Right. Or have someone like Qui-Gon comment more on his problems with the Order. We know he is a little bit of a rebel, Obi-Wan says as much when he mentions it.
OBI-WAN : Master, you could be sitting on the Council by now if you would just follow the code. They will not go along with you this time.
But not a lot of time is spent on these issues.
It makes me think of Pop Culture Detective’s video on the flaws of the Jedi Order. It’s a great analysis, but the ironic thing to me is that PCD seems to believe these issues were unintentional on Lucas’ part. I’m more of the belief that these flaws were intentional, although sometimes it is hard to tell when you listen to Lucas’ interviews (correct me if I’m wrong). I also think their flaws not being discussed in the text more directly made it unclear to fans if Lucas had any self-awareness when he wrote the Jedi this way.
This seems to be one of the reasons fans seem to be enjoying the High Republic content that we’re now getting. We get to see the Jedi at their best, and a functioning Republic that actually gets shit done. So if you read those books, we see how the Republic and the Order began to decay from within by the time we get to the Prequels.
Talking about the issues with the Jedi Order has always been fun for me, since it’s flaws have become pretty integral to the conversation. It does make me wish TROS had made a clearer statement on the future of the Jedi. Rey reaffirms the necessity of the Jedi, but never indicates whether or not she will make the same mistakes as the past Jedi did. Despite its flaws, that was one reason I liked the DOTF script.
TROS Rey:
REY: (softly) Be with me. Be with me. Be with me. (opens her eyes) They’re not with me. Ugh.
LEIA: Rey. Be patient.
REY: (sighs) I’m starting to think it isn’t impossible… to hear the voices of the Jedi who came before.
DOTF Rey:
REY: ‘Balance.’ Dark suffocates the light. Light extinguishes the dark. Over and over. How is that balance?
LUKE: I know that anger. I had it. My father had it too.
REY: So says my master. And his master before him. A thousand masters, so eager to tell us how to live.
Pretty stark contrast. While it isn’t perfect, I at least can appreciate the effort to comment on the Jedi’s problems and how they need to change. But I think I would’ve had Luke play a more active role in teaching Rey on how the new Jedi need to change.
But regarding Obi-Wan’s line, I think it should be kept as-is. If you’re going with the line change for ESB so Obi says, “There you will find Yoda, a Jedi master who instructed me”, then the line “Was I any different when you taught me” is still valid. I recall someone shortening it to “Was I any different” but it creates this awkward pause. You could possibly make it “Was I any different when my master taught me”, but again, I just don’t think it is necessary.