My theories/headcanons about Luke
I've been meaning to post these for a while, and I figured I should before No Going Back comes out. They're just some of my theories about Luke cooking in my head lol. Let me know what you guys think! What other theories do you guys have?
---Right now, Luke is bottling his emotions, like numerous people have noted. He doesn't want to tell Clem what's going on with him, because he wants to protect her from his own problems. She doesn't need to know, and have more burdens put on her.
Why else would Luke not want to tell Clem what happened in his past? Maybe he feels shame. Maybe he thinks he screwed up, and he doesn't want to share that with Clem. Maybe he feels guilt for not being able to save his parents, or the rest of his family himself. Maybe since then, he's wanted to save everyone, but he just can't do it. That look on his face when he went to save Sarah in the walker herd--that was the most determined I've ever seen him. His face just screams, "I'm NOT letting this happen again." And he was crushed when he himself wasn't the one who was able to get Sarah out of there.
---He thinks he can be a superhero (there was a great post somewhere on tumblr; it was about how Luke sees himself as a hero) but he's human too. He needs to eat and sleep when tracking the group to Carver. He can't talk down Sarah. He needs to deal with stress somehow (he needs the feel of a woman, lol, but most everyone needs sex). He can't always be perfect. He thinks he can have the moral humanity of a man without man's flaws. But he can't. And acknowledging that is hard for him. One reason he's probably so snappy at the end of episode 4 is that he's angry at himself. Messing around with Jane is his most major f%ck-up we’ve seen, and he can't believe what he's done.
I'm guessing he had another major f%ck-up too in the past, though--his parents or his family. Or at least, he considers it a big screw up he committed. Maybe now he's made another mistake with Jane, he thinks, "I can't believe I messed up again!"
---He has a machete, but he doesn't like killing dogs or people who might need to die like Carver, so I feel like he's not big on hunting.
(And actually, I'm not sure if we've ever seen Luke actually shoot? He holds the AK-47 from the end of In Harm's Way, but I don't think we've ever seen him use it. He probably knows how to shoot, but it's just odd we haven't seen him shoot once yet. Edit: Yes we totally have seen him shoot, when he was defending Rebecca from the walkers. Though he hasn't shot any living humans yet that we've seen. Thanks @Lilacsbloom! He would've had the perfect opportunity to at the ski lodge. At the lodge, I get the feeling Luke had the opportunity to shoot Carver and his friends, but he didn't because he didn't want to kill. That could've been why he was "whining" to Kenny....) Maybe Luke did have a problem with hunting, but he just kept it to himself like he seems to do. I can imagine him telling Nick to suck it up, if they would go hunting together though.
---I think Luke felt bad about the way he treated Nick. He may have realized he wasn't the most supportive friend after Nick died....A lot of regrets about a deceased loved one tend to sneak into a grieving person's mind, and even though Luke's bottling his emotions now, they're going to show soon.
--- Luke's parents could've been lax with him. His parents didn't seem to have a hold enough on him to stop him from jumping rooftops as a kid. I think that as a kid, he didn't make too many mistakes with bad consequences, and now that he has, it's really hard for him to forgive himself. He must've been very carefree (e.g. rooftop running), which is something everyone wants to get back to, but can't be done that easily. His parents probably didn't reject his business idea with Nick, either because they encouraged him to do it, or I think because they weren't too bothered if he lost his money; they'd see it as, "It's your life. You do with it what you like." Perhaps it was a good business idea, because Pete doesn't hold any ill will towards Luke for being partly responsible for losing all of Nick's money. (But then again, money doesn't really matter anymore.) Maybe they just ran out of luck.
--- I really think Jane had an honest heart-to-heart with Luke before they banged, as Jane was shown to be on the verge of tears right before.
Go to 3:38 up til 4:06 below, and tell me she doesn't sound upset:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjmSOzjyS-E
Luke and Jane are similar because: 1) they both tried to save someone and both failed [Sarah and Jaime], 2) they look out for Clem almost like a younger sister, and 3) they don't want to burden Clem with their own emotional baggage and bottle their emotions. Therefore I think they could've really emotionally connected.
What do you guys think?
Comments
Good stuff
I think you're spot on with the Jane thing. It's just, she won't let her guard down and that's why she left Luke.
