The question whetherLuke Skywalkerknew how many people he killed on the Death Star in the firstStar Warsmovie has become a recent topic of conversation. As seen inA New Hope, Luke Skywalker made the one-in-a-million shot that blew up the Empire’s first planet-killing battle station. However, the reason why this question has recently arisen online is pretty wild.
Following Tucker Carlson and Senator Ted Cruz' explosive debate over the United States' involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran,Senator Cruz posted aStar Warsmeme on Twitter/Xof Carlson asking Luke Skywalker if he knew the population of the Death Star. This was effectively to mock Carlson, who had questioned the senator from Texas about Iran’s population during their interview:
Likewise,HBO’sLast Week Tonightsaw John Oliver doubling down on theStar Warsmeme after covering Carlson and Cruz’s heated exchange:
“I know this isn’t his point, but it’s not actually a bad question for Luke to have reckoned with, all things considered. How many widows are you comfortable making with your little trick shot, FARM BOY?”
Interestingly enough, Luke Skywalker’s awareness of all the lives he took during the Battle of Yavin is something that’s been answered in theStar Warscontinuity, albeit in media that’s since become non-canonical.
Luke Skywalker Secured The Rebellion’s First Real Victory
Showing The Galaxy The Empire Could Be Hurt
Before Luke Skywalker joined the Rebellion inA New Hope, the Alliance wasn’t doing well. Having risked everything to secure theDeath Star plans inRogue One, they’d yet to deal any major blows to the Empire as a whole.This is why Luke destroying the Death Star was so pivotal, as the battle station’s destruction was the first real moment the Rebels proved the Empire was vulnerable.
However, the Death Star was no average battle station. The size of a small moon, the Death Star was full of stormtroopers, officers, military leaders, support staff, and evenGrand Moff Tarkin, who was aboard during the Battle of Yavin and the station’s subsequent destruction.As such, the casualties the Empire suffered that day were extremely significant, with Luke Skywalker being directly responsible for all the lives lost.
Star Wars Confirmed Luke Skywalker Knew How Many Lives Were Lost
1,205,109
In the establishedStar Warscanon post-Disney, it’s been confirmed that the Death Star could hold over 2 million bodies. However, previous pieces ofStar Warsmedia before Disney bought Lucasfilm had a more specific population during Yavin in particular.In the 1996 novelShield of Liesby Michael P. Kube-McDowell, the book features a critical moment where Luke confirms he knew the exact number of lives lost aboard the battle station:
“But the signs at the massive cutaway model of the Death Star in the museum had spelled out the numbers in its table of specifications, and Luke could still recite them: 25,800 stormtroopers, 27,048 officers, 774,576 crew, 378,685 support staff-“One million, two hundred five thousand, one hundred nine,” Luke said quietly. “Not counting the droids.”
At least in Legends, Luke knew exactly how many people met their end when he blew up the first Death Star. Valuing life as a Jedi Knight, the lives lost were no small thing to be ignored or forgotten. Although his exact knowledge is a little more ambiguous in the current canon, it’s likely Luke’s recognition and sentiments are still the same.
Was The Death Star’s Destruction Still Worth It?
Billions of Lives Would Have Been Lost Otherwise
Even though they were in the service of a corrupt and oppressive regime ruled by the Sith, the loss of so many Imperial lives is still tragic.Nonetheless, not destroying the Death Star (and the second battle station) would have been far more devastating, considering the countless worlds and billions of lives that would have been obliterated. After all, Jedha, Scarif,and the complete annihilation of Alderaan(with its population of over 2 billion) were only the beginning.
