Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker is the son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala. Gifted with a particularly strong affinity for the Force, he was instrumental in the defeat of the Galactic Empire and the foundation of a New Jedi Order.

Rebel Against the Empire

Luke joined the Rebellion against the Empire shortly before the Battle of Yavin. He helped rescue Leia Organa from the detention center of the Death Star, and later fired the proton torpedos that actually destroyed the Death Star.

Luke Skywalker has a natural aptitude for the Force rivalling his father's, and he quickly learned some simple Force techniques with minimal coaching from Obi-Wan Kenobi. After receiving a message from the ghost of Obi-Wan, Luke sought training as a Jedi from Yoda on the planet Dagobah. A trip to Bespin to rescue Leia and Han Solo from the Empire interrupted his training, and Luke was severely injured in a lightsabre duel with his father.

Luke eventually returned to Dagobah to complete his training, but Yoda told him that there was nothing left for him to learn, and only a second confrontation with his father -- Darth Vader -- would make him a Jedi. On the moon Endor, Luke surrendered himself to his father, and Darth Vader brought Luke before the Emperor, who intended to turn him to the Dark Side. During a prolonged lightsabre duel, Luke defeated his father, but refused to kill him or turn to the Dark Side. The Emperor himself then attacked Luke with Force-generated lightning. Only the intervention of Darth Vader -- who turned upon the Emperor and killed him -- saved Luke.

Expanded Universe

Luke Skywalker is frequently featured in novels about the New Republic. With the Republic's approval, he founded a New Jedi Order.