I’m a big fan of alternative history stories. Whether it’s DC’s Elseworlds, Marvel’s What If or the Star Wars Infinities comics, these kinds of scenarios fascinate me. They allow us to look at familiar worlds and characters from a completely new angle and ask the question: “What if?”
I recently listened to a Star Wars podcast where an interesting aspect of “A New Hope” was mentioned. It got me thinking about a possible alternate course of Star Wars events.
Such a story would certainly be a worthy addition to the Star Wars Infinities series.

Here are my thoughts:

At the beginning of “A New Hope,” Luke Skywalker is discussing with his Uncle Owen that he wants to become a pilot and therefore wants to go to the Academy.
However, the only relevant academy at the time would be the Imperial Pilot Academy – the very one that Han Solo flew out of some 15 years earlier.
The idea that Luke would have been accepted to this academy of all places leaves room for fascinating mind games.

Now imagine if Uncle Owen had given in and Luke had gone to the Academy. This would mean that Luke Skywalker would have become a TIE pilot! It’s interesting to think about how his journey would have progressed from this point and what role he would have played in the Imperial forces.

Let’s run with this thought:
Even without formal Jedi training, Luke’s innate Force talent would have made him an exceptional pilot – arguably one of the Empire’s finest aces. His abilities and surname would have inevitably come to the attention of Darth Vader and the Emperor. Once they recognized his potential, Luke would likely have become Vader’s protégé. Initially he would have served in the legendary 501st Legion, then risen to join Vader’s Elite Squad and eventually become his personal wingman.
It would be captivating to see how a mentor-disciple dynamic would have developed between Vader and Luke without Luke knowing the truth about his origins.

In the course of these events, Vader and the Emperor would have slowly seduced Luke to the Dark Side of the Force – without, of course, revealing to him who he really is. The temptations of the Dark Side, coupled with the promise of power and recognition, might have drawn Luke deeper and deeper into the Empire’s sphere of influence. One could imagine Luke, once full of ideals and hope, eventually becoming a fearsome instrument of the Empire.
At the end of this alternate path, a talented Sith Apprentice in a TIE Defender would lead the Imperial fighter squadrons in the battles of Yavin and Endor, determined to crush the Rebellion once and for all. The implications of such a scenario for the course of history would be immense.

One could also speculate how this alternate reality would have affected other characters and events. Would Leia have been able to continue to keep the flame of the Resistance alive? Would Han Solo have encountered Luke at some point, but as an enemy on the battlefield? Would Obi-Wan Kenobi risk his own death in a desperate attempt to bring Luke back? These questions invite further thought and illustrate the depth and complexity that such an alternative history could offer.

On that note, thank you, Owen Lars, for your persistence. From the Empire’s perspective, this was probably a big missed opportunity …

Such an alternate history would not only show the fate of Luke Skywalker, but also that of the entire galaxy in a new light. It reminds us that even the smallest decisions can have far-reaching consequences.

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Keywords: Alternative Star Wars history, Imperial Luke Skywalker, Star Wars Infinities, Darth Vader protégé, TIE fighter pilot Luke, Dark side Luke Skywalker, Star Wars what-if scenarios, Luke Skywalker Imperial Academy, Alternate Star Wars timeline, Star Wars fan theories
Hashtags: #StarWars #LukeSkywalker #DarthVader #AlternateHistory #WhatIf #ImperialAcademy #TIEFighter #DarkSide #StarWarsFanFic #StarWarsInfinities