The REBEL ALLIANCE has destroyed the Empire's dreaded DEATH STAR, but the galaxy remains convulsed by civil war, and the Imperial starfleet is hunting the rebels throughout the galaxy.
LUKE SKYWALKER, the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, is now hailed as a hero. But Luke seeks only to support the freedom fighters, serving the Rebellion behind the controls of his X-wing fighter.
Even as he flies alongside the pilots of Red Squadron, Luke feels stirrings in the mystical energy field known as the Force. And this farm boy turned fighter pilot begins to suspect that his destiny likes along a different path...
The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure is a junior novel set in the Star Wars universe, written by Jason Fry and illustrated by Phil Noto. It was released on September 4, 2015 as part of the "Journey to The Force Awakens" series.
Set in between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, with a prologue and epilogue set during The Force Awakens, this novel follows Luke as he feels himself drawn to a mysterious planet, and discovers an abandoned Jedi temple. Here he hopes to become a better Jedi, but a certain individual has other plans for what the temple holds. This novel showcases Luke's first time using his lightsaber in combat.
It received a comic adaptation in 2017, published in the German Star Wars Magazin, along with Smuggler's Run comic adaptation.
This novel contains the following tropes:
- Another Story for Another Time: Threepio says this about Luke's return to Devaron.
- Bash Brothers: Luke and Wedge, while flying against imperial fighters in the Batman Cold Open.
- Born in the Wrong Century: Luke laments not being able to have witnessed the Jedi Order and its members before The Purge.
- Brick Joke: Threepio teaches Luke Whiforlan fluting to interact with the locals on Whiforlan 11. Later, when they're clearing away rocks from the cavern passageway, Luke ends up whistling this tune. When Threepio points this out, Luke notes that it's catchy.
- Call-Back:
- Luke practices with the same remotes as he did in the first film.
- As always, Threepio has "
a bad feeling about this".
- The Cameo: Wedge Antilles at the beginning of the story.
- Cowardly Sidekick: Threepio, as usual.
- Dark Is Not Evil:
- Farnay and her father may look like Big Red Devils, complete with pointed teeth, but they are both pretty decent people. Farnay even helps Luke in his fight against Sarco.
- Averted with Farnay since The female Devaronian are hornless, but had two dark circles above the forehead.
- Distant Prologue: The novel begins over thirty years after the events of the story.
- Evil All Along: Sarco, Luke's guide to the abandoned Jedi temple.
- Evil Poacher: Sarco's attempts to poach local wildlife doesn't sit well with Luke or the droids. This is one of the first hints that he's even less savory than he first appears. And he already comes off as pretty unsavory.
- Framing Device: C-3PO telling the story to Jessika Pava, a curious X-wing pilot who would like to hear a story about Luke Skywalker that hasn't been told over and over. Threepio is quite happy to oblige.
- Green Aesop: Not to an Anvilicious extent, but it's noted that the Imperial government shows no respect for the native fauna and even forces the locals to serve as guides for poachers, even though it's officially illegal to do so. Luke himself notes that it's a small cruelty compared to the other things The Empire has done, but also notes that such small cruelties are a fact of life when living under the Imperial government.
- Humble Hero: Luke doesn't like the special treatment the Rebels give him on account of destroying the Death Star.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Sarco. After it looks like he might be a Jerk with a Heart of Gold, he then tries to add Luke to his collection, while threatening to murder a teenage girl and sell the droids.
- Lovable Coward: Threepio again.
- Mundane Utility: Luke uses his lightsaber both to light his way in the dark, and to clear away some troublesome rubble blocking his way.
- Mythology Gag: Luke training against the the remotes is very similar to a deleted scene from The Empire Strikes Back.
- The Promise: At the end of the story, Luke vows to Obi-Wan Kenobi and the rest of the deceased Jedi that he will rebuild the Order, and that their sacrifices will not be in vain.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Threepio claims that Artoo was only fiddling with some computer during their adventures, while he was doing important diplomatic research.
- Took a Level in Badass: Luke.
- Training Montage: Luke practicing with the remotes definitely feels like this, even though it's not actually a montage.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Luke's mission to retrieve data tapes for the Rebel Alliance is left unresolved.
- Zeerust Canon: Data tapes are mentioned again.
