Revenge of the Sith
Jun. 11th, 2005 11:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jedibuttercupSaw Star Wars III again tonight, with Meadhbha and her husband. I have to say, it improves on second viewing. I still had several serious issues with Lucas' dialogue and characterization, not to mention people fighting on the ground on Kashyyyk, but I already knew they were coming and could sort of squint around them and enjoy everything else.
I felt a little sorrier for Anakin this time, as he really was caught between a rock and a hard place, but not enough to forgive him for killing the younglings. It's a good thing he died in ROTJ because the New Republic would have (rightly) crucified him in a trial if they got their hands on him, Light Side or no, and what would that have done to Luke and Leia? Especially Luke.
I noticed this time that after claiming to be weakened and in need of Anakin's help, Palpatine proves himself to be no such thing; Mace Windu did, in fact, beat him in the lightsaber battle but once the old man turned on the Force electricity he was doomed. That moment where Palpatine let up on it was a lure to Anakin, who sho'nuff turned around and cut off Mace's hand. As soon as that happened, Palpatine says something like - "I have infinite power!" - and electrifies Mace again. So I really don't get the forming cult of Windu, who seem to think he was a better Jedi than Yoda or Obi-Wan. Sure, he kicks ass with a 'saber, but the 'saber was never the Emperor's strongest weapon anyway (remember the Original Trilogy).
Speaking of Jedi who are good with 'sabers, WTF was up with clonetroopers taking down 99% of the Jedi with just a few shots? Especially given the scene where Yoda and Obi-Wan by themselves wipe out all the 'troopers at the temple, or the various Obi-Wan vs. droid scenes? My fanwank on this issue is that a very few Master-padawan chains make a point of taking on those initiates with the strongest skills and training them very hard in 'saber (in addition to everything else), whilst the rest of them barely learn enough to defend themselves from pirates in a pinch and concentrate on being diplomats. Because otherwise? Makes no sense. Yoda -> Dooku -> Qui-Gon -> Obi-Wan -> Anakin, and then Mace (whose heritage I don't know) all kicked ass with 'sabers, but the rest of them went down with barely a whimper.
Loved that Greivous referred to Obi-Wan as "The Negotiator". Nice title, that. Going to have to read all the prequel books at some point to find out where it comes from.
I also noticed, this time through, the part where Yoda says to Obi-Wan, "Use your feelings. Lead you to him, they will." After guiding the Order for 800+ years, during which the Code absolutely forbid attachments and taught that to use one's feelings was to set foot on a path leading to the Dark Side, he suddenly changes his mind? Explains a few things about the Original Trilogy and the EU books afterward, actually. Perhaps he realized that it was in part the detachment of the Jedi from normal emotions and from the populace that had led them to become so arrogant, and so easily blinded by the Sith; he never says a word to Luke twenty years later about marriage being forbidden, or anything along those lines. The new Jedi Order that Luke founds is chock-full of people with attachments. Some of them do fall to the Dark, yes, including at one point Luke himself, but it is those very attachments that usually lead them back to the Light.
Not to mention the fact that Obi-Wan was clearly attached to Anakin, but never apparently managed to break through his hard-earned Jedi facade to convey that fact in so many words until Anakin was lying in pieces in front of him after a heart-breaking 'saber battle. A little more affection in Anakin's life might have given him reason to turn to his former Master for help rather than the Sith when he began dreaming of Padme's death. Yoda - who treated the boy with mistrust from the beginning, along with most of the rest of the Council - and the Jedi Code have a lot to answer for in Anakin's fall. At least as much as Obi-Wan does, if not more. Obi-Wan was the best example Anakin could have hoped for as a mentor, except in that one area - he was not taught to express love to anyone.
Personally, I think the guideline should be something along the lines of, attachments are permitted, even encouraged -- a Jedi should act out of love, not absence of emotion, lest detachment alienate them from the very people they serve, and how does one love the multitude without having some idea of what love is on a personal level? -- but you must be prepared for the possibility of losing them at any time. You cannot allow that loss to fill you with Dark emotions; you must be able to move on and still perform your duty.