Thanks! Yeah she left for not wanting to get hurt probably by the death of Clem or Luke or just being hurt by Luke in general, in terms of a relationship. Jane warned Clem against the group falling apart, and that group includes Luke too. So she can see he's falling apart as well.
She has her reasons, but it was pretty cruel of her to leave him, and to encourage Clem to do the same if Luke does fall apart more. 
Nice stuff
Jane does come across as being quite selfish doesn't she?
She leaves Clem because she doesn't want to see her die, yet by sticking around she could help her live.
Nice boxers, Nick.
I completely talking out of my ass here, but that sounds like the worst kind of sex imaginable. Trying to have (quasi) anonymous sex in order to purge negative emotion, but given the person isn't that close you only end up feeling more empty... It's like, you start at -10, boning takes you to 5, then 20 minutes later you drop to -15 because you realize it didn't do anything in the long run. Even if they started having a heart-to-heart it got physically pretty quickly, and even if it hadn't, a small conversation with somebody you're not too close with helps; but what people read when they need solace is somebody who will be there with depth and consistency.
woah, this thread got proper deep fast
Luke is made of meat.
Man meat.
Yeah, you're probably right about them feeling empty afterwards. I imagine both Luke and Jane regret their actions in relation to each other quite a lot after they've separated (not just being regretful because they didn't look out for the group). And I completely agree that having somebody with consistency and depth is ideal, of course. I imagine that after talking and realizing how close they were, they just got swept up in the moment, as sometimes happens in real life too. I can't deny that they did probably at least in part want to have sex just for the sake of having sex too, and I'm not defending that.
Just meat imo
Ah, you're all about the meat are you
Well yeah, that's pretty obvious. What else would he be made of, woman meat? :P
Man meat is a special kind of meat
Jane comes across that way, but I really don't think she wants to be selfish. I had a theory that maybe she and her sister had been with a good group before, but the group had betrayed or abandoned Jane and Jaime horribly, so now Jane speaks from experience to Clem: "You don't owe them anything. They'll make you feel like you do. Like it's all one happy family. But when push comes to shove...." Maybe she just can't help not trusting people anymore.
Yeah I hope in the future Jane realizes she can help Clem by sticking around; I'd really love to see her come back and make it up to them for abandoning them. (And her interactions with Luke would be interesting, to say the least lol.) I thought it was so ironic that it was Jane's fault (well maybe not exactly her fault, the circumstances were just bad I guess) that Arvo came back and brought all those bullets down on Clem's group right after Jane says, "Don't want to see ya die; bye!" Goddammit, Jane lol. I wonder what would've happened if she had stayed for the gunfight.
Very much agree.
I think Jane is only selfish because she's built up a veneer of 'selfish survivalism' in order that she doesn't have to deal with the emotional trauma she's undergone and undergoing.
Look what I found on google~~~
I'd eat the shit outta that meat.
Well, 'sex just to have sex,' if it isn't in a context of 'wow, we really should be looking out for zombies' is perfectly fine as long as both parties acknowledge that's what it is. They physical compenent of sex is oftentimes very important, but there are others as well (emotional, intellectual, and in those cases I mean far beyond the idea of 'making whoppie.' My TA told me something that really stuck with me. There's intellect, there's emotion, and there's the physical. The idea lover attends to all three, but oftentimes (as in the case of sex addition [which I believe is mislable Compulvise Sexual Behavior]) People who lack love and emotion satisfaction try, unsuccessfully, to replace it with the physical.
One thing to read if you have access is "Baumeister, R.; Leary, M. The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal Attachments as a Fundamental Human Motivation Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 117, no. 3, 1995.
