Beware Of Skywalkers!

Many years ago, while hanging out at my local comics shoppe, another customer made the observation that if you ever meet Snake Plissken (Escape From New York/Escape From L.A.), you're probably going to get killed.

Then there was Maggie on Northern Exposure, where the running gag was every guy she gets romantically involved with ends up dead.

Well, neither Maggie nor Snake have anything on the Skywalker clan. Have you ever noticed that the mortality rate among acquaintances of the Skywalker crew is shockingly high? That's right. Become buddies with Luke and you'd better start saying your prayers. Meet up with Anakin and your loved ones may as well take out additional life insurance on you, because chances are you won't be long for the galaxy.

To wit:

ANH

Uncle Owen & Aunt Beru (Luke)
The entire population of Alderaan (Leia)
The entire crew of Tantive IV (Leia)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Luke, Anakin)
Biggs (Luke)
Lots of Rebel pilots (Luke, Leia)

TESB

Dack (Luke)
Lots of Rebels (Luke, Leia)

ROTJ

Yoda (Luke, Anakin)
Darth Vader/Anakin (Luke)
Palpatine (Anakin, Luke)

TPM

Qui-Gon Jinn (Anakin)

AOTC

Shmi Skywalker (Anakin)
Scores o' Jedi (Anakin)

ROTS

The rest of the Jedi Order except Obi-Wan and Yoda (Anakin)
Padmé (Anakin)

In fact, if you take into account the EU, the body count is even higher. The following is by no means inclusive, but here are several notable Skywalker acquaintances/friends/relatives who have bitten the dust:

Chewbacca, Mara Jade, Anakin Solo, Teneniel Djo, Gaeriel Capiston, that Caamasi guy killed by the Yuuzhan Vong, Mon Mothma, General Madine, Shira Brie/Lumiya, Siri Tachi

To make things even ookier, the only character to ever survive a romantic relationship with a Skywalker in the movies is Han Solo! The rest all croak. Even Cliegg Lars, the husband of Shmi Skywalker, apparently died at some point because we never see him again after AOTC. And he'd already lost a leg! Things are just as bad in the EU: only Han, Callista-- who was kinda dead already, Tenel Ka, Tahiri, Jag, Zekk, Akanah, Deliah Blue, and Cade's mom have survived. And who knows who else might buy it sometime in the near future?

This of course doesn't really count enemies either.

Sure, besides Han you have stalwart survivors like the droids, Wedge, Lando, and Jar Jar. But are they just uber cool or just buying time?

Creepy, isn't it?