April Fools’ Day often teems with absurdity, especially for Star Wars enthusiasts, but surprisingly, it also marks the occasion for some of the franchise’s most amusing tales. Looking back, I’ve fallen victim to many outrageous April Fools’ pranks in the Star Wars universe—like announcements of the original trilogy’s Blu-ray release or a purported Jar Jar Binks film (no excuses for believing that one!). While such fabrications can be entertaining post-revelation, they contribute to the spread of misinformation, prompting platforms like Screen Rant to steer clear of April Fools’ content. Nonetheless, officially sponsored Star Wars pranks have given rise to some iconic non-canonical narratives, including a memorable one from 2012 that cleverly reinterprets a pivotal moment from the original Expanded Universe.
Quick Links
- Luke Skywalker Had A Clone In Star Wars Legends
- Timothy Zahn Changed Luke’s Fate For April Fool’s Day
- Thrawn Replaced Almost Every Star Wars Character With Clones
- Del Rey Also Revealed Some “Epicly Epic”Plans On April Fool’s Day
- Star Wars Should Do A Similar April Fool’s Story In Canon
Luke Skywalker Had A Clone In Star Wars Legends
Grown from the hand he lost at Cloud City
The Star Wars canon faced a reboot in 2014 that rendered much of the Expanded Universe as “Legends.”Among the most revered Legends tales is Timothy Zahn’s “Thrawn trilogy,”which, since its inception in 1991, has influenced numerous Star Wars movies and series. The dramatic showdown in the concluding volume, 1993’s *The Last Command*, pits Luke Skywalker against an unanticipated adversary: a clone of himself.
In a nefarious plot by Joruus C’baoth, a deranged clone of Jedi Master Jorus C’baoth, the Imperial Remnant manages to create a clone of Luke, constructed from the very hand he lost during his duel in *The Empire Strikes Back*. This replica, dubbed “Luuke Skywalker,”wields the blue lightsaber that originally belonged to Luke and presents a formidable challenge, compelling Luke to his limits. Due to the hasty cloning process, Luuke is effectively a puppet of Master C’baoth’s malevolent will.
Fortunately, Mara Jade—a former agent of the Emperor—comes to Luke’s aid, growing into an ally throughout the trilogy. After executing Luuke in a momentous twist, she liberates herself from the Emperor’s final command to eliminate Luke. Notably, that was the last appearance of Luuke Skywalker in the expanded universe—until Zahn had a unique idea nearly two decades later.
Timothy Zahn Changed Luke’s Fate For April Fool’s Day
What if Luke and his clone switched places?
On April 1, 2012, Random House’s Suvudu site introduced an epilogue titled “An Apology,” penned by Timothy Zahn. This first-person narrative expressed from Luuke’s perspective unveils a shocking twist: Mara Jade inadvertently killed the true Luke Skywalker during the events of *The Last Command*, leaving the clone to navigate life in his place. This twist was allegedly part of Grand Admiral Thrawn’s elaborate scheme to position Luuke at the helm of the new Jedi Order.
The absurdity of this narrative immediately signals its humor, particularly since Thrawn was unaware of C’baoth’s creation of Luuke. Nonetheless, it serves as a clever “what if…?”scenario that Zahn utilizes to its fullest, interspersing references and clever jokes that resonate with dedicated fans of the Expanded Universe. For example, Luuke struggles with drinking hot chocolate—an ironic nod to the real Luke’s favorite beverage.
This lighthearted take is not only entertaining but also offers thought-provoking perspectives on key moments in Luke’s narrative. Techniques initially perceived as improvised training are reframed through Luuke’s inexperience, while clandestine laughter with the Sith spirit Exar Kun hints at deeper implications. Zahn adeptly shifts the context surrounding other notable characters throughout the Expanded Universe.
Thrawn Replaced Almost Every Star Wars Character With Clones
A hilarious explanation for controversial storylines and continuity errors
The humor doesn’t stop with Luuke. In *”An Apology,”* Zahn expands the absurdity by revealing that most prominent characters were replaced by clones. Fallen heroes like Prince Xizor were secretly cloned, while others like Anakin Solo were swapped before their apparent demises, with a list of potential characters awaiting reversal. Even Thrawn found himself cloned on multiple occasions, contributing to a decline in his mental stability.
