BEN

CALL NO MAN ‘FATHER’

It just struck me (as I was writing a piece about Obi-Wan Kenobi, who calls himself

 ‘Ben’, or ‘Son’ 

(“Call No Man ‘Father’”)) — 

‘Ben Jonson’ means 

‘Son of Jo[h]n, Son of Jo[h]n’.

So, Why IS She a Princess, Exactly...?

51   EXT DAGOBAH SWAMP - X-WING 

Luke wanders back to where his ship is sitting. Artoo beeps a greeting, 
but is ignored by his depressed master. Luke kneels down, begins to 
help Artoo with the ship, then stops and shakes his head dejectedly.

LUKE
I can't do it, Artoo. I can't go on alone.

BEN  (OS)
Yoda will always be with you.

Luke looks up to see the shimmering image of BEN KENOBI.

LUKE
Obi-Wan! Why didn't you tell me?

The ghost of Ben Kenobi approaches him through the swamp.

LUKE
You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father.

BEN
You father was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be 
Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your 
father was destroyed. So what I have told you was true... from a 
certain point of view.

LUKE  (turning away, derisive)
A certain point of view!

BEN
Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend 
greatly on our own point of view.

Luke is unresponsive. Ben studies him in silence for a moment.

BEN
I don't blame you for being angry. If I was wrong in what I did, it 
certainly wouldn't have been for the first time. You see, what happened 
to your father was my fault.

Ben pauses sadly.

BEN
Anakin was a good friend.

Luke turns with interest at this. As Ben speaks, Luke settles on a 
stump, mesmerized. Artoo comes over to offer his comforting presence.

BEN
When I first knew him, your father was already a great pilot. But I was 
amazed how strongly the Force was with him. I took it upon myself to 
train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well 
as Yoda. I was wrong. My pride has had terrible consequences for the 
galaxy.

Luke is entranced.

LUKE
There's still good in him.

BEN
I also thought he could be turned back to the good side. It couldn't be 
done. He is more machine now than man. Twisted and evil.

LUKE
I can't do it, Ben.

BEN
You cannot escape your destiny.

LUKE
I tried to stop him once. I couldn't do it.

BEN
Vader humbled you when first you met him, Luke... but that experience 
was part of your training. It taught you, among other things, the value 
of patience. Had you not been so impatient to defeat Vader then, you 
could have finished your training here with Yoda. You would have been 
prepared.

LUKE
But I had to help my friends.

BEN  (grinning at Luke's indignation)
And did you help them? It was they who had to save you. You achieved 
little by rushing back prematurely, I fear.

LUKE  (with sadness)
I found out Darth Vader was my father.

BEN
To be a Jedi, Luke, you must confront and then go beyond the dark side 
- the side your father couldn't get past. Impatience is the easiest 
door - for you, like your father. Only, your father was seduced by what 
he found on the other side of the door, and you have held firm. You're 
no longer so reckless now, Luke. You are strong and patient. And now, 
you must face Darth Vader again!

LUKE
I can't kill my own father.

BEN
Then the Emperor has already won. You were our only hope.

LUKE
Yoda spoke of another.

BEN
The other he spoke of is your twin sister.

LUKE
But I have no sister.

BEN
Hmm. 



 

To protect you both from the Emperor, you were hidden from your 
father when you were born. The Emperor knew, as I did, if Anakin were 
to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him. That is the 
reason why your sister remains safely anonymous.

LUKE
Leia! Leia's my sister.

BEN
Your insight serves you well. Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They 
do you credit.

But they could be made to serve the Emperor.

Luke looks into the distance, trying to comprehend all this.

BEN  (continuing his narrative)
When your father left, he didn't know your mother was pregnant [with twins]. Your 
mother and I knew he would find out eventually, but we wanted to keep 
you both as safe as possible, for as long as possible.  So I took you 
to live with [Anakin's estranged Step-]brother Owen on Tatooine... and your mother took Leia 
to live as the daughter of Senator Organa, on Alderaan.

Luke turns, and settles near Ben to hear the tale.

BEN  (attempting to give solace with his words)
The Organa household was high-born and politically quite powerful in 
that system. Leia became a princess by virtue of lineage... no one knew 
she'd been adopted, of course. But it was a title without real power, 
since Alderaan had long been a democracy. 

Even so, the family continued to be politically powerful, and Leia, following in her foster 
father's path, became a senator as well.  That's not all she became, of 
course... she became the leader of her cell in the Alliance against the 
corrupt Empire. And because she had diplomatic immunity, she was a 
vital link for getting information to the Rebel cause.  That's what she 
was doing when her path crossed yours... for her foster parents had 
always told her to contact me on Tatooine, if her troubles became 
desperate.



Luke is overwhelmed by the truth, and is suddenly protective of his 
sister.

LUKE
But you can't let her get involved now, Ben. Vader will destroy her.

BEN
She hasn't been trained in the ways of the Jedi the way you have, 
Luke... but the Force is strong with her, as it is with all of your 
family. There is no avoiding the battle. You must face and destroy 
Vader!

Master Luke, People Will Scrap You,

Violate Your Mind and Enslave You.

Every one of them’s Bad — You were right, R2.