*yawn* I had more points to make, but it's late, and I'm tired. Good night.
I felt a little sorrier for Anakin this time, as he really was caught between a rock and a hard place, but not enough to forgive him for killing the younglings. It's a good thing he died in ROTJ because the New Republic would have (rightly) crucified him in a trial if they got their hands on him, Light Side or no, and what would that have done to Luke and Leia? Especially Luke.
I noticed this time that after claiming to be weakened and in need of Anakin's help, Palpatine proves himself to be no such thing; Mace Windu did, in fact, beat him in the lightsaber battle but once the old man turned on the Force electricity he was doomed. That moment where Palpatine let up on it was a lure to Anakin, who sho'nuff turned around and cut off Mace's hand. As soon as that happened, Palpatine says something like - "I have infinite power!" - and electrifies Mace again. So I really don't get the forming cult of Windu, who seem to think he was a better Jedi than Yoda or Obi-Wan. Sure, he kicks ass with a 'saber, but the 'saber was never the Emperor's strongest weapon anyway (remember the Original Trilogy).
Speaking of Jedi who are good with 'sabers, WTF was up with clonetroopers taking down 99% of the Jedi with just a few shots? Especially given the scene where Yoda and Obi-Wan by themselves wipe out all the 'troopers at the temple, or the various Obi-Wan vs. droid scenes? My fanwank on this issue is that a very few Master-padawan chains make a point of taking on those initiates with the strongest skills and training them very hard in 'saber (in addition to everything else), whilst the rest of them barely learn enough to defend themselves from pirates in a pinch and concentrate on being diplomats. Because otherwise? Makes no sense. Yoda -> Dooku -> Qui-Gon -> Obi-Wan -> Anakin, and then Mace (whose heritage I don't know) all kicked ass with 'sabers, but the rest of them went down with barely a whimper.
Loved that Greivous referred to Obi-Wan as "The Negotiator". Nice title, that. Going to have to read all the prequel books at some point to find out where it comes from.
I also noticed, this time through, the part where Yoda says to Obi-Wan, "Use your feelings. Lead you to him, they will." After guiding the Order for 800+ years, during which the Code absolutely forbid attachments and taught that to use one's feelings was to set foot on a path leading to the Dark Side, he suddenly changes his mind? Explains a few things about the Original Trilogy and the EU books afterward, actually. Perhaps he realized that it was in part the detachment of the Jedi from normal emotions and from the populace that had led them to become so arrogant, and so easily blinded by the Sith; he never says a word to Luke twenty years later about marriage being forbidden, or anything along those lines. The new Jedi Order that Luke founds is chock-full of people with attachments. Some of them do fall to the Dark, yes, including at one point Luke himself, but it is those very attachments that usually lead them back to the Light.
Not to mention the fact that Obi-Wan was clearly attached to Anakin, but never apparently managed to break through his hard-earned Jedi facade to convey that fact in so many words until Anakin was lying in pieces in front of him after a heart-breaking 'saber battle. A little more affection in Anakin's life might have given him reason to turn to his former Master for help rather than the Sith when he began dreaming of Padme's death. Yoda - who treated the boy with mistrust from the beginning, along with most of the rest of the Council - and the Jedi Code have a lot to answer for in Anakin's fall. At least as much as Obi-Wan does, if not more. Obi-Wan was the best example Anakin could have hoped for as a mentor, except in that one area - he was not taught to express love to anyone.
Personally, I think the guideline should be something along the lines of, attachments are permitted, even encouraged -- a Jedi should act out of love, not absence of emotion, lest detachment alienate them from the very people they serve, and how does one love the multitude without having some idea of what love is on a personal level? -- but you must be prepared for the possibility of losing them at any time. You cannot allow that loss to fill you with Dark emotions; you must be able to move on and still perform your duty.
*yawn* I had more points to make, but it's late, and I'm tired. Good night.
