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Friday, 19 June 2015

Journal of Whills: Part 2 - Good vs Evil

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At the end of the day Star Wars centres around a story of good and evil, it’s one of the things that gives it a certain timeless appeal and makes it relatable and understandable to all ages. You can add complications through the themes of redemption and conspiracy and corruption but when you get down to the core story it is simply the Rebel Alliance, the freedom fighters, the good guys, the definitely-not-in-favour-of-blowing-up-planets-party. Their polar opposite is the Galactic Empire, the dark, shrouded, tyrannical, oppressive, -in-favour-of-blowing-up-planets-with-our-amazing-super-weapon-party who want nothing more than to conquer the galaxy and abuse their ill-gotten power.
The Sith and Jedi represent a great deal about the way good and evil is defined. Both possess amazing gifts and skills, wielding immense power and knowledge of how to use it. But it is the method in which they use it that defines the way in which we view them. The Jedi maintain order and righteousness throughout the galaxy, or as an old hermit across the dune sea put it ‘the guardians of peace and justice’. Speaking of that particular hermit, every Jedi in the original three films is deceptive of their true power based on their physicality. Obi-Wan is an isolated old man who many dismiss as crazy or demented, yet as we see he is proven to be the most useful person to ever have if you get into a bar fight.
This is taken to new extremes in Empire Strikes Back as the small and primitive creature, living in a small mud hut on a swamp planet is the most powerful being in the galaxy. Even Luke, the naïve young farm boy descended from humble mere origins is the most crucial figure of the war to decide the fate of thousands. The Jedi exercise their power without menace or sadism, their lives are devoted to maintain their order through acts that are necessary, not easy or impressive. Many have drawn attention to how Lucas strived to find the best possible puppeteers to give live to the character of Yoda, because if that character was portrayed in any different way or made to look malicious or noticeable compared to his apparent stature, then the entire saga loses a lot of its grandeur and central themes.
As Yoda said to Luke after he remarked that he could not believe that this relatively insignificant being has lifted his X-Wing out of the marsh, ‘that is why you fail’. The Jedi do not exist to control the force, nor do they seek to command it for their own personal gains. The belief behind this act is that the will and strive to accomplish this combined with their mastery of the power is what allows them to wield it. Going back to their physical description, it proves that Jedi seek to live in harmony with what is around them, opting to allow the galaxy to run its own course and only interfere when necessary. One could attribute the Jedi’s downfall to a over involvement with the tribulations of the galaxy during the clone wars.
The Sith on the other hand are always the more physically impressive. Not only do they wield the same immense power, but they have to let everyone know that they do and ensure that they have every opportunity to use it just for the sake of it (hence their tendency to build Death Stars). The Sith fell time and time again before the events of any of the Star wars films due to their constant conflicts with each other, not team players in other words.
If you are knowledgeable of Star Wars history then you’ll know that the Sith resent the Jedi due to their banishment and defeat at the hands of the Knights of the Republic. But their philosophies and ideologies are clashing with the need to be in harmony with the galaxy, and the need to control it.

So those are a few more ramblings on Star Wars, let me know some of yours by leaving a comment below or if you think it’s pretentious and ridiculous then let me know that as well. Any particular aspects of Star wars that you want me to look at then once again let me know. Find me on Twitter with @JoshuaPrice97 and don’t forget to recommend Film fanatic on Google by clicking the icon at the top. May the Force be with you.  

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