I was
the ripe old age of four in 1977 when the “original” Star Wars, now known as Star
Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, was released.
I’m not sure what drew me to the movie as I don’t remember seeing it in
the theater. It may have been my oldest
brother, but I remember my birthday and Christmas list consisting primarily of
Star Wars toys. The stuff surrounding
the movie was, to use a term of the time, cool - the light sabers, the space
ships, the epic battle scenes, the droids and I guess the story. My first memory of seeing the movie wasn’t
until several years after its release, when it came to cable. I was fascinated by the story then and I’m
still fascinated today.
The Star Wars movie franchise is comprised
of more than just Star Wars Episode IV: A
New Hope. There are [currently] six
movies in the series. The Original
Trilogy made its theatrical mark in the summer of 1977 and is comprised of Star Wars Episode: IV: A New Hope; V: The Empire Strikes Back; and IV: Return of the Jedi. The Star Wars franchise was reinvigorated in 1999 with the release of the first
of the Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Episode
I: The Phantom Menace. Two moves
followed Star Wars Episode II: Attack of
the Clones and Star Wars Episode III:
Revenge of the Sith in 2002 and 2005 respectively.
Mentioned
in all the movies, is The Force: “The Force is a binding, metaphysical, and
ubiquitous power.” ("Star Wars," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia) The
Force is comprised of “the light side” and “the dark side.” The light side is governed and protected by
the Jedi Order, who only use the Force for peaceful purposes. While “the dark side,” is governed and
protected by the Sith, who use the Force to seize power.
In
the original Star Wars film, the
Force is first described in a conversation between Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and
Apprentice Luke Skywalker. “Obi-Wan
Kenobi tells Luke … ‘The Force is what gives the Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living
things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.” (Porter)
The
Force and the Tao are similar. The Force
and the Tao surround us. In Chapter 34 of
Stephen Mitchell’s translation of the Tao
Te Ching it states, “The great Tao flows everywhere. All things are born from it … It is merged
with all things and hidden in their hearts.”
The Tao: “is nameless; that is, it is not any individual thing that has
a name … it has no form … it is the origin of nature, but it is not a god … it
is the rhythm of nature.” (Molloy, p219-221)
Plot
& Character Development:
“The
prequel trilogy follows the life of a young slave named Anakin Skywalker, who
is discovered by the Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn on the desert planet Tatooine.
Qui-Gon comes to believe that Anakin is the ‘Chosen One’ foretold by Jedi
prophecy to bring balance to the Force, and he helps liberate the boy from
slavery. The Jedi Council, led by Yoda, sense that Anakin's future is clouded
by fear, but reluctantly allow Qui-Gon's apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi to train
Anakin after Qui-Gon is killed by the Sith Lord Darth Maul. At the same time,
the planet Naboo is under attack, and its ruler, Queen Padmé Amidala, seeks the
assistance of the Jedi to repel the attack. The Sith Lord Darth Sidious
secretly planned the attack to give his alter ego, Senator Palpatine, a
pretense to overthrow the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic and take
his place.”("Star
Wars," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia)
“The
remainder of the prequel trilogy chronicles Anakin's gradual fall to the dark
side of the Force as he fights in the Clone Wars. Anakin and Padmé fall in love and secretly
wed, and Padmé becomes pregnant.” ("Star Wars," Wikipedia: The Free
Encyclopedia) In a scene indicative of Anakin’s eventual progression toward the
dark side, he senses his birth mother is in great danger. Anakin secretly tracks down the tribe of Sandpeople
who have captured, enslaved, and killed his mother, goes against all his Jedi
training and slaughters the entire tribe in revenge.
Anakin
has a dream of Padmé dying in childbirth and fears he will lose Padmé, like he
did his mother. Seeking the guidance of
Palpatine, Palpatine “convinces him that the dark side holds the power to save
her life; desperate, Anakin submits to the dark side and takes the Sith name
Darth Vader.” ("Star Wars," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia) In
support of his new master, Palpatene, “Vader participates in the extermination
of the Jedi Order, culminating in a lightsaber battle between himself and
Obi-Wan on the volcanic planet Mustafar.” ("Star Wars," Wikipedia:
The Free Encyclopedia)
“Obi-Wan
ultimately defeats his former apprentice and friend [Anakin], severing his
limbs and leaving him for dead beside a lava flow. However, Palpatine arrives
shortly afterward and saves Vader, putting him into a black, mechanical suit of
armor that keeps him alive. At the same time, Padmé dies while giving birth to
twins Luke and Leia.” ("Star Wars,"
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia) Fearing the combined presence of the twins
would lead Darth Vader to seek them out and attempt to bring them to the dark
side, they are separated, moved to opposite ends of the galaxy and their
existence is hidden from their father. Anakin
(Darth Vader) is lead to believe, by Palpatine that he has killed Padmé. Luke goes to live with his Aunt and Uncle on
Tatooine. Leia is adopted by Bail
Organa, the head of the Alderaan royal family.
Leia, becomes known as Princess Leia.
The
original trilogy begins nineteen years later.
