Born to Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker during the the Yuuzhan Vong War, Ben Skywalker inherited the Force as well as a great deal of sass. At this point, his cousins were already teenagers enmeshed in war. He was bright but obedient, and rather cautious, given the pain he’d felt through the Force in the war years. He was well on his way as a teen to becoming a fine Jedi and a good investigator.
Ben Skywalker’s birth was dependent on curing the mysterious illness in Mara that coincided with the invasion of the galaxy. Luke and Mara together did their best to protect her, and her unborn child, and a cure was found. The young boy was sent into hiding with the young Jedi in training. While he was in hiding, he closed himself off to the Force, perhaps due to a sensed threat or due to the horrors of war rippling through the Force.
Ben Skywalker, having famous and active Jedi parents, was often left in the care of a Nanny droid. He often had to leave those he cared for. Besides his parents, he formed a connection to Zonoma Sekot, the living planet. At one point as a child, he encountered a killik hiding on the Jade Shadow and befriended it. His hiding it had consequences, as it hurt his mother. He almost became a Joiner.
Later, Ben Skywalker would be closest to his cousin Jacen Solo. At the time, Jacen had stepped away from the Order and joined the Galactic Alliance Guards as the leader. This led to conflict in the family as Corellia was trying to break off from the Galactic Alliance.
Relatives:
- Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade Skywalker (Parents)
- Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo (Uncle and Aunt)
- Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin Solo (Cousins)
- Allana Solo (Cousin)
Presumed Descendants:
- Kol Skywalker
- Cade Skywalker
- Nat AKA Bantha Skywalker
Spoilers for Legacy of the Force
Jacen at this time was slipping to the Dark Side, and had a mind to make Ben Skywalker his apprentice. Ben was torn between loyalty to his cousin and his sense of right and wrong. Jacen’s attempted influence on Ben Skywalker had a direct consequence on both Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker’s approach to handling him. This in turn clarified matters for Ben.
Spoilers for Fate of the Jedi
Ben Skywalker and his father, Luke, join forces to see what drove Jacen Solo to take the actions that he did in Legacy of the Force. Using the threatened exile by the current leader of the Galactic Alliance, the two uncover a lost tribe of Sith. Ben, with the same mercy and compassion as Luke, takes under his wing and begins to fall for, a young Sith, Vestara Kai of the same age, in hopes of winning her away from the dark side that she was raised in.
Click to Enlarge Gallery Images
Ben Skywalker was Featured In:
- New Jedi Order (born)
- Dark Nest Trilogy
- Legacy of the Force
- Fate of the Jedi
- The Lost Lightsaber – Star Wars Tales 19 (not referenced elsehwere, may or may not be infinities)
Ben Skywalker Continuity and Lore
Ben Skywalker’s future mate is unknown, as the story was discontinued after Crucible. But as the last named of the Skywalker name, his descendants are presumed to be Nat (AKA Bantha) Skywalker, Kol and his son Cade, in the Legacy comics. Legacy comics establishes that Cade sees visions (and hallucinations) of Luke and Mara. This would seem to confirm they are his ancestors, and since Ben Skywalker was their only son, it’s doubtful there can be any other explanation.
Timothy Zahn wanted to write a story with Mara, Luke and Ben, but events in Legacy of the Force prevented it.
