Some people in the galaxy far, far away make bad choices. And then there are the truly stupid ones — like the guy who decided to call himself “Luke Skywalker” while Darth Vader was on a personal mission to find his real son. The story in Star Wars (2020) #5 shows exactly how that ended for him, and it’s as brutal as you’d expect from the Dark Lord of the Sith.
Vader’s Hunt for Luke Was Already Personal
The events of Star Wars (2020) #5 happen shortly after The Empire Strikes Back. Vader had just fought Luke on Cloud City, learned the truth about their connection, and set his sights on turning his son to the dark side. His dream was simple: father and son ruling the galaxy together.
But tracking Luke down wasn’t easy. Every lead was either cold or false, and the frustration was mounting. Then word reached Vader about a man going around the galaxy claiming to be Luke Skywalker — bragging about blowing up the Death Star and offering his services as a pilot. That was more than just a distraction. It was an insult.
The Impostor Who Pushed Vader Too Far
The impostor wasn’t just pretending to be Luke. He went all in on the act. This unnamed man was a blond human with a cybernetic eye, wearing glasses to hide it. He even had a droid named Ardee to complete the illusion and liked to boast:
“Yeah, I can take that job. Fly you there, no problem. I mean… I’m Luke Skywalker.”
In a crowded cantina, he told anyone who would listen that he was the hero who destroyed the Death Star. He strutted around like he owned the place, confident that his act would land him high-paying jobs. But one presence in the room turned that swagger into sheer terror — Darth Vader had arrived.
When Vader confronted the man, there was no lengthy debate or drawn-out fight. He simply asked whether the impostor was claiming the Skywalker name, and before the man could answer, the Sith Lord’s hand was raised. The air vanished from the pretender’s lungs as Vader’s Force choke tightened around his neck.
The impostor panicked. He confessed that his name wasn’t really Luke Skywalker and that he was only trying to find work. But none of that mattered. Vader told him flatly that “by tomorrow, no one will ever remember he ever lived.”
Moments later, a sharp crack echoed through the cantina. Vader snapped the man’s neck and dropped him where he stood.
A Lesson to the Galaxy: “Skywalkers Die”
Vader left the rest of the cantina alive, but not out of mercy. He wanted witnesses. He declared that anyone who dared claim the Skywalker name would also claim Luke’s crimes against the Empire — and suffer the same fate. Then came a chilling decree that echoed through the room:
“Skywalkers die.”
Even though he had claimed to have killed Anakin Skywalker and left that name behind, he still carried a twisted pride in the Skywalker legacy. The name tied back to his mother, his past, and everything that shaped him. To see someone cheapen it for money was beyond disrespect — it was heresy.
The killing didn’t cool Vader’s temper. When he returned to his Star Destroyer, his lieutenant proudly claimed that Imperial intelligence was flawless. Vader disagreed. He warned the officer that another false lead would be his last.
The fake Luke had wasted his time, and Vader made sure the Empire knew that there would be consequences for mistakes.
