The Star Wars multimedia franchise has gone to great lengths to increase diversity and inclusivity in recent years. Of course, many of these developments have been made with new characters, and now some fans believe Luke Skywalker should be considered a LGBTQ character.
This is evident with the Star Wars fan wiki, titled Wookieepedia, where it was noted by Bounding Into Comics that Luke Skywalker was listed under their LGBTQ category. Interestingly, even Obi-Wan Kenobi is listed in the same category, with fans claiming that he’s another example of a LGBTQ character.
Other fans have attempted to argue this. For starters, they refer to past Star Wars stories now relegated to the non-canon category Legends. The stories involve Luke Skywalker marrying Legends fan-favorite Mara Jade. As shown below:
Luke got married in SWs canon👇🏻 so unless Tatooine was repressive & he was hiding it looks like he chose a woman named Mara. https://t.co/NBtYXk7V1X pic.twitter.com/3kO6lzK3mb
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) February 5, 2021
Though, as further noted via Bounding Into Comics, the Wookieepedia page did cite a short story as evidence for Luke’s LGBTQ association. The short story, titled Luke on the Bright Side, was written by Sam Maggs and published in the June 2022 book Stories of Jedi and Sith. The book features a number of stories which expand moments from the franchise.
An excerpt was provided for the scene which Wookieepedia claims makes Luke Skywalker a member of the LGBTQ community:
“I look down at our faintly glowing hands and then back up at Reyé I wouldn’t say he looks happy; I don’t think the guy has looked happy a day in his life. There’s still some doubt in his eyes. But I will say—if I’m going easy on myself—that he looks impressed. I flash the same big grin I gave him the first time I saw him. ‘See? Jedi aren’t all bad.’”
This excerpt occurs while Luke grabs Hollis’ hands and enters a trance featuring Tatooine. This allows him to create a heat that keeps them both warm. Soon enough, the two are able to dig out of the snow on Hoth that they’re buried in by using their warmed hands. The conclusion of the story then includes the following line:
“And when we start to dig, it isn’t long before the light breaks through, just like I saw in my mind’s eye. The Force has never steered me wrong. I know it never will.”
As such, the story clearly leaves room for interpretation. There doesn’t seem to be any explicit romantic interaction between the two. Though it’s possible that Disney could change that with a future project. We’ll just have to see what happens – and it could very well validate Wookieepedia’s decision to make Luke Skywalker a LGBTQ character.