Posted on 06/17/2002 6:52:21 AM PDT by Grig
I was inspired to think some more about Episode 2: Attack of the Clones by "The Case for the Empire," which makes the case that the Empire, not the Rebels, are really the good guys in the Star Wars saga.
While not making any judgment on that premise, after a second viewing (yes I am a TOTAL geek -- I saw AOTC TWICE on its opening weekend), I have decided that I was wrong in claiming that that the Republic is the Weimar Republic (though the bit about the Chancellor assuming dictatorial powers was a strong hint).
Instead, I believe that the Republic is the American Republic, circa 1860.
Emperor Palpatine is Abraham Lincoln. The Secessionist Rebels are.. well, secessionist rebels.
Shocking, isn't it?
It's a world where Senators and Representatives grant "emergency power" to the executive branch, which the executive branch promises to return to the Senators and Representatives as soon as the current crisis is over. (But, of course, the executive never does return that power.)
And the executive, with his newly granted emergency powers, creates a "Grand Army of the Republic" -- precisely the same title Lincoln gave his army.
It is a world in which the new executive pushes aside the old because he has been "ineffective in dealing with the secessionist crisis" -- precisely the same complaint Lincoln made about his predecessor, Buchanan.
The Jedi, like the American graduates of West Point, are split. Some push the rebellion and secession (whose members suggest that their secession might be construed as treason), and others push the Republican Union.
Anakin Skywalker engages in a brutal massacre of Tuskan Raiders and Jawas ("Sand People" who nomadic lives and teepee-like dwellings suggest American Indians, particularly of the Southwest), whom he describes, in language reminiscent of George Armstrong Custer, as "animals." And like Custer, Anakin slaughters not only the men, but also the women and children.
But is Anakin Custer? Or is he Grant to Palpatine's Lincoln -- the utterly ruthless right-hand man whose brutality makes him essential to any attempt to put down the rebellion? And does that make his mentor, Obi-Wan, who we know will oppose Palpatine and Anakin -- Robert E. Lee?
And is it any accident that the Clone Wars are precipitated at the beginning by trade disputes like those that tore apart the industrial North and the serene, agricultural (Naboo-like) South? Is Senator Amidala really Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, who protests the depredations of the Trade Federation only to be ignored by the Senate, and whose daughter is the ultimate leader of the Rebellion?
If so, and if we are meant to take seriously Lucas' portrayal of the rebels as the good guys, and the Imperialist Republic as the bad guys -- does that make George Lucas Johnny Reb?
And what is the "dark side" of The Force? Is it the desire for centralization and mechanization -- the "force" that turns Skywalker into Vader, and turns the peaceful Republic into the violent Empire?
And is it coincidence that Count Dooku -- the man who gave Jengo Fett his orders -- is known also as "Tyrannus" -- the same name Booth gave to Lincoln after he fatally shot the president, by shouting form the stage of the Ford theater "Sic Semper Tyrannus?"
Oh, and then there is the issue of slavery. The Jedi representatives of the Republic seemingly have no interest in ending it -- but it is the catalyst that drives Anakin Skywalker -- and ultimately, it will be he whose anger (over his mother's slavery, among other things) propels the Republic -- the Empire -- to victory over the secessionist rebels at the close of the Clone Wars.
By the time of Episode 4 slavery is (mostly) gone. The Republic, which is seemingly responsible for this change of events, has been swept aside by the corrupt Empire.
Is Lucas saying that that good was incidental as the primary actors -- Palpatine and his cronies -- acted only for selfish aggrandizement and greed for power and in the interests of commercial disputes?
And is the evil battled against in Episodes 4-6 the evil of a Leviathan (modern) state?
Is Vader evil? Is Palpatine? Or are they merely corrupted by absolute power?
Is Luke Skywalker, the man from the desert, descended from the avatars of Lincoln and Grant, Ronald Reagan, from the desert of Los Angeles? Is Luke's struggle against a too-large, unresponsive government with oppressive taxation Reagan's struggle?
And what does this mean?
Yoda ---> Dooku / Tyrannus
Dooku ---> Qui-Gon Jinn
Qui-Gon ---> Obi-Wan
Obi-Wan ---> Anakin/ Darth
Obi-Wan ---> Luke
Yoda ---> Luke
Is Yoda Jefferson? Is Obi-Wan Robert E. Lee? Are they teaching a lesson of state's rights which is ignored by their immediate successors, but is embraced by Luke Reagan?