Dedicated fans of the Expanded Universe will find endless entertainment in these revelations, as they brilliantly clarify previous controversial plot choices and character actions attributed to cloning. Luuke’s line, “we’re really sorry about Jaacen, by the way,”nods to the divisive plot of *Star Wars: Legacy of the Force*, where Jacen Solo descends into darkness. Such a premise suggests that some beloved characters might still be alive, their clones being the victims instead.
| Star Wars Characters Replaced By Thrawn In “An Apology” | |
|---|---|
| Luke Skywalker | Luuke Skywalker. |
| Prince Xizor | Xiizor |
| Durga the Hutt | Duurga |
| Thrawn | Thraawn (with each clone name gaining an additional “a”). |
| Chewbacca | Chewbaacca (alongside an army of Chewbacca clones). |
| Anakin Solo | Anaakin |
| Mara Jade | Maara |
| Jacen Solo | Jaacen |
| Gilad Pellaeon | Gilaad Pellaeon |
| Natasi Daala | Nataasi Daala |
| Jagged Fel | Jaagged Fell |
| Jaina Solo | Luuke believed she was on the to-do list. |
| Boba Fett | He died so often that Luuke lost track of whether they were on Boooba Fett or Booooba Fett. |
| Streen | Streeen |
The only surprising aspect of “An Apology”is what Zahn decided NOT to include. One plotline from the Fate of the Jedi series involves young Jedi experiencing madness and believing their peers to be impostors. Presented as a Fate of the Jedi epilogue, Thrawn’s clones could have aptly elucidated this phenomenon, though as fans, we must appreciate the cleverness of what was delivered.
Del Rey Also Revealed Some “Epicly Epic”Plans On April Fool’s Day
A never-ending series of Star Wars novels
Alongside Zahn’s comedic piece, Del Rey joined the April Fools’ festivities with a faux announcement regarding their future Star Wars publications. The most outlandish claim involved a new series titled *Star Wars: The Clone Wars 2*, brandishing a logo indistinguishable from that of the original *Star Wars: The Clone Wars*. The declaration stated, “the nine-book multi-author series are over,”only to tease that “SW: TCW2 will be a series with no end…”
The inaugural title of this imagined series, *Luuuke*, purportedly follows a character gathering all clones to dominate the galaxy, while the subsequent adventure, *Woookiee*, sets Han Solo against a legion of nefarious Chewbacca clones—forcing him to confront his best friend repeatedly. Further installments promise to creatively twist supposedly erroneous continuity aspects from previous narratives into a sprawling “17-part sub-series”dubbed *Son of Clone Wars*.
Adding to the ridiculousness, the article elaborates on how *Son of Clone Wars*’s penultimate entry showcases Luuuke traveling back in time to engage Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the Grand Army of the Republic, featuring dueling clones like Quui-Gon Jin and Obi-Waan Kenobi—all while the *CW2 unending series* unfolds simultaneously. Zahn humorously reflects on this endeavor, calling it “the ultimate aspiration of every professional writer: consistent work.”
While undeniably absurd, this April Fools’ joke resonates due to its comedic, unbound nature, allowing Zahn room to explore outrageous ideas while playfully critiquing elements of the Expanded Universe that fans might find familiar. The playful absurdity of it all inspires thoughts on what other stories could emerge under similar guidelines.
Star Wars Should Do A Similar April Fool’s Story In Canon
Recontextualizing characters and plotlines with cloning
With Thrawn resurfacing in Star Wars canon, it opens the door for new storytelling avenues, potentially leveraging cloning technology in future narratives.
Imagining a scenario where Luke’s clone serves as a focal character offers a compelling opportunity to tackle fans’ concerns regarding his portrayal. Consider how peculiar CGI aspects in *The Mandalorian* season 2 could be attributed to cloning mishaps, or how Luke’s detached demeanor in *The Book of Boba Fett* might stem from a personality flaw of the clone release. Furthermore, the madness associated with cloning could provide insight into Luke’s controversial decision to confront his nephew.
Mark Hamill has hinted at needing to view Luke as “Jake Skywalker”during production of *The Last Jedi*—why not embrace that concept by revealing Luke as a clone? The more benevolent version presented in *The Rise of Skywalker* could be the essence of the true Luke returning from the Force to amend his clone’s misjudgments. While this might seem far-fetched, Timothy Zahn has piqued my interest in comedic storytelling within the Star Wars universe, leaving me looking forward to what future April Fools’ narratives may hold!
Source: “An Apology”by Timothy Zahn