Maybe… but Skywalker was definitely originally called Starkiller back in the 70s before Lucas changed it to a more positive sounding name. It was in one of the original scripts.
EDIT, from Wiki:
George Lucas considered various characterizations for the protagonist of the original Star Wars film.[s] The possibilities included a 60-year-old grizzled war hero, a Jedi Master, a dwarf, and a woman.[5][6] Luke’s original surname was “Starkiller”, and it remained in the script until a few months into filming. It was dropped due to what Lucas called “unpleasant connotations” with Charles Manson, who became a “star killer” in 1969 when he murdered the well-known actress Sharon Tate.[7][8] Lucas replaced the problematic name “Starkiller” with “Skywalker”.[9]
Didn’t the name come from the extended universe stuff?
Maybe… but Skywalker was definitely originally called Starkiller back in the 70s before Lucas changed it to a more positive sounding name. It was in one of the original scripts.
EDIT, from Wiki:
George Lucas considered various characterizations for the protagonist of the original Star Wars film.[s] The possibilities included a 60-year-old grizzled war hero, a Jedi Master, a dwarf, and a woman.[5][6] Luke’s original surname was “Starkiller”, and it remained in the script until a few months into filming. It was dropped due to what Lucas called “unpleasant connotations” with Charles Manson, who became a “star killer” in 1969 when he murdered the well-known actress Sharon Tate.[7][8] Lucas replaced the problematic name “Starkiller” with “Skywalker”.[9]
Did they have to rewrite some of the plot to account for the new name, since the hugely different connotation?
og script name for luke was starkiller. was changed because it sounded evil.