One of the most iconic stories of Star Wars Legends canon is Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy's Dark Empire, where Luke Skywalker is tempted to the Dark Side of the Force. The events take place several years after the destruction of the second Death Star and the death of Emperor Palpatine at the Battle of Endor. In the aftermath of Return of the Jedi, the Empire breaks into factions as different leaders try to seize control, allowing the Rebels to form the government of the New Republic. Both sides continue their hostilities, but in Dark Empire, the Emperor returns and convinces Luke to take a place by his side.

In its first issue, the comic reveals just far Luke Skywalker has come in his Jedi training when he single-handedly brings down an Imperial walker. However, when a massive Dark Side Force Storm sweeps in from above it targets the Jedi Knight. He allows himself and R2-D2 to be sucked up into a raging cyclone and through a hyperspace wormhole. They emerge in a strange city and are brought to a fortified palace, where Luke finds Emperor Palpatine waiting for him.

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Star Wars: Dark Empire # 2. Luke bows to Palpatine

The Emperor explains that the Dark Side has caused his body to wither many times over the years due to its destructive capabilities, and so he has had to transfer his consciousness into clones. Just as happened in Return of the Jedi, the Emperor invites Luke to become his apprentice, but many years have passed since the Battle of Endor. Luke is far more powerful. There is even a possibility, however slim, that he might strike down the Sith Lord, but as Palpatine points out, that would do no good as there are more clones waiting to receive his consciousness. Rather than resist, Luke uses this opportunity to learn from his old enemy, even hoping to challenge the power of the Dark Side from within its sway. He kneels, claiming that he shares the same destiny as his father, Darth Vader. This is essential to understand Luke's motives. Anakin Skywalker was supposedly the "Chosen One," a destiny that Luke later inherited. Vader spread terror through the galaxy. To understand his father's decisions -- and to better understand the nature of the Force -- Luke allows himself to go to the Dark Side, not out of hate or fear, but in the pursuit of wisdom.

Meanwhile, the New Republic forces are attacked by a new type of Imperial superweapon known as World Devastators. These massive machines suck entire chunks of planets into their powerful tractor beams and convert the raw materials into new starfighters. As the New Republic suffers terrible losses, Leia receives a message from Luke warning her to stay away. Despite this, she, Han and C-3PO seek him out, arriving at the Emperor's base where the secret of his survival is revealed as they are brought to his clone foundry. Luke has allowed the Imperials to tamper with R2-D2's programming, which horrifies C-3PO. Seeing how dire things are, Leia attacks the Emperor with her lightsaber, but he incapacitates her with Force lightning. In response, Han takes a swing at Luke, who grabs his old friend by the throat and begins to choke him. Despite this, Luke insists everything he is doing is to save the galaxy. When Han threatens his life, Luke even concedes that he may need to die.

A short while later, the Emperor tells a now-pregnant Leia that he plans to use her future child as the next host body for his consciousness. However, Luke helps her escape, smuggling out Imperial codes to defeat the World Devastators in R2-D2's newly-modified mainframe and thereby giving the New Republic what they need to defeat the Empire. The Millennium Falcon flies off but Luke stays behind to destroy Palpatine's remaining clones before Leia saves him.

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Star Wars: Dark Empire. Leia uses lightsbaer on Emperor Palpatine

Elements of Dark Empire have echoed through later Star Wars stories. Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy and The Hand of Thrawn Duology in Legends also feature Luke grappling with the temptation of the Dark Side. The influence of Dark Empire is even seen The Last Jedi, where it is revealed that Luke tried to kill Ben Solo who was still just a child, while Palpatine's clones return in The Rise of Skywalker.

The Dark Side of the Force is powered by fear. In order to defeat the Empire, Luke needed to understand his own fears to master them. He nearly loses himself in the process, and it is only his love for Leia (and her love for him) that saves him.

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