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Star Wars III: What Makes a Hero Go Bad?
By John Gould

As the Star Wars series finally comes to a close, what lessons can we learn from its story line and characters?

eginning with the initial offering of the saga of Star Wars in 1977, we watched with fascination as Luke Skywalker battled the evil Darth Vader. In many ways the six episodes were as suspenseful as an old-time serial melodrama. If you're an older person, you may recall the ones they showed, 10 minutes at a time, in the local movie theater. They kept us on the edge of our seats, and we came back to the theater over and over again until we saw the end of the series.

Throughout history, people have loved epic stories with heroes. Some conquered dragons and saved maidens from sure death. Others fought the invading enemies; and even if their own lives were lost, they saved the lives of many others. Some followed complex paths of one demanding task after another, until the authorities were satisfied that the hero was really a prince in disguise, and gave him a crown.

What happens, then, when such a hero turns bad? That is the underlying theme and question behind the Star Wars saga.

To the cynic, Star Wars is either a massive effort to make money in the name of entertainment or it is a gigantic retelling of a heroic epic based on the continual struggle between good and evil.

You make the choice!

The six-part epic is based on a simple premise: We are responsible for the choices we make. Almost all literature has a theme of choosing between good and evil. This probably goes back to our original parents, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. When they ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge (Genesis 3), they accepted both good and evil into their lives.

Anakin Skywalker was born to a woman of lowly status, who supposedly had never had sexual relations with a man. As a child, he gains knowledge and skills far beyond his own contemporaries, and is recognized as having the potential to "bring balance to the Force." In other words, he is perceived as a "hero" but, as yet, an untrained one.

There is a moral to the story of Anakin Skywalker: "The choices we make define our destiny."
As he reaches the stage of young manhood, he is tempted to use his powers in a situation, that is above the law, thus becoming a law-breaker, all as a result of his anger at the death of his mother. In seeking justice, he oversteps the bounds of social responsibility, and turns to vengeance. The act is an irreversible one, in which he eventually turns away from the path of truth (including the path of protecting the weak from evil) to a life of focusing on gain and self.

In the Bible, Judas Iscariot faced a similar crisis. Judas was chosen by Jesus to become one of His closest companions. He participated in the early evangelistic tours -- God's miracles and healing went with them, and even demons were subject to their commands. He was even treasurer of the group, but the power of such responsibility turned his heart; he became a thief and eventually betrayed Jesus.

Star Wars IV follows a new hero, Luke, the son of Anakin, from a humble beginning to learning the ways of truth and the difference between right and wrong. He is the hero that his father could have been. He sticks with obedience to law and a commitment to restore right behavior in the universe. He then becomes a Jedi knight, and a champion who fights against the evil that seduced his father.

In the end, there is a battle, a contest of the will between Luke and what his father had become. It is a struggle, and there is temptation. He can either die or turn over to a lust for power, control and selfishness. This is what George Lucas has termed the "dark side of the Force."

There is a moral to the story of Anakin Skywalker: "The choices we make define our destiny." It is equally true regarding our human potential. God created mankind with free moral agency. He instructed the first man and woman to follow His ways and laws or face death. And today He presents us with the same choice. If we will submit to Him, and follow His plan for success, we will eventually become like God.

Behind this story, we realize Anakin was strongly influenced by his mentors. Both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had strong streaks of independence! We see this same streak of independence repeats itself -- a resistance to listen to the advice of friends or to the wise opinions of the Jedi Council. Eventually, Anakin decides to allow the dark side, which is in reality his own selfishness, into his life.

This process bears a strong resemblance to what turned Lucifer from a beautiful angel of light into the devil, a process that was revealed when he decided, "I will be[come] like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:14).

At the end of episode VI, Luke gains the self-control needed to become and remain a successful Jedi knight. He seems destined to become a leader of a new dynasty, a family of rulers that will serve for the greater good of all life.

It is much like the promise that God made to humanity in Revelation 19 There is a hero, Jesus the Messiah, riding in from outer space (heaven) to fight against evil and restoring good to all humanity. He then leads us toward a wonderful world tomorrow.

Recommended reading

For information on how to stick to the light side of God's real plan for you, read our free booklets and .

Copyright 2005 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved.


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