I dislike how the prequals were "close" but bad. They could have been great with subtle edits. Again the new trilogies, although posessing a very curret sense of humour and marvel formula, as well as adding technobabble that has no place in star wars, terrible terrible writing, it actually has, or had the potential to be really thought provoking. It should have focussed more on how luke had come to the conclusion that the grey side is the best side… The duality of human nature has been observed and commented on for centuries, and like the internal conflict of a single human it is reflected in a large society too. Collectivivist, Individualist. both the light and dark dip their toes into these concepts. Nietzsche much?
Polarity in the universe only serves to divide and perpetuate war and conflict. It’s synonymous with the attitudes of today, with people on the liberal side of the political spectrum meaning well, but also being idealistic about human nature, and totalitarians being pessimistic about human nature and usually for reasons they see as justified trying to control things with an iron fist. It has the potential to actually comment on this light and dark demonization and expose the middle way as a viable path, through Rey and Kylo. Anakin, and Kylo for example (And I think Finn should too being a stormtrooper) begin to think that the republic is inneficient, decentralized, bureaucratic, easily manipulated and corrupt, and that the purest form of government is 1 rule. Luke, and Rey being peasants from batshit nowhere has yet to form any political oppinion, but it’s blatantly obvious from their interactions with the empire/first order that it’s evil, fascist, totalitarian and with extremist views.
I want to see them both distance themselves from the first order and resistance. Kylo is already be going down that path, wanting to wipe the galaxy clean of both the idealistic foundation of a republic that gives rise to tyranny, and the birth right claimed by tyrants that often fosters rebellion and the formation of republic. Most importantly destroy the jedi, let them come to an end. Something Luke wants too as they, like people are easily driven by their emotions and convictions and command so much power that they are dangerous and should not be honed by anyone. let chaos rain until balance is achieved, like a cleansing forest fire, doing more good for a forest than harm in the long run, like a nature parallel. Kylo and Rey should go full apathy.
We ourselves are probably in the midst of one of these natural cycles. Rome was a kingdom. Tarqinius Superbus was removed from power and the republic was formed, It too fell, and gave rise to an Empire, lead by Julius Caesar. Ultimately his empire died. France was a Kingdom, Louis XVI was removed from power, and the republic was formed. That republic then gave rise to an Empire, lead by Napoleon Bonaparte. Ultimately his empire died. Those auras, and the strength of the leaders, as well as the faith the people put in them decay. The leaders turn to Tyranny. Rebellion begins, in some cases succeeding. In those cases power is awarded to the people. Before long oligarchy grips us, and the system is manipulated for the gain of the few. In some cases we demonize the republic for this, and embrace tyranny again, by giving too much power to a populist who re-writes the laws that govern us. All the while the gap between right and left grows wider and wider, leading to more and more refined and extreme positions that build to maximum incompatibility. if one side grows stronger, the repercussions and backlash from the other side will be huge.
I’m not saying star was should spell it out for us, but could do a better job at exploring the topic subtly. The jedi hoard their teachings and are super stuffy and suppress their emotions from birth, the dark side are ambitious and indulge emotions and ego too much, they leave their compassion behind and embrace efficient ruthless sociopathy. Neither way is good or at least viable for human beings. it’s like sexual repression leading to you becomming a sex addict. BALANCE is the way. it doesn’t work with jedi, adult jedi who aren’t priorly brainwashed try to become zen and abandon ego and emotions, but it’s not viable for them to continue to exist and suppress their nature, they either become apathetic cowards, or lean towards the dark side when something they care about is threatened. They thought anakin would bring balance to the force, and to some degree he did… by killing of all the jedi appart from two. Their idea of balance is favouring the light. It’s back and forth, the dark and the light, a natural cycle. It continues. As always it’s open to interpretation, a hardcore light-sider will always want the good guys to win and maybe it’ll go over their heads, and since most of the audience is children they probably don’t get to think about it that deeply. The Eureka moment I mean, of… Huh… this happened before didn’t it? in the prequels… Waaaaait this is a vicious cycle of swinging between the light and dark that only results in more death, and all is as it should be? Can the pendulum be settled in an equilibrium or is this our destiny? Is the world-view that Luke and eventually Kylo share only ammount to Apathy? I think Luke gets it. The perpetual wars and the swinging between collectivism, idealism, both dark and light, are only there because the jedi and sith refuse to let go of their power.
Honestly I think those guys in a galaxy far far away are just doomed. Here in the real world at least, we can at least fathom a way to find a balance between our ying and yang, our selflessness and selfishness, our good, our evil, our collectivism, our individualism, our apollonian and our dionysian. Thankfully, we are cut off from the force. But maybe… maybe that means there is no method of population control in our own galaxy.
Maybe the force was constructed to regulate life and ensure war and desolation. keep everything in balance.