During that time a small rebellion against the Empire has formed. The Empire has created a super weapon called the
Death Star, capable of destroying entire rebel planets. Princess Leia is a key member and leader in
the rebellion. She has stolen the Death
Star plans, in the hopes the rebel forces can find and exploit a weakness in
its design.
Luke,
still on Tatooine dreams of joining the rebellion and training to become a Jedi
Knight, like his father. Triggered by a
message Luke accidently uncovers while cleaning a droid, R2-D2, he has acquired
for his uncle, Luke seeks out Ben Kenobi, Obi-Wan. It becomes evident to Luke that Obi-Wan is a
Jedi and “When Luke asks about his father, Obi-Wan tells him that Anakin was a
great Jedi who was betrayed and murdered by Vader.” ("Star Wars,"
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia)
What
is the main theme of the film? Superficially, the Star Wars franchise is about good, the Jedi, versus evil, the Sith,
but there is great deal more to be discovered.
As vital as any of the central human or human-like characters is the
role of the the Force. Its power, as
stated by Yoda during Luke’s Jedi training “a powerful alley it is. Life creates it makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous being are we … not this crude manner. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you … me … the tree … the rock
… everywhere! Yes, even between the land
and the ship.” (Porter)
The
Force is neutral. Everyone is born with
a clean slate and it is one’s choices that determine their destiny. In the Prequel Trilogy Anakin is continually
challenged. Anakin’s potential in
utilizing the Force is strong, but it is his choices that determine his
ultimate destiny. It is Anakin’s lack of
control and patience and desire for revenge that lead him to slaughter the Sandpeople
who killed his mother. Anakin believes
he is due a seat on the Jedi council as a ‘Master’, but he is rebuffed by other
Jedi masters. This makes him angry and suspicious of his fellow Jedi. And it is
Anakin’s attachment to Padmé and misplaced loyalty to Palpatine that dilute him
to believing Palpatine has the power of immortality, thus leading Anakin to
pledge his allegiance to Palpatine and become Darth Vader. Yoda sums it up well, “Fear is the path to
the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
(Porter)
In
the Original Trilogy, Luke is the one who has choices to make, as his destiny
is yet to be determined. Luke is eager
to learn, but lacks the patience necessary.
His mind is clouded with doubt.
At a pivotal point in The Empire Strikes Back Luke abandons his
Jedi training with Yoda to assist Han and Leia and Yoda tries to sway his decision
by saying “Decide you must how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have
fought and suffered.” (Porter) It is
through his training, a lot of which is not seen in the Original Trilogy, Luke
gains the strength, confidence and humility to challenge Darth Vader and
Palpatine. And even then Luke is
conflicted in how to proceed, as his hate for Palpatine comes to a head and
Palpatine senses it stating, “Your hate has made
you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my
side!” (Porter)
There
are multiple subplots throughout the Star
Wars franchise, like obsession with personal power, or finding the good in
everyone, or choosing one’s life path, but the one I find most prevalent and
relevant to the entire series is the notion of fate or destiny. Luke’s and Anakin’s fates are determined by
their choices. “Fate is simply the
consequences of our actions. A
constantly fluid set of limitations created by the intentions of our decisions
and our opportunities. We are personally
responsible for the vast majority of our fate.”
(Porter) Regret in our choice of action can lead to paralysis of our
decision making ability. “When you walk
a path, you should not regret another path not taken.” (Porter)
It
was believed and stated by Qui-Gon that “Anakin is the ‘Chosen One’ foretold by
Jedi prophecy to bring balance to the Force.” (Porter) Though clouded throughout
his journey by the influence of Palpatine, in the end, Anakin does find the
good that remains within himself and brings balance to the Force when he
destroys Palpatine.
Theoretical and Theological Analysis
The
Star Wars franchise bears great
resemblance to the Taoism philosophy.
“Taoism is a philosophical and religious tradition that emphasizes
living in harmony with the Tao. The term
Tao means way, path or principle … Tao denotes something that is both the
source and the driving force behind everything that exists.” ("Taoism," Wikipedia: The Free
Encyclopedia) In my opening, I stated the Force and the Tao are similar. Both the Force and the Tao surround us. In Chapter 34 of Stephen Mitchell translation
Tao Te Ching it states, “The great
Tao flows everywhere. All things are
born from it … It is merged with all things and hidden in their hearts.”
Much like a Jedi’s power comes from being one with the Force. “Your strength comes from being in harmony
with the Tao.” (Porter)
“The
basic Taoist viewpoint is that the individual should seek the truth my means of
patient, accepting focus on natural patterns and influences.” (Porter) In John Porter’s book Tao Star Wars: A Quiet Path to Wellness, some of the basic tenants of
Taoism to include: Yin and Yang, Emptiness, Acceptance, Patience, Simplicity,
P’U, Wu Wei, and Humility.
The
Yin and the Yang are complimentary pairs, both light and dark “the ideal is dynamic balance between
the forces.” (Molloy, p217) There is
more than a complimentary nature in the Yin and the Yang. There is a duality. One cannot exist without the other. We all possess the ability to follow the
light or the dark. In Star Wars, Luke,
though he knows all the suffering and pain his father, Darth Vader, has caused,
he tells his father “I feel the good in you … the conflict.” (Porter) And in the final battle scene between
Palpatine and Luke, Darth Vader, seeing his son being murdered by Palpatine,
finds the good within himself and defeats Palpatine.
