SPECULATION The Secret To Luke's Map?

Ok, I think I have cracked it!

Rey was left on Jakku at age 5. Considering how she was left with a slaver, Unkar Plutt, her family must have had no other choice but to leave her there. Rey also dreams of an island and an ocean. Is this the future she sees or the past?

LST retired on Jakku. He was a renowned explorer and friend to Luke & Leia. He was an ally and provided them with lost Jedi lore that the Empire had tried to destroy. As implied in the opening crawl, he came by the map on Jakku. He discovered it there. He is also a member of the Church of the Jedi - followers of the Jedi ideals from the PT era.

Han Solo explains that there were other people who were close to Luke and they believed he went looking for the first Jedi Temple. This tells us two things. Firstly, Luke didn't just bugger off out of grief. He had another reason to leave. A plan perhaps? Secondly, that Luke likely went alone but had already discussed this Temple with others. Considering how LST has now been an established character, friend of Luke and keeper of Jedi lore, it is likely that he knew of Luke's quest and possibly gave him information of where it could be.

So how did LST end up with the map?
After the destruction of the academy Luke was cut up. He realised he had failed but also that he couldn't protect any future Jedi from the KoR. He decided to go to the place where the Jedi started things off, get back to the roots of the Jedi (a kind of Rocky training in the wilderness in Rocky IV vs Drago in the high tech gym!). He might also be seeking ancient Jedi lore or knowledge that has some bearing on either:
1) Snoke
2) The prophesy (in regard to the Whills)
3) Source of the Dark Side

Alongside this is that it is a secret place and a good spot to train new Jedi, in a place the KoR aren't going to find. Whatever, he goes there with the view to learn something, be patient but also let go of his grief. The fact is, Luke was obviously looking for this place before the academy slaughter, so it must have some greater meaning. Maybe he knew some Jedi might have hidden there, Jedi he could bring into his new order?

So prior to Luke disappearing, he had recently acquired the location of Ahch-To. Now remember, Artoo has the rest of the map but it was already missing the piece of the puzzle as someone had deleted it to hide the First Temple from the Empire during the purge so it would remain as a Jedi sanctuary (this is strongly suggested in TFA novel). But then Luke found the missing piece. My guess is that perhaps Kenobi deleted that part of the map from the archives (a trick he learned from Sifo Dyas hiding Kamino and also the way Kenobi reverses the Jedi beacon, telling them to stay away from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant). It is then possible that Kenobi and LST were pals and through this connection, Luke found the rest of the map (did I read somewhere that there will be a story where Luke goes back to Kenobi's hut on Tatooine and discovers a secret or was I dreaming?!). Now, Artoo has been said to be in low power mode since Luke disappeared. It strikes me that this links to Luke not wanting to be found until the time is right. And it seems Luke leaves Artoo at home before he leaves:

"R2-D2 has been in low power mode ever since Master Luke went away."

I think this ties in with LST telling Poe essentially that he sees it as time to put things right and reveal Luke's location. It is also fact that The FO were seeking LST at the same time as Leia was - hence why they arrive at Jakku at pretty much the same time. So the FO know that LST has the map and Kylo says to him:

"The map to Skywalker. We know you've found it, and now you're going to give it to the First Order".

The other thing about LST is that Kylo is very familiar with him (look how old you have become) which probably explains why Kylo knew that LST would hold the answer. He might well have been privy to Luke's discovery of the map - maybe this is where Luke was when Kylo attacked the Temple? Luke was off getting the map?

Anyway, when we see the map there is a clear navigational line showing Luke's journey. If it was just a map, there would be no line. It would just show the Star Systems. This shows Luke's route. This tells us that Luke went to Ahch-To, then sent the map away with someone to leave some breadcrumbs until the time was right. I am now wondering if this is where Rey comes in. I wonder if when Luke shows up at the Temple he finds Rey there with her parents. Her parents might have once been Jedi who used the First Temple as a sanctuary from the Empire. If people connect the dots (and consider my above theory) I am sure they might see the potential Kenobi lineage creeping in! I am not an advocate of that, nor do I think it necessary. All I am suggesting is that Rey was born on Ahch-To of Jedi parents and perhaps even absorbed power from the place (something which is being eluded to in the new canon). Whatever, Jedi parents alone might make her strong. I digress...

