In Star WarsLuke Skywalker's name has become inextricably tied with the Rebellion, but he was not always an ardent opponent of the Empire. Growing up on Tatooine, Luke was far removed from most Galactic news other than Imperial propaganda. Thus, before the Rebellion arrived on his doorstep, Luke was actually planning to take a far different path in life. A cut scene from Star Wars: A New Hope shows that the only reasons that Luke did not join the Imperial Academy were his Uncle Owen's delaying tactics, his friend Biggs's decision to join the Rebellion and the arrival of the R2-D2 and C-3PO on Tatooine.

The scene begins with Luke spotting the attack on the Tantive IV in the sky. He rushes off to Tosche Station to let other people know what he's seen, but by the time he arrives, the battle has already concluded. At the station, Luke meets with his best friend, Biggs Darklighter, who has returned from the Imperial Academy. When the two are alone, Biggs confesses his plan to join the Rebellion. At first, Luke reacts with disbelief and then dismay that he cannot join Biggs, though this dismay seems to stem from a desire to leave Tatooine rather than wanting to join the Rebellion. The two affirm their friendship, and Luke heads home.

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Biggs Darklight Confesses His Plan to Join the Rebellion to Luke Skywalker

In a guest appearance on Joe and Anthony Russo's Pizza Film School podcast, Mark Hamill explained why he wished the Tosche Station scene had not been cut. While he understood the reasons behind the removal, Hamill believed that this scene provided important information about Luke's motivations. According to Hamill, the scene emphasized the importance of Luke's friendship with Biggs. He also argued that Luke's initial enthusiasm for the Imperial Academy was tied to his idolization of Biggs, and Luke only began to consider the Rebellion as an option once Biggs revealed his own plans to join the Rebel forces. Hamill stated that the scene showed that Luke had "no political persuasion" before the droids arrived. At the beginning of Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke's main goal was getting off of Tatooine, and thus far, the Imperial Academy seemed to be the easiest way to do it.

George Lucas's novelization makes this lack of political persuasion even more evident by expanding the dialogue from the scene. In the novel, Luke is even more shocked by Biggs's desire to join the Rebellion. He tries to dissuade Biggs from his plan because of the danger, stating that Biggs "could wander around forever trying to find a real rebel outpost." Luke also makes it clear that he does not think that the Empire's actions affect Tatooine because the planet is so far removed, but Biggs convinces him that this might change if the Rebellion is wiped out. As in the deleted scene, Luke mostly wishes that he could join Biggs, but they both agree that the easiest way for Luke to get off of Tatooine is through the Academy, even if Luke decides once he is there to join the Rebellion.

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Knowing about Luke's plans to attend the Imperial Academy, Owen Lars's refusal to let Luke leave takes on a different meaning. Owen knew more about the dangers that his nephew potentially faced. If Luke joined the Imperial forces, he could've come into contact with Darth Vader, his father. While Luke saw Owen's constant refusal to let him leave as stifling, Luke's Imperial Academy plans made it more imperative for Owen to keep Luke on Tatooine.

In the end, this deleted scene shows that Luke could easily have joined the Empire if circumstances had been only slightly different. The scene also shows that many ordinary citizens of the galaxy had no clue about the extent of the Empire's evil machinations. While Obi-Wan might argue that "there's no such thing as luck," Luke's part in the Rebellion proved more coincidental than his own life plans.

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