flametitan said:
NeverarGreat said:
flametitan said:
NeverarGreat said:
Loved the trailer, basically confirms that Luke is abandoning the Jedi for a balance.
Not sure how I feel about that. I actually really disliked how Legends started to take “balance” literally, and that the Jedi and Sith were merely philosophical differences, rather than how the Dark side was a tumour on the Force originally.
There’s no denying that the ‘Light’ side of the Force has issues as well, which is why it was only by recognizing the Dark Side that Luke was able to prevail in Jedi. The Jedi’s prohibition against some emotions and the dogma that they are impossible to overcome once indulged in was shown absolutely to be false. I for one appreciate the new direction this is taking.
But the Jedi Dogmatism was supposed to represent corruption in the Jedi (If we are to believe Lucas, who has had issues representing what he actually meant in the Prequels). The default state of the Jedi was supposed to be much more benevolent, but at some point they literally forgot their connection to the Force to use it as little more than a tool. Using the RotS novelization as a reference, Obi-Wan points out how the Jedi council in ages past didn’t bicker, but rather let the Force guide them to an answer, hinting that the Jedi lost their way.
In Jedi, that sequence was anything but Luke prevailing by channelling the darkness. If you look beyond Luke kicking Vader’s ass, the set up is that Luke lost control of himself because of Vader’s words getting to him; the music turns ominous, representing Luke going against what he stood for; and finally, when the fight ends, Luke is absolutely horrified at what he did. It wasn’t a triumph by finding “balance” between light and dark, it’s despair as our hero verges on becoming the monster he fought.
I guess this scene could mean something different for everyone. What I got from it was that Luke had previously been afraid of the Dark Side, of fear and anger themselves, due to Yoda’s teaching. Yet when he snaps and uses his anger to overcome Vader, he is working through the pent-up emotion and destroying the false serenity of his Jedi facade. Yet since he doesn’t suppress the Light Side of the Force, he isn’t consumed with the Dark Side but allows it to eventually pass out of him. When he regains his composure he recognizes how the Dark Side was able to corrupt Vader with hopelessness and fear, anger at his weakness, etc. Luke has no fear of fear itself, no further anger at his use of anger, and is truly at peace in the moment that he tosses away his lightsaber.
Again, that’s just my opinion of the scene. It’s certainly possible to read this as Luke conforming entirely to Jedi doctrine, but since he had already started down the dark path and was able to return, one of Yoda’s teachings at least was proven to be false.