Now Luke wants to make sure that the First Temple is safe (that he was not followed) but he also wants to make sure that when the time is right, others can be sent out to find him. He therefore gives Rey's parents a mission. Take the map to his friend, LST, on Jakku. Tell him to await Luke's signal for him to pass it onto Leia. Luke is planning to rebuild the Order again, without Snoke and the KOR knowing.

They take Rey and Luke's ship (whatever they traveled in has long since turned to garbage). They get to Jakku, find LST and give him the map. They tell him of Luke's instructions and then leave. However, their ship (which was Luke's) has been tracked by the KoR (who recognise the ships signature being Luke's). They know they will be caught so leave Rey on Jakku.

They had no choice but to leave Rey. They then draw the KoR away (from Rey and LST). Their fate is unknown. Rey is stuck on Jakku. LST is none the wiser (he thinks they have gone back to Luke or maybe onto somewhere else and hence why he bypasses Luke's plan and contacts Leia himself) and Luke is stranded on Ahch-To, alone - waiting for years for Rey and her parents to return and witnessing through the Force the tragic events that unfold in his absence...

Ps. Maybe the Jedi Luke finds on Ahch-To includes Ezra? Maybe Ezra is Rey's father? Maybe Del Toro is playing Ezra, Rey's father? Maybe he has been incarcerated by Snoke all this time? Turned to the Dark Side?!

 

Ha, thanks, I've been desperately trying to work this thing out!
That extra bit about Rey being Ezra's kid isn't important. For me, it is just that she isn't Luke's. However, this idea could be adjusted.
What we know is that Luke had a Jedi academy on a different world to Ahch-To, this tells us, in my view, that he didn't have a family of his own on Ahch-To.
I just don't buy the idea that Luke is Rey's father. In TFA script, when Rey arrives it is explicit in saying that Luke is looking at the saber and is conflicted.
If she was his daughter, he would be fixated on her.

Regardless of whether Luke is her father, the girl must have a mother - so we are going ti have to introduce or explain another new character anyway.
And considering how Luke was seeking the First Jedi Temple and we are told of this in TFA, means they will have to explain why. In fact, there has to be a very good reason. My thoughts are the Whills could come into this but that is by no means vital. Just a sidenote.

I don't think Rey being Luke's daughter is necessarily very satisfying for people. It certainly isn't for me.
What would be satisfying is that she does have a connection to Luke and that her parents disappearance are connected with the Jedi Master.
What's more, it would also be satisfying to discover that Rey's parents were Jedi or at least once Jedi Padawans, and thus we see where her power originates from.

I look forward to you theory to see another take on tying in the facts we know so far. However I don't think that Ben would've ever been to Ahch-To with Luke. For me that would be too much of a leap to suggest he can't remember where it is. The FO already have part of the map (that was in Artoo) so he would surely be able to piece it together himself? For me, the fact that the FO know about the map's existence, know that this is where Luke went, that Kylo knows LST intimately and that Luke was away from the academy when Kylo attacked it - all tells me one things - Luke was working with LST to locate the First Jedi Temple. Ben Solo got wind of this search and learns that Luke has found the map and is off to retrieve it. Ben takes this opportunity to attack the temple. Luke gets the map, comes back and sees what has happened. Decides to continue with his plan of going to Ahch-To anyway.

The other interesting thing here is that it would appear that Luke located Ahch-To or the map to it soon before the academy destruction. The reason for this is that we know he hadn't been there already as Solo explains that "he went searching for the first Jedi Temple". If he had already been there he obviously wouldn't still be searching for it (this again reiterates that Luke didn't have family there). So perhaps Snoke wanted to stop Luke finding the Ahch-To? Maybe he had Kylo attack the academy to draw Luke back - indicating that perhaps Ahch-To holds the key to defeating Snoke? But then Luke comes back and manages to escape (I think that KoR flashback where they kill the clan leader has to tie in with Luke somehow). Luke leaves Artoo with the Resistance knowing he has the rest of the map and then goes to find Ahch-To. Once there he finds Rey with her parents, they take Luke's ship and go to Jakku to give LST the map so Luke can restore the Jedi when the time is right - perhaps with new knowledge that can help them destroy Snoke and co ("If Skywalker returns, the new Jedi will rise!"). They give map to LST, got to Nima outpost but then see that their ship has been tracked. They leave Rey. And draw the FO away. They are captured and maybe killed. We'll see.

