What was the original surname of Luke Skywalker in early drafts?

Luke Skywalker’s original surname in early Star Wars drafts was Starkiller. George Lucas used the name during the development of the original film, and it remained in the screenplay until a few months into filming before being replaced with Skywalker.

The change reflected both tone and cultural associations. Lucas considered “Starkiller” too aggressive and later explained that it had unpleasant connotations because of Charles Manson, whose 1969 crimes had made the phrase “star killer” especially disturbing. “Skywalker” sounded more mythic and connected the hero to the film’s cosmic setting.

Starkiller did not disappear completely from Star Wars history. The name was later used for Galen Marek, the protagonist of the 2008 video game The Force Unleashed, whose alias was Starkiller. That character is part of Legends continuity rather than the current main canon. Luke’s final surname also helped establish the family connection revealed much later through the Skywalker saga.