May the 4th Be With You
A long time ago, in a galaxy (not so) far, far away… I saw the Star Wars movies.
My introduction to the original trilogies was via VHS, that technology that would now fit quite well in the Star Wars universe. I was really young and had no clue what was going on, but the space battles were fun and the light sabre fights were cool, so my older brother and I would play with our action figures and duel each other with our toy sabers (red and green, of course).
Two decades later, I was so excited for more Star Wars with the release of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I remember sitting in the theatre watching the space battles and light sabre fights, and leaving the theatre talking about how cool the costumes and effects were. Episodes II & III were very much the same scenario.
But I still had no idea what was going on.
Now, I’m not completely dense. I gathered Anakin was going to be Darth Vader (sorry if that’s a spoiler, but you’ve had almost 40 years at this point), that he and Padme would have Luke and Leia, etc. I got the highlights, but didn’t really follow the rest of the plot, even as it flowed from one film to another.
Enter: The Sequels.
By the time Episodes VII through IX came out, I was a different person. I had become more aware of politics, understood more about wars and other happenings around the world, and had significantly more life experience. I also had a much better understanding of symbolism, archetypes, parallels, etc. This made these films a completely different experience. Yes, the space battles were still cool and the sabre fights were still exciting, but there was something to connect them. They had reason, and their outcomes had consequences.
In preparation to write this blog post, I recently re-watched all 9 of the cannon films (no disrespect to “Rogue One” or “Solo”). Now older, wiser, and equipped with more comprehension, I was able to understand how it all started and how this universe was affected with each decision and action made by the characters; I was able to draw parallels to history and current events to see the statements being made about war, equality, lust for power, etc.
Now comes the part where I give a big, philosophical explanation of a scene, character, or through-line, right? Where I deconstruct the idea of the Force and talk about how we’re all connected to each other and to everything around us?
No, not this time.
My point is what you’ve already read: it’s important to understand how our life experiences can affect how we perceive the world around us. It’s even more important to realize that it’s ok for those perceptions to change as we grow and change over our lifetime. We don’t have to think or believe the same way tomorrow that we do today; a seed that is only willing to be a seed will never be a flower, a rose bush, or a mighty oak. We should not only accept this change in ourselves and those around us, we should absolutely celebrate it!
Some quotes to leave you with:
Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke from Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - “[Y]ou will find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.”
Yoda to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Senator Organa from Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – “[A] little more knowledge might light our way.”
Shmi Skywalker to young Anakin from Episode I: The Phantom Menace – “[T]his path has been placed before you. The choice is yours alone.”
I sincerely hope your path is full of growth and new, deeper understanding. May the Force be with you.
