Sith stuff
I just saw "Revenge of the Sith" for the second time tonight.
It really is a very good movie, even when you separate it out from the whole "Star Wars" thing.
My wife only fell asleep for about 10 minutes, it was that good.
While the flick has generally gotten pretty good reviews, some commentators have aimed verbal kicks at Lucas's 'nads for lines seen as being modern political commentary.
Lines like, "If you're not with me, you're my enemy." Or, "Only a Sith thinks in absolutes."
There's also been some discussion of how the movie portrays the Jedi in somewhat of a bad light, while baddie Palpatine comes off as a sympathetic avuncular type.
They know they are wiser than everyone else, and act like it.
They have their heads stuck way up in the lofty clouds of Force theory, blinding them to the very human needs of people like Anakin Skywalker.
When Anakin is troubled by his dreams about losing Padme, he confers with Yoda in a sterile meditation chamber. Yoda's advice? "Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose."
Meanwhile, Palpatine is the one who offers Anakin hope, who puts a hand on his shoulder, who kneels by him and touches his brow when he is laying maimed and shattered.
So Lucas is making the case for moral relativism, right? Good and evil are just different ways of viewing the same thing, right? It's understandable that Anakin would do all those horrible things, right? I mean, just look at the way the Jedi treated him.
Not so fast.
The moral framework of the "Star Wars" universe is predicated on good and evil being separate, identifiable entities.
There is a light and dark side to the Force. Episodes IV-VI show us quite clearly that the Jedi really are on the side of good while Darth Vader and the Emperor are are in the service of real evil.
While "Revenge of the Sith" does help us understand Anakin's motivations for turning to the dark side, it does nothing to absolve him of his sins. In fact, it goes out of its way to rebuke the moral relativism that aided his descent into darkness.
In the final duel, there's this telling exchange:
Although Obi-Wan does utter the line about absolutes being only the provenance of the Sith, it is really those dark side disciples who make such pernicious use of moral relativism and he said/she said approaches to the Force.
In those, the split between good/evil, Jedi/Empire, Luke/Vader is stark and, yes, absolute. Luke, Leia and Yoda are the uncontested heroes while Vader and the Emperor represent total evil.
Vader's ultimate redemption comes from killing the man he so eagerly defended to Obi-Wan decades earlier on the slopes of the erupting volcano.
Of course Anakin was wrong, despite the slights he suffered, despite his crummy childhood.
Of course the Jedi are right, despite their secretive ways and their suspicious attitudes.
Of course there are such things as good and evil.
(Thanks to someone named SuperShadow for posting a full script of the movie here)
It really is a very good movie, even when you separate it out from the whole "Star Wars" thing.
My wife only fell asleep for about 10 minutes, it was that good.
While the flick has generally gotten pretty good reviews, some commentators have aimed verbal kicks at Lucas's 'nads for lines seen as being modern political commentary.
Lines like, "If you're not with me, you're my enemy." Or, "Only a Sith thinks in absolutes."
There's also been some discussion of how the movie portrays the Jedi in somewhat of a bad light, while baddie Palpatine comes off as a sympathetic avuncular type.
They know they are wiser than everyone else, and act like it.
They have their heads stuck way up in the lofty clouds of Force theory, blinding them to the very human needs of people like Anakin Skywalker.
When Anakin is troubled by his dreams about losing Padme, he confers with Yoda in a sterile meditation chamber. Yoda's advice? "Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose."
Meanwhile, Palpatine is the one who offers Anakin hope, who puts a hand on his shoulder, who kneels by him and touches his brow when he is laying maimed and shattered.
So Lucas is making the case for moral relativism, right? Good and evil are just different ways of viewing the same thing, right? It's understandable that Anakin would do all those horrible things, right? I mean, just look at the way the Jedi treated him.
Not so fast.
The moral framework of the "Star Wars" universe is predicated on good and evil being separate, identifiable entities.
There is a light and dark side to the Force. Episodes IV-VI show us quite clearly that the Jedi really are on the side of good while Darth Vader and the Emperor are are in the service of real evil.
While "Revenge of the Sith" does help us understand Anakin's motivations for turning to the dark side, it does nothing to absolve him of his sins. In fact, it goes out of its way to rebuke the moral relativism that aided his descent into darkness.
In the final duel, there's this telling exchange:
OBI-WAN: Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil.At this point, Obi-Wan realizes that further argument is futile. Anakin's mind has been so twisted that to him, good and evil is just a matter of opinion. As a true Jedi master, Obi-Wan knows that this is false, that it does matter whose side you are on, and that a galaxy ruled by Sith is a very different place from one guided by Jedi.
ANAKIN: From the Jedi point of view! From my point of view, the Jedi are evil.
OBI-WAN: Well, then you are lost!
Although Obi-Wan does utter the line about absolutes being only the provenance of the Sith, it is really those dark side disciples who make such pernicious use of moral relativism and he said/she said approaches to the Force.
PALPATINE: Anakin, if one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic, narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader, you must embrace a larger view of the Force. Be careful of the Jedi, Anakin. They fear you. In time they will destroy you. Let me train you.And if there's any doubt remaining about who are the good and bad guys, you just have to reflect on the original trilogy for two seconds.
In those, the split between good/evil, Jedi/Empire, Luke/Vader is stark and, yes, absolute. Luke, Leia and Yoda are the uncontested heroes while Vader and the Emperor represent total evil.
Vader's ultimate redemption comes from killing the man he so eagerly defended to Obi-Wan decades earlier on the slopes of the erupting volcano.
Of course Anakin was wrong, despite the slights he suffered, despite his crummy childhood.
Of course the Jedi are right, despite their secretive ways and their suspicious attitudes.
Of course there are such things as good and evil.
(Thanks to someone named SuperShadow for posting a full script of the movie here)
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