- Post
- #1595524
- Topic
- Implied starting date of the Empire from OT dialogue
- Link
- https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1595524/action/topic#1595524
- Time
Well, I think it depends on what question we’re actually asking here. Is it theoretically possible - given only the info in the OT - that the Empire was much older than 20 years in ANH? Sure, it’s possible. There are many ways to write the backstory this way, as suggested in this thread, including but not limited to: (1) Vader was secretly evil for decades before giving birth to Luke, or (2) it wasn’t a secret and Mrs. Skywalker openly supported Vader’s murderous purge, or (3) there were other Jedi-killers before Vader, or (4) Luke and Leia were cryogenically frozen for some unspecified time period, etc. etc.
But none of those possibilities are the most straightforward, natural interpretation of the OT. The most natural interpretation is probably just the Empire was only 19 years old.
Or rather, with only ANH in mind, perhaps the Empire was substantially older. But with all three Original Trilogy films, the most natural conclusion is the Empire is the same age as Luke. Yes, it’s possible to come up with ways to extend the length, but they all involve “multiplying extra entities beyond necessity”, which makes William of Occam very sad.
Yeah, Vader being Luke’s father ruined a much more interesting (possible) timeline. I always liked the idea of multiple Clone Wars over a 30 year period that essentially caused the end of the Golden Age of The Republic. Obi-wan is 90 years old in SW77, having fought as a young Jedi in the last Clone War - which ended 50 years prior.
The Empire first exiled all Jedi, but they plotted to Restore the Republic so (with the help of Vader) they are eliminated. Anakin, Mrs. Skywalker, and Obi are on the run for many years in the Outer Rim territories; which fell out of Republic control during the Clone Wars and are only now being re-integrated into The Empire.
Eventually Vader catches up to Anakin and the two duel near a “molten pit”. Anakin is killed and Vader horribly wounded. The Force keeps Vader alive long enough for him to get “suited up” as we see him in SW77. Obi-wan goes into permanent exile on his home planet of Tatooine with Anakin’s son, Luke. Nothing is heard of him until SW77, so The Empire assumes he has died of natural causes. Since anyone can use the Force with training there is nothing special about Luke so he really isn’t being hidden from The Empire…although Obi dreams of restoring The Republic still.