One of the most pivotal moments in the Star Wars universe is when Darth Vader reveals he’s Luke Skywalker’s father. The revelation shocks Luke, who had believed Vader killed Anakin Skywalker. But a deleted scene from Return of the Jedi fills in some gaps. In it, Yoda explains why Luke had been kept in the dark.
In ‘Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope,’ Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Luke Skywalker that Darth Vader killed his father
When George Lucas made his first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, he hadn’t finalized the Skywalker family tree. In the film, there’s no hint Luke and Leia are twins. And there’s no indication Darth Vader is their father.
In fact, in one scene, Obi-Wan tells Luke that his Jedi father, Anakin Skywalker, was killed by Darth Vader. And in another, Luke and Leia share a brief kiss.
The second Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back, cements the Skywalkers’ relationships. Darth Vader reveals he is Anakin. And for anyone who had only seen A New Hope, the revelation was surprising and confusing.
A ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’ deleted scene shows Yoda explaining that Obi-Wan lied to Luke
1983’s Return of the Jedi follows Luke, Leia, and Han Solo as they defeat the Empire. In one scene, Luke visits his Jedi master, Yoda, on the planet Dagobah and wonders if Darth Vader told the truth about being his dad.
“Your father he is,” Yoda confirms. “Unfortunate that you rushed to face him. That incomplete was your training. That not ready for the burden were you.”
But according to MariVision, a deleted scene following that moment reveals Yoda explaining why Obi-Wan lied to Luke that Vader had killed Anakin.
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“Obi-Wan would have told you long ago had I let him,” Yoda says.
With that grammatically correct line, Yoda reveals he urged Obi-Wan to lie to Luke about his father. And it retcons the story Obi-Wan told him in A New Hope.
Another ‘Return of the Jedi’ deleted scene reveals how Han Solo felt trapped in carbonite
Return of the Jedi begins with Luke, Leia, and Han at Jabba the Hutt’s palace. When the three flee, they encounter a sandstorm and then head their separate ways.
But a deleted scene shows the trio having a brief conversation in which Han explains how he felt trapped in carbonite.
“That carbon freeze was the closest thing to dead there is,” Han says. “And it wasn’t just sleeping. It was a big wide-awake nothing!”
Han’s explanation reveals he was frozen and unable to move, as it appeared on the surface. But inside, he was awake and conscious of what was happening to him.
