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Post #1092269

Author
canofhumdingers
Parent topic
Episode VIII : The Last Jedi - Discussion * SPOILER THREAD *
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1092269/action/topic#1092269
Date created
23-Jul-2017, 9:08 PM

I don’t wish to get into a long debate, I write the following just because I want to clarify my earlier statement and hopefully eliminate possible confusion.

For the sake of the example, let’s just assume that Anakin survived the end of RotJ for a minute so that this can be more easily applied to Anakin Skywalker or Ben Solo.

I’ve no doubt that either character would, or should be held accountable in a court of law. And they would likely be punished quite harshly. But judicial process and punishment, in this case, is an entirely different and separate thing than the forgiveness or redemption of which I refer (and I thought other posters referred to as well).

Personal forgiveness is all about the person(s) wronged by or in some other way affected by the bad choices made by Anakin or Ben. Personal forgiveness is about an individual coming to terms with the previous bad actions/choices made by Anakin/Ben and choosing to not hold it against them going forward. This forgiveness thus opens the door to things like Luke possibly getting to have a meaningful relationship with his father, or Leia a renewed relationship with her son. It can also allow things like surviving victims the ability to cope and move forward with their lives without the unbearable burden of suffering, resentment, or hate.

Spiritual redemption (which is CLEARLY what Lucas had in mind for Anakin) is all about a change of heart which results in a change in action. Anakin’s killing the emperor was NOT his act of redemption, it was a physical work that was a RESULT of his repentant heart. No amount of good works can “cancel out” the bad things these characters have done. It’s about them forsaking evil and the dark side, and embracing the light. And yes their actions going forward will reflect that change and likely directly oppose the types of actions they took before the change. But the actions themselves are not, and do not create, the redemption. That is a direct result of a change of heart from evil to good.

For all his faults, anakin’s spiritual redemption is one thing George got absolutely right (in spite of pushback it seems) and I would HATE to see that screwed with in the sequels. Anakin’s ghost should not be conflicted because he changed in his heart and turned away from the dark side forever in that moment.