Fact is we already have 3 main baddies (Snoke, Hux, Kylo) and another secondary one (Phasma). Will Benicio Del Toro be another villain? I don't think so. I think he could be Rey's father. It's a meaty role for a meaty actor.

 

Nice thoughts @Empire Jo

Your thoughts on Luke needing more knowledge make a lot of sense.
I get that Rey would work as a Skywalker. I just don't buy it and think it opens up too many questions. I also think it's too obvious.
Again, we could see their first moments in a flashback but that is cheap story telling and they're probably going to have to use flashbacks for showing a number of other things. And like I said above, in the script Luke is fixated on the lightsaber -not Rey. And that is how it comes cross in the film to me. It's about Luke being conflicted about whether he is wise enough to be the master everybody hopes he is.

 

Interesting point.
I think Lukes saber indicates a few possibilities of which you state. Obviously the plot of TFA was the search for Luke. I have a feeling the next step is persuading Luke to train Rey and rejoin the fight. That's what Lukes look at the saber at the end as Rey holds it out symbolises to me - it's the call to arms and look is conflicted whether he should be involved again or whether he should train Rey.

I also think that Rey's destiny was to be trained by Luke and so her arriving with the saber indicates this.

 

Keep in mind he built the Jedi academy, trained a teenage Ben and that Rey was abandoned age 5 on Jakku. That means he disappeared no more than fifteen years ago.

--- Double Post Merged, Feb 6, 2016, Original Post Date: Feb 6, 2016 ---

I think this has to be the case.
It's the most simple and plausible idea. And it ties in with why LST has the map (and he got it on Jakku remember).

There is no way the incredibly powerful Luke would abandon his daughter on Jakku. No way. Nor would he abandon anyone to this life. But if her parents were being pursued then it's a good reason to leave her with Unkar Plutt.

For me it makes sense that Luke met them on Ahch-To, asked them to get the map to LST on Jakku. They go there, deliver the map but are then discovered by the KOR. So they have to abandon Rey.

This also makes Luke's exile far more poignant for he has been waiting for Rey's parents (and rey) for as long as she has. He looks haunted, not because of what happened 15years ago) but because he could do nothing whilst his friends suffered and died. That's powerful and very emotive in my view.

--- Double Post Merged, Feb 6, 2016 ---

Maybe. Another way to look at if is that Luke might have tested the Force. If it was meant to be then the Force would at some point bring about events that lead to him coming back (at the right time). Essentially this is exactly what Ben and Yoda did. And it's pretty much what happens with Luke. I'm guessing that if this is the case, the impact on him was greater than anticipated and he never expected to lose his friend Han either. I can't imagine Luke would allow Hans death. Just from an audience PoV, it would diminish Lukes character and make him cold - like the PT Jedi.

 

In my post a few posts above I go into detail what my new theory is. I believe Luke went to ahch to, met them there and then they used Lukes ship to get to Jakku with the intention of sometime getting back to Luke. However they are discovered (because of the signature on Lukes ship - something that is established with the falcon in TFA) and Luke is stranded.

--- Double Post Merged, Feb 6, 2016 ---

Definitely a possibility and resenting what has happened might conflict him about training Rey.

See above about Lukes ship and being stranded.

 

Your original point was that luke might have gone soon after ROTJ.
Im saying that he he can't have done until at the very most 15years before TFA.
We know Kylo turned bad about 15 years before TFA. That Luke had trained Jedi up to that point.
We also know that Han says Luke left after the slaughter and that only then "he went looking for the Jedi Temple" - indicating he hadn't been there or been away before that.

To me it's quite clear what Leia is saying. She tried her best with Ben. Saw the darkness in him. Sent him to Luke but Luke couldn't help him either. Then Ben turned.