Darth Vader beingLuke Skywalker’sfather was a massive plot twist and a well-kept secret, but I’m almost certain thisAndorhero knew Luke was Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker’s son. Once Anakin fell to the dark side and Padmé died inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, keeping the twins' lineage a secret was imperative.
Somewhat bewilderingly, Master Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi decided Luke should live with relatives and keep the last name Skywalker, but the intention was nevertheless to ensure no one, including Luke himself, knew the truth aboutthe Skywalker family tree. While that worked for the most part,I believe one ofAndor’sbiggest heroes was actually well aware of Luke’s parentage.
Mon Mothma Would’ve Been Very Familiar Indeed With The Name “Skywalker”
Anakin Skywalker Was A Major Hero Throughout The Clone Wars
Although Mon Mothma was sadly absent from the prequels, as her storyline was among those lost toRevenge of the Sith’sdeleted scenes,it’s clear that Mon would have known Anakin Skywalker very well, at least in name. Mon was an active member of the Republic Senate at the time, and Anakin was a renowned hero during the Clone Wars.
There would have been few in the Senate who didn’t know of Anakin Skywalker as a war hero, but particularly given Mon’s close working relationship with both Bail Organa and Padmé Amidala—two senators heavily linked to the Jedi—there’s little doubt that Anakin wouldn’t have been very much on Mon’s radar.
Presumably, along with almost everyone else, Mon would have assumed Anakin had died during Order 66, but she knew that Padmé was pregnant when the war ended. Yes, Padmé was believed to have died pregnant, but Mon Mothma was no fool. In fact, it’s Padmé and Anakin’s own behavior that has me truly convinced she put two and two together.
It’s Shocking More People Didn’t Realize What Was Going On
Mon Mothma may not have personally known Anakin Skywalker very well, but she was a friend to Padmé and worked closely with her throughout the years when Padmé and Anakin were secretly married. Although the couple had long declared how devastating it would be if anyone found out,Padmé and Anakin weren’t exactly subtle about their feelings for one another.
Both the prequel trilogy andStar Wars: The Clone Warsreveal just how blatant Anakin and Padmé were, with the two even embracing directly in front of Yoda and Obi-Wan inStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. They were also seen together constantly inRevenge of the SithandThe Clone Wars.
Both the prequel trilogy andStar Wars: The Clone Warsreveal just how blatant Anakin and Padmé were.
It’s frankly surprising that more people didn’t assume Anakin was the father of Padmé’s baby, even with him being a Jedi, because the two were obviously so close. In fact, although Padmé was actually talking about Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the cut scenes fromRevenge of the Sithsees Padmé openly discussing a Jedi she’s close with and trusts.
Based solely on Padmé’s behavior throughout this era oftheStar Warstimeline, I’d guess at least some other senators in the room assumed she meant Anakin. This only makes it feel all the more likely that,when Mon heard of a Skywalker who had fast risen to the ranks of hero within the Rebel Alliance, she at least wondered.
She Would Have No Reason To Flag This To Anyone Else
Image via Disney+
If Mon Mothma was suspicious that Luke Skywalker could be the child of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, it’s most likely that she didn’t mention it to anyone else. For one,she would likely have had no substantial proof that this was the case, and there were enough aspects of this situation to cast doubts.
After all, as mentioned, Padmé was believed to have died while pregnant, and it’s likely the Jedi rule against attachments was relatively well-known (Padmé knew it inAttack of the Clones, for example). Both factors could give Mon enough pause that she might not raise the question with anyone else.
Bringing awareness to this would also call the legacy of her dead friend into question, which is something Mon was likely not willing to do. While it was really more wrong of Anakin, who had made the commitment to the Jedi Order, it wouldn’t be a wonderful thing for Padmé to have carried on a secret relationship with a Jedi.
Revealing or even questioning Luke’s lineage could have led to Mon inadvertently tainting the memory of her dead friend—a friend who continued to be hailed by many as a brilliant leader and a morally upright person. In the end, it’s likely that the risk of that question wasn’t enough to justify getting a clear answer.
Revealing or even questioning Luke’s lineage could have led to Mon inadvertently tainting the memory of her dead friend.
Even so, I remain convinced that as soon as Mon Mothma heard the name Skywalker, she had her doubts, and perhaps she even felt certain this was indeed Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala’s son. If that is the case, then thisAndorhero is yet anotherStar Warscharacter who quietly knew the truth aboutLuke Skywalker’slineage.
