Anger in the Star Wars Universe: Episode III

Episode III

Anger

in

the

Star Wars

Universe

Do the Star Wars

movies present

anger as a bad thing?

Episode I here

Episode II here

Welcome to the final installment on anger in the Star Wars Universe, mostly focusing on the original movies. In part I I described how the characters are allowed to show anger in the films; in the second part I delved into Luke's hero quest, and the famous Yoda teaching that anger can lead to the dark side dominating your destiny.

Before we get to the final confrontation between Luke and the baddies, I'd like to address a comment from Judy, Judy, Judy in re. Yoda's teachings about the Force, because they helped me find a way to re-word some of this. One thing she said was:

"Aggression is called for sometimes, also. If I walked in on someone hurting my kids or gkids - I would be aggressive and I don't think it would be the wrong response."

Therefore you can listen to the "dark" part of yourself without it dominating you. I agree. Defending your children is the perfect example because though it draws upon aggression, it is motivated by love. You are, in essence, still on a path of love. If you took that attacker to court after you would still be on a path of light, because this is justice. But if you chose to take revenge on his children by killing them, now you've started down a dark path, rather than dipping into it.

A lot of Shakespearean tragedy is like that--you decide you want to be King of Scotland, and start down a path that gets bloodier as you go and ends with your own death. It's also why Batman is called The Dark Knight--he's an exploration of whether it's possible to serve justice outside of the law, and without corrupting yourself too. (And Watchmen takes that discussion to a whole other level, but SW was not made to be a Watchmen.)

In the prequel movies, Anakin is tempted by the possibility of thwarting death. Hubris. Luke Skywalker believes his father was murdered by Darth Vader, so at first it's revenge. Once he finds out this is his father, he'll be tempted by other things (it's all très Jesus in he desert: A father-son relationship! No? Power to bring peace to the galaxy! No? Hmm power to save your friends?)

Of course we know lots of every day examples of people given such choices, like Izzeldin Abuelaish, the Palestinian doctor who worked in an Israeli hospital, and whose three daughters and niece were killed by Israeli shelling of Gaza. He wrote I Shall Not Hate and dedicated the rest of his life to promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace. That's drawing power from the good side of the Force. ;-)

But back to Luke, who when he goes up against Vader and the Emperor doesn't know exactly what he's going to do. Obi-Wan say he has to kill both baddies. Reasonable as they've committed atrocious crimes all over the Galaxy. Even a Jedi can feel "righteous anger" for what's been done, and not only could the sentence unarguably be death, but isn't this the only way to bring balance to the Force? By taking down this overabundance of Evil?

(SW craft book!)

But the entire Jedi Order was fooled by Palpatine back when he was only one bad guy with one lackey; and the greatest Jedis of that Order were unable to take him down even when they still outnumbered him. So Luke is right to not listen to them now:

Luke: There is still good in him [Vader].
Ben: He's more machine now than man. Twisted and evil.
Luke: I can't kill my own father.
Ben: You cannot escape your destiny. You must face Darth Vader again.
Luke: I can't do it, Ben.
Ben: Then the Emperor has already won. [So passive aggressive, that Ben.]

We have proof that Luke is right, though.

At 4:00

When the Millennium Falcon makes a last minute escape in Empire because R2 knows the hyperdrive was deactivated, Admiral Piett and the crew on Vader's star destroyer watch their boss in fear, waiting to see who'll get the invisible hand of punishment. But Vader just leaves the bridge "his hands held behind his back in a contemplative gesture" (Star Wars, the Annotated Screenplays) and we see Piett alive in the next movie. It's also significant that when Luke arrives on Endor in the next movie Vader senses his presence there, but the Emperor does not. Something's changed.

Luke tells Leia he's got to try to turn their father back to the good side, and he boldly tells Darth Vader the same. Vader replies--a little sadly?--that it's too late for him. "You don't know the power of the dark side." He sounds… trapped?

In the confrontation with Vader and the Emperor Luke tries reeeally reeeally hard not to lose his cool. But the Emperor does what he did to Anakin: He spouts all kinds of lies that we know aren't true. Just as he says "From here you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance" and comments on Luke's growing hatred, the Ewoks attack the bunker on Endor.

 

Just as he says "your friends on the Endor moon will not survive" Chewie takes over a walker and blasts open the doors to the shield generator.

He's manipulating Luke and because Luke is letting his emotions go crazy, he's not able to see through it. (Is Palptine wearing a bluetooth ear piece or something?)

Unfortunately Palpatine is wrong about Luke's weakness: It's not his faith in his friends, it's his lack of faith. Each lie makes him mad. But Luke was right that Palpatine's weakness is his overconfidence. Overconfidence that three foot tall teddy bears can't help overthrow an Empire (which is why it would not have worked with Wookies, people! No one would build a shield generator on a planet full of Wookies!) and overconfidence that he can talk trash to Luke. But every time he laughs evilly and shows off about how he pwns Luke, he spoils the mood: 

Emperor: Goood. Use your aggressive feelings, boy! Let the hate flow through you!

Luke: What the-! [puts away lightsaber] Damn.

He does this more than once, it's a bit hi-larious.


But if Palpatine's off his game, Luke and Vader have each other's number. Luke can still sense the good in his father.

Luke: I sense the conflict!
Vader: There's no conflict! Buahhhh!
Luke: You won't kill me na na na! [Runs and hides, looking scared sh*tless. Note that his face is half in light, half in darkness.]
Vader: Give yourself to the dark side. It is the only way you can save your friends.

There it is--the final temptation. The same one that Anakin fell prey to. Love, oddly enough. So if it's love at the heart of your fears, how will you know the right thing to do? "You will know, when you are calm. At peace."

Vader cont.: Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for... sister! So...you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her, too. ...If you will not turn to the dark side, then perhaps she will.

If Luke was really thinking here, he'd know Leia is less likely to turn to the dark side than he is--he just told her she's "always been strong" for heaven's sake. But it's Cloud City all over again. Luke goes ballistimacus and attacks Vader over and over again and he almost does what his mentors told him to and kills him. But Palpatine's overconfidence saves the day!

Hooray!

His cackling kicks in again.

Emperor: Good! Your hate has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side!

Luke looks at his father's several mechanical hand, and at his own mechanical hand--a mirror moment of the tree in Dagobah. And now he finally centers himself. He throws away his weapon. He knows that the only way to defeat the Emperor is to do what no one in his position has ever done before and turn down "Unlimited Powah!!!!" and be willing to die instead.

And be willing to do the thing that even the most powerful Jedis in the Galaxy couldn't have done, because they never knew family and this wasn't their father--he lays down his own life, rather than kill Anakin Skywalker, and the good he knows is still there.

The Emperor is shocked - shocked!

So is Vader! His dark side, once so powerful he couldn't resist it, falters! He watches his master electrocute his son, hears his son call out in pain to him, and the conflict rages within him. He couldn't save Padme, but he could save their son. This is the immortality he sought and lost.

He does something so far removed from Palpatine's experience that the old fart's made NO provision for it, no protection, he doesn't sense it, he doesn't see it coming; Darth Vader sacrifices his own life, for love of his son. He steps off the dark path and back onto the light one. And balance is finally brought to the Force.

 

Vader's menacing theme is gently reprised

Le sigh.

And then while Leia travels around the Galaxy holding justice trials, Luke co-holds reconciliation commissions, right? That sounds about right. Cause there's probably a lot of anger left out there after 20 years of tyranny. People are going to need to express it.

I hope you enjoyed my Star Wars essay. Though I'm not as SW-geek as the die hards, spinning these theories is my particular brand of geekatude. Thanks for bearing with me!