Very well said I agree! I really hope Luke lets out his emotions in episode 5 otherwise people will take it as he doesn't care, like the situation with Nick, everyone thinks that Luke never cared about Nick because of his reaction but if you think about it with the situation they were in he wouldn't have the luxury of having a big dramatic reaction, Sarah was in the other room and she needed more help than him, there were walkers threatening to break in so there was no time for him to break down. Luke seemed very selfless and I always thought he kept his emotions back for the greater good of the group, they need to have one level headed person and one 'emotionally stable' person to stop them from becoming reckless though he himself was hurt he tried to push back those emotions though I think that keeping those emotions held back has made him become broken and we saw him act reckless with Jane so maybe in Episode 5 Clem and him will have a heart to heart and he will tell her he doesn't want to burden her with his problems as she's still a kid, that's my dream head cannon anyway
I'd like to take a peek at Luke's T-bone
Of course, of course; I completely agree. Did it sound like I didn't before? They're both adults; I'm pretty sure they both acknowledged it was "sex for sex," but I think Luke definitely found more meaning behind it, or at least he wanted to find more meaning behind it. They did connect intellectually (Luke said Jane seemed "smart" in her survival skills when talking to Clem). Emotionally, I imagine Luke noticed Jane was upset after robbing Arvo, and addressed her about it. I think they were discussing the morals of the situation, and what had to be done, and I imagine Luke would've comforted Jane over it.
Kudos to you for being the first forum member to reply to me with a literature reference haha. Yes, it is available here, for free for everyone.
...go on
Loving Luke is no mis-steak.
Yup yup and yup agreed! Yeah he didn't have time to grieve, the poor guy. I get the feeling that talking to Jane had him open up his emotions, and now he can't control them anymore. After Jane left, he was yelling at Kenny a lot more, and had his first big outburst "Everything is SHIT!" I think he's opened his bottled emotions, and now he can't put the cork back on. After Jane left and he punched that wall (that's the first time we've seen him physically strike something other than a walker), I feel he was letting out his emotions that most everyone had died and left him, and now yet again, Jane had left him too.
P.s. I recently wrote a fanfic of Luke opening up to Clem (nothing romantic, eww) using the theories here as a basis, and if you want I can send you a PM link since I won't shamelessly advertise here. >.<
I deffinetly agree, I'm not sure what to think about Jane, I liked her at first and actually kind of thought her and Luke would be cute together but when I saw them having sex I thought well that ships out the window! Haha, also when Jane left I was mad at her too and I know some people are sticking up for Jane saying that 'it was only sex she doesn't owe him anything' but I really think she should have at least said goodbye, Luke probably feels like everyone he cared about is gone (except Clementine if you choose to side with him)
And yes I would love too! I love Clem and Luke as a brotp!
Haha yes I was angry at them both, but I've also forgiven them both. I think if Jane had stopped to say good-bye to Luke, she wouldn't have been able to go. She didn't mean to say good-bye to Clem either remember? Clem just found her looking through the window and Jane was like, "Shit." lol. Poor Lukey baby I really hope Jane comes back and makes it up to them.
Ok yay!
I'll send it over. 
I guess, but I don't really think she will come back she will probably be another Molly, if she does I will feel stupid :P I don't mind her but I remember reading someone's theory about Jane maybe wanting to split the group up because she let go of her survival instincts to have sex with Luke and when they are found she is just smirking and she kept on saying the group is cracking yet Kenny and Luke's bickering became worse after the whole incident with Jane, I don't know I that's true or not but you know, as long as Clementine and Luke survive I will be fine
Hehe okidoke
I like rib-eyeing him up
He sees Kenny as a broken man, but he seems to be in denial that he's breaking too. He doesn't want to admit it. Kenny has no problem with admiting it.
Luke calls Kenny reckless shortly before he does the most reckless thing he could possibly do in the situation they were in.
And then when Kenny sees what he's done, what does he call Luke? "Reckless fuckin' moron."
He got called reckless by the broken man himself, that must have been like a stab to his heart. It's most likely why he lost his cool for the first time ever. Like you said, he really wants to be the perfect hero, so to realize that things are getting to him just as much as anyone else is really tough for him.
Other hints of his denial is how he judges Clem in EP4. If you leave Sarah, he's like "I didn't think YOU would leave Sarah, Clem", almost like he's blaming her and doesn't realize he's had a part in it. Also, how he talks about him being the first one on the roof.
And later on he can call Clem out saying "I used to think the horrors of the apocalypse hadn't gotten to you yet...But Clem, you watched Kenny kill Carver." , he says it as if he thinks he's not being affected by the apocalypse just as much as she is.
