Star Wars Hermeneutics
I watched 'Jedi' the other day and had a kind of "ahah" moment. I had a kind of capernican revolution that I will subject to further criticism. When Luke is before the Emperor watching the rebel fleet get ambushed, he is being taunted and encouraged to pick up his light saber and strike down the emperor. This act of "anger" (as the Emperor describes it) will be his path to the darkside. Being provoked more and more, Luke reaches for his lightsaber and attempts to strike down the Emperor - only he is stopped by Darth Vador blocking the strike with his sith-colored red lightsaber. Here is where my thoughts pondered, Was Vador's action an attempt to protect the emperor from Luke....OR....was it an attempt to protect Luke from the Emperor? Was he protecting his master from being destroyed or his son from joining the dark side?
I have some reasons that could seem to go either way, but I pose the question to be discussed.
posted by Alex @ 11:44 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
I'm hoping my brother jumps in on this one... He is a star wars fanatic.
I'm gonna ponder that one for awhile today...don't want to rush my answer....might even see what John Calvin says and then write my answer
Never thought about this before, very interesting. I've always thought Vador was with the Emperor till the end. But I'd like to think Star Wars theology is much deeper than my own instincts.
- Chris
Alex,
Wow. Never considered that either. Always assumed that Vader was protecting Palpatine, but you might be on to something. I'm going to have to think about that one some more.
How much of a genius is George Lucas. We are debating a 25 year old movie, and this is interesting. I like the suggestion that Vador is protecting Luke, it makes sense with his act of throwing the emperor down that hole.
- Ben
glad to know that this is interesting. I posed the thought to get some feedback on which view might actually be right. We need some answers here....
Westminster Theological Seminary...what a institution, what an education. No RTS student (myself included) could have raised such an intriquing question.
I say it was a moment of weakness for his son (so I'm in the protection from Emperor camp). I think the fight between Luke and Vader shows he still was very much in the dark side, but not totally a part of it (as his protection of Luke shows and the moment at the end when he realizes his mistake).
I hope RTS students can spell hermeneutics, though.
J/K Alex!
I think its a slow progression of change. And at that moment he changes to protecting his son. Wow, I see it in a whole new light
I agree Brian, i think Vador's 'morph' to the good side was throughout the scene. I think there is real irony in the Emperor's sensing of "conflict" going on in Luke, when actually the "conflict" is in vador. Maybe the real power in the scene is the Emperor's misunderstanding of where the conflict is.
I am pretty sure that Brian can spell hermanutics. I am also pretty sure that i can not spell hermunutics. I am also pretty sure that ben and sammy are in that boat with me. hermenutics? Hermaneutics? Nope, can't do it.
Remember Vader's conversation with Luke in ESB. We all know that Vader wanted to make a power grab for the throne, but it was essential that Luke turn to the dark side to overthrow Palpatine. Luke refuses, and in the process of the RTJ fight Vader realizes that Luke has become more powerful than himself. But Vader, defeated, watches his son adhere to the light side of the Force and bear the brunt of Palpatine's lightning. Vader realizes that it is impossible to overthrow the Emperor with evil, and that the only way of defeating Palpatine was to join Luke in resisting the emperor for the good.
What do I make of the saber-cross? I think Vader was still interested in protecting Palpatine. Vader was still 1-0 to Luke in dueling, and probably saw the Emperor as the key to turning Luke to the Dark. Remember that Vader keeps trying to turn Luke over the course of the duel, and almost completes the conversion when he brings up Leia, and Luke loses control. Vader is so cemented in the dark side at this point that he could not imagine any other avenue of rebellion.
Palpatine didn't raise a finger when Luke moved to strike. I'd suggest that this is because Palpatine foresaw Luke's attack, and Vader's defense. The shock on his face when Vader turns to the light side reveals the one thing the Emperor hadn't expected.
The RTJ fight isn't about Luke's ascension to Jedi-status, or the Alliance's final defeat of the Emperor, but about Vader's conversion. Vader values power more than anything else, but despite Vader's dark ability, the Emperor still remains on his rotating throne. It's only when Luke surrenders that Vader realizes the power of the powerless and the true might of the Light Side.
- Pope
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