STAR WARS

Kenobi, the desert fox

After storming away from the dinner table, Luke looks in on the droids again. He can't find them so he uses the remote for the restraining bolt and we see it's second demonstated use. It seems to 'jolt' Threepio from hiding. Hiding? How odd. Luke is awake enough to comment on this but is quickly distracted by Threepio's frantic theatrics about R2 running away. R2 seems to know just where to go, eh?

Threepio says "That R2 unit has always been a problem." 'Really? I thought you said he was in first-class condition and that you'd worked with him before. Were you lying then or now, you goddam toaster?!' That's what Luke should have said. Instead, he questions how he could have been so stupid. Not your fault, farm-boy - you were hypnotized by Darth Vader's robot.

In the morning Luke and Threepio zip off in Luke's Landspeeder. Interestingly, Threepio seems to be in the driver's seat as Luke commands him to 'hit the accelerator'. WTF? Did Luke make Threepio drive or did Threepio 'offer'?

We see that R2 has managed to travel an amazing distance over night. On those little wheels in the sand? R2's good, no doubt about it. Is he that good? Did Kenobi come creeping up to the Lars farm in the night? I smell an ambush. Not by Sand People, who I think are being falsely maligned here, much like aboriginal peoples everywhere.

What do we know about the Sand People? Damn little. We see one taking aim on the Speeder and the one next to him stopping him. A bit touchy they seem, but level headed. When Luke and Threepio catch up with R2, the two droids team up on Luke again - R2 starts beeping and Threepio 'translates' that "There are several creatures approaching from the southeast."

Watch close now. Luke spots the elephantine Banthas and then a Sand Person (Tuskens, I believe they prefer to be called) jumps up and pushes him to the ground. Watching this struggle, the Sand Person is clearly missing Luke intentionally. When the Tusken Raider raises his staff and yells, the footage is noticeably 'rocked' (playing the frames backward and forward) and therefore tampered with.

The next thing we're shown is Luke being dragged and set down unconcious. What happened? Did Luke piss himself unconcious? He recieves no visible wounds and needs no first aid. Yeah, those Sand People are a rough crowd all right. This is the first of many unlikely and advantageous �coincidences� that occur when Kenobi is around. Now that Luke is unconcious, the only corroboration comes from the droids. We're shown footage of Kenobi stumbling up the hill toward everybody and a creature's roar is dubbed over this. We're being asked to believe that the Sand folk are frightened away by this. Indeed.

Why didn�t the Sand People kill Luke? Were they in fact working with Kenobi? Are they Kenobi's hit squad recruits? Further, it could be anybody under those robes and wrappings. Is Kenobi using Tuskens or is his crack Rebel hit squad disquised as Tuskens? I put nothing beyond Kenobi�s die-hard willingness to do anything for what he believes in. When the time comes, he even sacrifices himself. A true believer and a fanatic. Dangerous.

Kenobi puts his hand to Luke's forehead and soon Luke returns to conciousness. No mere coincidence I'm thinking. I imagine that Ben and R2 had set this ambush and were waiting for Threepio to bring Luke to them. He probably had to knock Luke out so he could question Threepio - 'How much does the kid know? Okay, here's our story...'

Ben addresses R2 as "friend" (more Rebel droid-love) and seemly understands R2's beeping by replying that Luke will be all right. He then pretends to Luke that he doesn't know the droids:

Interesting indeed. Unlike the droids, Kenobi seems to have some qualms about lying here. He's got good reason. His mission is to bring Luke to the Rebels, and if he fucks it up then Luke will be scooped up by Vader. Nobody (not the Rebels and not the Emperor) wants two Skywalkers on their hands. He says he never owned a droid, but omits the fact that he has dealt with both of these droids for many years (as revealed in Phantom Menace).

Luke, you poor dumb clod-kicker, you are officially this hypnotist's bitch. Whatever you do, don't let yourself be alone with him ... oh.

shit.