And, if Palpatine is both Lincoln and the embodiment of the Dark Side, and NOT a Jedi, but someone who decisively rejects the Jedi/Jefferson tradition and who teaches something entirely new and mechanical in place of the spiritualism of the Yoda/Jefferson Force -- then what is Lucas saying about Lincoln?
Was that noise Yoda made really the rebel yell?
So obvious that the producers of the dreadful Excalibur went to extraordinary lengths to telegraph the similarities when that stinker hit the screen. If they could get it, anybody could.
--Boris
What the heck it was a great movie- I really liked it. And the art direction and costumes of Natalie Portman were stunning - really enjoyable on their own level. But if she was trying so hard not to seduce Anakin, why did she wear less and less clothes every scene? The last one her breasts practically popped out of.
After some thought, I have determined the following...
Whatever you choose, you have WAY too much time on your hands.
- You make too much money and have too much time on your hands;
- You are a loser who can't get a date have and too much time on your hands; or,
- You still live at home sucking off of your parent's teat and have too much time on your hands
Luke Sywalker = Dorothy
Obi Wan = The Wizard
Darth = A flying monkey
Palantine = The Wicked Witch
That Gold Robot (whatzisname=the Tin Woodman"
R2D2= The Scarecrow or Toto, not sure which yet
Hans Solo=The Cowardly Lion
Jabba the Hut= the mean apple throwing trees
[[pffffffftt]] ... "Ahhhh... Far out, dude. And Obi Wan Kenobe is John Wilkes Booth while the Wookie is President Grant."
At the end when the evil Jedi is landing on the planet, did anyone else notice what looked to be the New York skyline with the twin towers in place. It appeared for about 5 seconds.
Is that old news?
Ok! Now you have done it! Damn it!
[Nudge] Alright, for the last time, let's see all the photos of Miss Portman and you will realize that this is not true. But, in order to settle this debate that MUST rage on, it is imperative that we be objective and look at the photographic evidence.
As much as we might hate to do so, it is absolutely necessary to view these pics. If her breasts are popping out or she is in skin tight outfits, then we must endure. But, as FREEPERs, we will make it through together...that's what is important.
</false shock> LOL!
Much to learn for you young Jedi you have.
The right thing to do Sen. Amidala knows. Seduced by the dark side - not by Anakin's clumsy words - she was. Allow herself to be swept away by the dark side she did. Allow herself to be used by the dark side to then seduce young Anakin she has. Much fear I sense in her. Seduce by the power she was.
Somehow, the Emporer tricks Anakin into turning on the Jedi. My guess is that he convinces Anakin that the Jedi are responsible for Amidala's death. I believe her death will involve Anakin heeding Obi Wan's advice to "continue with the mission" like he did in Episode II when she fell from the shuttle but survived. This time, she ain't so lucky.
Anakin then proceeds to help wipe out the Jedi. All with the exception of Mace Windu who is beheaded by Boba Fett, just as Windu did to Fett's father in Episode II.
Anakin then discovers that he was tricked by the emporer and that he is really the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. The two then have the now cliched light sabre duel (what else?). During the fight, Darth Sidious' arm gets severed to reveal a mechanical arm. Just like Anakin and Luke. Anakin then is horrified to discover that Sidious is really his father and he invites Anakin to rule the galaxy with him as father and son. And unlike when Vader makes the same offer to Luke in The Empire Strikes Back and is rejected, Anakin accepts and completes his surrender to the Dark Side.
The surviving Jedi (Obi Wan and Yoda) at some point prior to this realize that Anakin's children must be spirited away so they can not be turned to the dark side. I suspect that they fake their deaths somehow. Leia of course is placed with the Royal Family and Luke is brought to Tatooine to live with Anakin's half brother ("They're good people. You'll be safe here" he tells Amidala in Episode II).
The final scene of the movie will be a shot of the Skywalker farm on Tatooine from afar where you'll see a young Luke Skywalker playing outside. The camera will pan back to reveal that we are watching the scene thru the eyes of Obi Wan Kenobi from a distant plateau. And thats how it will all end. With the slight hope for the fate of the rebellion in the form of this young boy, under the watchful eye of the last of the Jedi.
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