Synonymous
with naturalness is p’u. P’u is often
represented as uncut wood or uncarved block, representing our original
nature. “It is the concept of the
simple, uncluttered natural man.” (Porter)
It is the goal of the Taoist to again regain his pure natural state, for
it is in this state the Tao can flow. In
Star Wars the Jedi Council prefers to begin Jedi training at a young age,
before the candidate is tainted by the world.
It is this clear natural state of being that is a clean slate from which
they can develop an excellent Jedi warrior or master. Once a Jedi becomes an adult they continually
work to embody the natural state. As in
Taoism, “this involves freeing oneself from selfishness and desire, and
appreciating simplicity.” ("Taoism," Wikipedia: The Free
Encyclopedia) While training with Yoda, Luke appears
preoccupied, frustrated and distracted.
It is clear to the audience Yoda wants Luke to clear his mind when he
says, “No, no, there is no why. Nothing
more will I teach you today. Clear your
mind of questions.” (Porter) This desire
of Yoda for Luke to empty his mind is the Taoist Wu. “When you are aware of the Tao and feel it,
you can flow with it, and the right action appears for itself, spontaneously.”
(Porter) It is through the mental and
spiritual emptiness and stillness that is Wu and the action of being mentally
clear and aware, Wei, one is able to see their path. This notion of effortless action, Wu Wei, is
exemplified in my favorite Yoda quote of the franchise “Try not. Do. Or
do not. There is no try.” (Porter)
When
we are introduced to Yoda, it’s not obvious he is the legendary Jedi
Master. He’s small, green, extremely
old, seemingly frail and lives in a swamp.
Luke is preoccupied with
searching for someone who fits his preconceived notion of a Jedi Master. Yoda is the epitome of simplicity, patience and
humility. Water is considered in Taoism humble,
simple and patient. Yoda is like
water. He is simple and humble in his
lifestyle and dwelling. He does not
announce himself as the Jedi Master Luke seeks.
He is content to dwell in low places, places other would avoid, like the
swamp. Yoda is patient. One drop of water alone cannot move a
mountain. It sits, waiting for other
droplets. Together they can move
mountains. Yoda has sat ready to encounter and teach Luke
should Luke choose that path and together they can bring about balance to the
Force. “Life is to be kept simple –
conserve energy, maintain your center, be content with what you have, and be
content with who you are.” (Porter)
“The
cannon of Daoist literature include(s) recommendations for many types of arm
and body movements, breathing regulation, diet, and massage.” (Molloy, p226)
Most prevalently practiced today is Tai Chi (taiji), “a series of slow arm and
leg motions thought to aid balance and circulation.” (Molloy, p226). Though little rudimentary Jedi training is
shown in the Star Wars movies, it
quickly becomes evident the Jedi incorporate “control; mixing meditative
techniques and martial arts” ("Force Warrior," Wikipedia: The Free
Encyclopedia) into their warrior training.
This technique is exemplified in Star Wars, Episode II: Attack of the
Clones in the battle
between Yoda and his former padawan, Count Dooku. Though there was no “winner,” it was clear
Yoda’s centuries of training were superior to that of Dooku.
Conclusion
The
Star Wars franchise has been compared to every major religion. It’s clear there are spiritual threads
throughout the movie. I think it’s a
manner of perspective which religion or philosophy one may choose to compare
the movies. On the topic, George Lucas
stated: “I read a lot of books about mythology and theories behind mythology …
I basically worked out a general theory for the Force … I wanted to take all
religions … and come up with something they might have in common … So the real
essence was to try to deal with the Force but not be too specific about it.”
(Porter) I think his success is evident
since the Force has since been compared to all the major religions. But I do see the irony of Lucas (and others)
comparing the Force, threaded through all the movies, to Taoism. If the Jedi are to exist with a monk-like state
of simplicity, humility, and lacking of possessions, how does Lucas justify the
commercialism of the movies?
In
my research I even found a new religious movement, Jeddism “based on the
philosophical and spiritual ideas of the Jedi as depicted in Star Wars media … Practitioners
identify themselves with the Jedi Knights in Star Wars, believe in the
existence of the Force and that interaction with the Force is possible.
Believers align themselves with the moral code demonstrated by the fictional
Jedi. Many Jedi churches described the religion as syncretistic, incorporating
beliefs from various religious philosophies including Christianity, Stoicism,
Buddhism, Taoism and Shintoism … A common belief among Jedi is the Jedi Code,
sometimes referred to as the Orthodox Jedi Code.” ("Jediism,"
Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia)
The
concept of the Force being related to many religions makes it inclusive. Every person, whether religions or not can in
some way relate to the characters and their journey, because at its core Star Wars is about the human journey and
the individual’s pursuit of their destiny.
Personally, I relate best to the comparison I’ve outlined in this paper,
Taoism and the Force. I appreciate both
not having a central god, their limited use of ritual, their focus on state of
mine, their existential explanation of the relationship between all living
things and their overall complex simplicity.
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