Title: Runaway by Valerie Vancollie & Rebecca Thomson
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Gen
Categories: AU, Family, Drama, Hurt/Comfort
Length: Epic
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: v_e_vancollie
Website: n/a

Review:
What if Luke had run away, joined the Imperial Academy, and Vader had found him there?

I’ve probably said this before but when it comes to the Star Wars fandom, I’m a huge sucker for a good father-son reunion fic. There’s just something about them that lends themselves to being epic and this story is no exception, especially since it gives us a rather unique take on an otherwise well used idea. Beginning pre-canon with a young, idealistic, and fairly ignorant Luke running away to join the Imperial Academy, this story doesn’t focus on an immediate reunion between father and son, but instead takes on a journey – first with Luke finding his way off of Tatooine (and meeting some rather familiar faces along the way) to going through training at the academy, where his skills as both a pilot and a leader get noticed. By who, I’m sure you can imagine.

What I love about this story is that it makes sense for the characters involved. Luke running away and joining the academy – well, didn’t he want to be a pilot like his father? Wasn’t he interested in being on the inside of the fire-fights between the Empire and the Rebellion? Vader’s reaction to finding Luke is similarly spot on – there is no doubt that he has an attachment to Luke, whether for good or bad, and his desire to rule with his son by his side is paramount, especially with how disenchanted he is with the Empire and its ruler.

Overall, for fans of the father-son dynamic or the ‘what if’ scenario, this is a fun read that might have happened in a different galaxy far, far away.

Runaway