10 Star Wars Mysteries Explained Outside Of The Films
8. How Did Darth Vader Find Out Luke Was His Son?
The Mystery:
In The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader tells Luke that he is his father, but how exactly did Vader himself come to learn this crucial piece of knowledge after seemingly having no idea who he was in A New Hope?
The Answer:
In the sixth issue of "Star Wars: Darth Vader," it's revealed that Vader sent Boba Fett off to find out the identity of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star at the end of A New Hope.
Fett eventually tracks Luke down, and though Luke avoids being captured, Fett returns to Vader with the name "Skywalker," triggering a wealth of memories from Anakin's earlier life, namely Padme's death in childbirth.
This confirms to Vader that Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) was lying to him about the fate of his son, setting in motion both Vader's attempts to bring Luke to the Dark Side, and his eventual double-crossing of the Emperor.