I agree with SOME of what you say ShoppingMaul. Not really on Luke but I like your points about how RotJ treats the Dark side of the force. I hate the idea that losing your temper and being angry is what makes you permanently turn to the dark side. To me, the dark side is a immoral use of power that is tempting to someone who wishes to abuse such power. It actually seemed like a constant moral challenge. But just because you resist giving into anger, you’re safe from the dark side???
Where in ROTJ is it stated that losing your temper makes you permanently turn to the dark side? I’d argue it shows the opposite - as Vader turns back.
The only thing that would seem to qualify is when Ben mentions that Anakin “ceased to be,” but even then there’s nothing said that contradicts what you talk about, not one choice but many. What makes Luke’s resistance powerful is that “once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” There’ nothing in the film to indicate he’s safe from temptation forever, only that he faced this one challenge and came out like a true Jedi. There isn’t anything in the film that suggests there won’t be further challenges (except whatever implications you take from a fairy tale happy ending).
Gotta disagree with much of the rest of what ShoppingMaul said too. What makes Luke’s victory so powerful is that it technically wasn’t a traditional battle victory, but a victory enabled through reaching the heart and mind of Vader - which is much more the Jedi way. Luke was the last hope for the Jedi yes, but for the galaxy too, in the sense that the Jedi are the spirtual and ethical soul of the galaxy. Also, yes aggression is not the Jedi way, but fighting isn’t not necessarily the Jedi way (it depends on where you’re coming from).
How is Luke’s victory powerful? If Luke had simply died on the DS alongside Vader and Palpatine it wouldn’t have made a shred of difference. All Luke achieved was Vader’s redemption. Do you think anyone who had suffered at the hands of Vader and his Empire this past 20 years would have been praising Luke for giving Vader a last-minute spiritual pardon?
Why would anyone want a new Jedi Order post-RoTJ? Given the history with Palpatine and Vader, and given the fact that Jedi supposedly turn evil at the drop of a hat, wouldn’t it be better to forget the whole Jedi scene and let Leia form a just and secular government free from the potential threat of Midichlorian-rich egomaniacs?