Honestly I think Jane is a lot more similar to Michonne (if you've watched the show or read the comics) than she is to Molly. I don't think she'd come back next ep, but if she does hopefully it'd be in season 3, assuming everything works out. ;_;
And wow that Jane theory sounds very offensive. Like she's some kind of wild animal? I don't think so.
Glad you enjoyed my fic tho!!!
I haven't seen the show or read the comics (I probably should do:-P) but Jane and Molly seem similar to me because they both came around in episode 4, both badass characters and they both leave the group in episode 4 trying to sneak away because they want to be on their own, and yeah the Jane theory does seen kinda anti Jane but who knows maybe there is some truth maybe not, maybe Jane will come back during the shoot off and be a hero I guess we will have to wait and see tomorrow!
And that's okay, I really liked it you are a great writer! :-)
He does seen to be in denial that he is broken himself, probably because he is pushing away his emotions, I do think when Kenny called him reckless he probably felt angry because he wanted to seem like a 'perfect' level headed leader but he realised he has become broken too if the man who he believes is reckless calls him reckless that's why he says Kenny has "a lot of nerve"
Also with Clementine leaving Sarah I don't think Luke meant it in a way that it was all Clementines fault I think he meant I didn't think you would do it because Sarah was her friend and he probably didn't think that Clementine would ever leave her behind, he does say earlier "there was nothing we could do" but you can tell he doesn't believe it, he firstly tries to reassure Clementine and himself that they wouldn't have been able to save Sarah and then he states he didn't think Clementine would have been 'the type' to leave someone behind to die.
You're right about how Luke is in denial about himself being broken, yes; I remember you making this comment before elsewhere. Yeah, I think Luke is in denial about his limiting flaws. Luke isn't able to save Sarah even though he really wanted to for hours (he was probably in denial there that he would fail); he broke into Carver's and didn't think to get food or rest (he was in denial that he would need those things, maybe, though he also wanted to just get to his friends asap.)
I actually agree with @Simply about those last two quotes you mentioned though. You could interpret them the way you have, but from his tone, I think he's just commenting on Clem and not commenting on himself at all.
I do think though that if you've been playing a darker Clem who watched Carver die, stole from Arvo, left Sarah the first time etc., that Luke was in denial about Clem becoming darker. E.g. When they're at Howe's, Carver says, "Clem ain't afraid to look it in the eye," to which Luke says, "Shut your mouth, Bill!" as if he doesn't want to believe that this little girl, whom he treated like a little sister when he first met her, could potentially become like Carver. For example the choice to leave Luke/Kenny/the baby behind might contribute to this heartlessness. But now Luke has realized it, as in your last two quotes Pride, but I still think that Luke thinks there's hope for Clem: "There's hope for you yet."
I'd prefer his Strip Steak. * sees mods approaching * We're having an intelligent discussion here I swear!!!
I'm more interested in the rump steak
I'd filet his mignon.
I'd pour salty sauce all over his (sir)loins.
In my second playthrough I decided to leave Sarah to see how the rest of the episode played out without her, and to me it was just as traumatic as my first playthrough when I desperately tried to save her and bring her around at every opportunity I had. The scene after I left Sarah when I was walking with Luke, I still felt kind of numb after watching Sarah get torn apart by walkers, and then Luke comes out with "I didn't think YOU would leave Sarah, Clem". It felt very accusatory and made me feel twice as guilty.
I normally defend the majority of Luke's actions and can forgive his mistakes but this is one that stuck with me. I understand that perhaps he was projecting his guilt onto Clementine in order to make himself feel less guilty but I'm still pretty angry at him for saying that. (Not that this makes Luke a bad person, just a flawed one.)
Hm ok. Well that's your opinion. I really don't think that's what Luke meant, like I said, from his tone and his expression. Like he was just expressing his disbelief, not trying to guilt-trip us.
Here's a playthrough I found where after Luke says, "I didn't think you'd leave her," Clem says, "You left her too." Luke responds with, "I know, I know," and he sounds just as disappointed in himself.
Go to 6:33.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OtI7w-1RxE
Edit: He also said, "It's hard to think about," which is not something someone blaming you would say, imo.
When everyone was asking, "Where's Luke? Where's Luke?" I asked, "You mean, 'Where's the beef?' " And then I found it. Mmm.