Many Star Wars fans are unsure of Luke Skywalker’s iconic glove. He wears it during Return of The Jedi and onward, but why? This glove, which covers his entire hand and part of his forearm, stands out from the rest of his clothing and equipment, and has raised many questions and speculations among fans. Why Does Luke Skywalker Wear One Glove in Star Wars?
Luke Skywalker chooses to wear one glove because his hand is a prosthetic. Darth Vader cuts off Luke’s hand in Empire Strikes Back, and he is given a droid-hand replacement. Luke wears the glove to signify this.
The hand actually appears very realistic. We’ll explore some of the reasons for Luke wearing the glover over it in this article.
Canon reason why Luke Skywalker wears one glove
In The Empire Strikes Back, we learn information about Luke’s glove. He has his long-awaited battle against Darth Vader.
Towards the end of the fight, Vader successfully chops off Luke’s right hand.
Luke’s hand and lightsaber fall down a large chasm of the Cloud City building. Realizing his two options are death or joining Vader, Luke lets go and falls downward.
Luckily, Luke is sucked into a side panel of the chasm. He’s pulled into the tube and slides through.
On the other side, Luke is let go out of the bottom, barely hanging on to a large piece of machinery beneath the building. He’s saved by the Millennium Falcon and is later tended to his wound by a droid.
The droid gives Luke a robotic hand that’s near life-like in realism. During Return of The Jedi, we see that Luke has decided in between films to wear a glove on that prosthetic hand.
Other uses for the glove
The first and most obvious reason for Luke’s glove is practicality. As a Jedi, Luke engages in a lot of physical activities that require protection and grip, such as lightsaber combat, Force maneuvers, and space travel.
The glove, which seems durable, probably gives Luke a better grip and could reduce hand injury. He wouldn’t want his droid-parts being damaged.
Moreover, the glove may also have built-in sensors or devices that enhance Luke’s sensory or communicative abilities, as we see in other instances in the Star Wars universe, such as Darth Vader’s suit or Rey’s wristband.
Another possible reason for Luke’s glove is symbolism.
Clothing and accessories often symbolize different cultures in the Star Wars universe. For example, Jedi robes often symbolize dedication to the Jedi Code and their detachment from emotional connections, while Sith robes signify their allegiance to the dark side and their abuse power.
The glove covers his hand, which is the primary tool for wielding a lightsaber and channeling the Force
So that’s the answer. Luke Skywalker chooses to wear one glove because his hand is a prosthetic. Darth Vader cuts off Luke’s hand in Empire Strikes Back.