In light of the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I would like to delve into the inner workings of the characters from an adoption perspective. How might Star Wars characters’ personalities have been different if open adoption had played a part? Let’s see:
Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader
He could be considered the biological father figure in this movie. He ends up disclosing his identity to his son, Luke Skywalker. If Anakin had not gone to the dark side, he may have been in a position to raise Luke. Since he went to the dark side, he was unable to care for Luke, so Luke was “adopted” by his Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen. What if Darth Vader had kept in touch with Luke and his adoptive “parents”? Would the ability for Darth to keep in touch with his biological son have enabled him to leave the dark side? Maybe having a relationship with his son would’ve focused Anakin on being with family and kept him in the light of love and out of the darkness.
Yoda
Yoda is known to all as the greatest and most talented master of the Force. His job is to guide young ones to become Jedis, to help them understand and properly use the Force. He prides himself on having his students learn from their experiences. I would equate Yoda with a counselor for a child of open adoption. The counselor guides a child through feelings and experiences of being part of an open adoption, similar to how Yoda guides the Jedis in training.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan is known as the mentor for Anakin before he became Darth Vader, and then the mentor for Luke Skywalker. He trained both in the use of the Force. “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine,” said Obi-Wan, in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Obi-Wan defined the force as “what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.” I think if we view some of the characters in Star Wars to be part of an open adoption plan, then Obi-Wan would play the part of the social worker/mediator between the birth and adoptive families. “The Force” would be the love, understanding, and patience that encompasses open adoption.
Luke Skywalker
Luke is Anakin Skywalker’s biological son. He becomes an orphan soon after birth, as his mom Padme dies shortly after childbirth and his father joins the dark side. Luke is hidden from Anakin and raised on Tatooine by his adoptive parents Beru and Owen Lars, who is also Anakin’s step-brother. If the scenario had played out as an open adoption, there would be minimal secrets, no hiding. Anakin would know his son, and Luke would know his father.
Princess Leia
Princess Leia is Luke Skywalker’s twin sister. Soon after she is born, she becomes an orphan with her brother Luke, and is adopted by Bail Organa and Queen Breha of Alderaan. She and Luke are separated at birth, because they thought separating the two would make them more difficult for Anakin to recognize. Similar to Luke, had open adoption been an option, Leia would know her biological father, and most likely her biological brother Luke. Again, there would be minimal secrets. And they would never have kissed. Blech.
Han Solo
Han is yet another orphan who became part of a crew on a pirate ship. He escaped in his teenage years and befriended Chewbacca, who stood by him through life’s trials and tribulations. Solo became an expert at smuggling and Chewy stood by his side. Had Han Solo been a part of an open adoption, perhaps he would not have not become a smuggler, or come off as an abrasive loner to those he met. He would have known his biological mother, maybe even his biological father. He would have adoptive parents who would hopefully open their hearts to him, to love him unconditionally. Han Solo never knew love until he married Princess Leia, and even then, he never experienced the unconditional love of parents. If open adoption had been part of Han Solo’s life, maybe Han would have grown up trusting others, and not had so much anger (If his anger and non-trusting nature were tied to him being an orphan for most of his life). Maybe Han would’ve lived a life of learning to be a Jedi, a life of determination, hard work and success. One will never know.
***This article is all speculation from an adoptee. It would be interesting if they redid Star Wars from an open adoption perspective. I am thinking maybe there would be less secrecy, less lies, less anger, and less fighting. Then there may have been less battles, and Star Wars may never have been. Hmm . . . “We can never know what might have been, but what is to come is another matter entirely”– C.S. Lewis
***Drawings by 7-year-old Dominic Tillou***
