.”  Luke took the weapon from Kenobi and hit the power switch, the blue energy blade instantly springing to life.  “A more elegant weapon of a more civilized day.” Kenobi said as he returned to his earlier chair.

Artoo chirped excitedly as Luke moved the blade back and forth a few times.

“For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic.” Kenobi said, watching Luke continue to move the blade about as if in a trance.  Kenobi looked down and scowled.  “…Before the dark times, before the Empire.”

Luke switched off the lightsaber and sat down on the bench next to Kenobi.  “How did my father die?”  He sat down and stared sadly into the barrel of the lightsaber.

Kenobi looked away for a moment, regret showing on his face.  He turned back to Luke and started to speak.  “A young Jedi named Darth Vad…”

Before Kenobi could finish his sentence, an explosion rocked the small desert house, blowing a hole in the wall and toppling Artoo onto his face.  The force of the blast also staggered Luke and made him fumble the lightsaber.  His thumb hit the activation button, igniting the blade and sending it right through his skull.  Luke slumped over dead, as the still ignited lightsaber fell to the floor.

Kenobi cursed and ignited his own saber as a Tusken Raider rushed through the hole in the wall.  With one clean swing, Kenobi cut the invader in half.  A second Raider appeared at the hole and tried to level its blaster rifle.  Kenobi force pushed the sandperson with all his might, sending him flying over the nearby cliff and to his death.

Kenobi rushed out the hole, a look of utter rage on his face.  “Do you realize what you filthy animals have cost us?  Cost the galaxy?” he screamed.  He flung his lightsaber, cutting down two more sandpeople.  “That damned boy was our last hope to kill the Emperor!”

Another sandperson leveled his rifle at Kenobi and started to pull the trigger.  Kenobi quickly used the Force to pull Luke’s lightsaber to him and deflect the shot right back at his attacker.  A half second later, Kenobi’s own saber arced back into his grasp.  Another two sandpeople charged Kenobi, swinging their gaffi sticks.  Kenobi cut one down and force pushed the other back into a third sandperson who was holding a thermal detonator.

Both tried to scramble away from the armed detonator, but Kenobi lifted them both into the air with the Force and flung them and the detonator over the cliff.  A moment later there was a blinding explosion and two screams cut short.

Obi-Wan moved to the cliff to see three more Tusken Raiders riding Banthas and retreating at full gallop.  He let out an enraged scream at them.

“Obi-Wan, control yourself!” a voice demanded from behind him.  “Do you want to end up like Anakin?”

Obi-Wan whipped around to see the Force apparition of his old master Qui-Gon Jinn.  “Everything we worked for, had hoped to bring to pass, it’s all gone!” he said angrily.  “Years and years watching the boy, masking his presence from detection by the dark side, all wasted…” he continued with a dejected sigh.  “There’s no one left that can stand up to Vader and the Emperor now.”

“So soon you forget…” said Yoda as his projected image appeared.  “Another, there is.” 

“Can the girl even be trained?” Kenobi asked, slowly regaining his center.

“Her immediate talent isn’t what the boy’s was.” Qui-Gon replied.  “Her connection to the living Force and ultimate potential may very well be even greater though.”

Yoda nodded slowly.  “Hmmm, find her you must.”

“How?” Kenobi asked.

“I believe the little droid in there will have the answers you seek.” Said Qui-Gon with a gesture towards the damaged house.

“Anakin’s old droid?” Kenobi asked rhetorically. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

To Be Continued?