How Liberty Dies: The Politics of Star Wars

"So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause." So goes the infamous line from Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the culmination of a long, complicated, and very controversial political story built up throughout the Star Wars prequel trilogy. In their day, the prequel films, and especially their politics, were the subject of much ridicule and criticism. However, as more time has passed and the prequels become more and more relevant, the time has come to take a look at the politics and themes of these films and their accompanying show, The Clone Wars. Indeed, the time has come to ask the fateful question: how does liberty die?
0:00 Intro
2:37 Part I: A Republic in Decay
16:26 Part II: A Galaxy Divided
30:01 Part III: The Beginning of the End
52:02 Part IV: Twilight of the Republic
1:09:53 Conclusion: How Liberty Dies
1:15:43 Outro & Credits
Patreon: / arkentheamerikan
Twitter: / arkenelamerikan
Discord: / discord
A special thanks goes to ArTorr and So Uncivilized for influencing and inspiring this video as much as they did:
ArTorr: / @artorrpresents
So Uncivilized: / @souncivilized414
An excellent article I found on the same subject, which I would strongly recommend:
ccesnews.org/opinion/2021/01/...
Music Track List: pastebin.com/xrNYHj9U
Thank you all for watching!
#StarWars #Prequels #CloneWars #TheCloneWars #PrequelTrilogy #TheBadBatch #VideoEssay #Palpatine #Lucasfilm

[@ojisankusai]

The most fantastical thing about Star Wars is that they had a democracy that lasted 1000 years.

[@LegioXXI]

To be fair, its "just" a democratic galactic union, the local governments can still be every type they want (see Naboo being a monarchy).

[@pokegod99]

@@LegioXXI Do you see a thousand year old United Nations which is what the Republic is for the most part. Shit peacekeeping force(Jedi) World Bank(Banking Clans) International Trade Regulations( Trade Union) and a forum for disputes. I don't see the U.N. lasting that long.

[@vhfgamer]

Yeah. Ours hasn't even lasted 300 years yet and already emperor biden is destroying it.

[@oppdropper1312]

@@vhfgamer Yeah bro, one sleepy guy is entirely responsible for a system he practically has no control over while overlooking the house and the senate. I'd say stay in school, but I bet whatever bumfuck state education you got tells you the south never lost and the civil rights movement did everything oppressed people wanted.

[@vhfgamer]

@@oppdropper1312 Nope. The south definitely lost. The Republican party of Lincoln saw to that. In 2024 we're going to stop your attempts to undo the civil rights movement by throwing your party of the confederacy out into the cold, including your queen piglosi and king beijing biden. Now go snort some cheese out of a carpet like hunter biden.

[@memoryfoam2285]

As Admiral Adama said, 'there's a reason you keep the police and the military separate. The police is meant to serve and protect the people, and the military is meant to defend against the enemies of the state. When the military becomes both, the enemies of the state tend to become the people.'

[@brethilnen]

Oh I like that quote

[@dickiewongtk]

I thought the police IS an armed apparatus of the state?

[@memoryfoam2285]

@Wong Tik Ki it is, and in reality the police are often responsible for horrific brutality against the people.

[@pixoljef7830]

@@memoryfoam2285 no they aren't, a few cases don't make police as a whole bad. stop with this left bs about police, a society cannot function without a form of police idk why yall are so illogical

[@memoryfoam2285]

@Pixol Jef some form of police is required yes, but not the current form. Last year there were 11 days when a cop didn't kill someone in America. And a good chunk of those people were innocent. It is statistically NOT just a few bad ones, the institution itself is corrupt and designed to be so.

[@Scriabinfan593]

I can’t believe people actually complained about the politics of Star Wars. It’s literally the best part of the entire franchise.

[@wait_in_gold_ON_SPOTIFY]

Because most for it is in done in very dry, boring scenes of people walking down hallways talking

[@Fenrir214]

TBH, there are people who just don't care about politics, or even if they do they have such as set in stone mindstate of what is right that they do not even attempt to understand it if it is different.

[@necrosteel5013]

When they say politics, they meant propaganda more than anything. It's not about even being overt It's about lacking nuances.

[@grandevirtude9830]

I agree, it's the best part and it's like watching a fantastical version of an historic documentary.

[@blueray222]

It's easy for your typical viewer to see a flaw in the execution of an idea, and interpret that as the idea itself being undeserving, which is very case in point for the pushback against "politics" in Star Wars being unwanted after the Prequel trilogy.

[@kyro-jaxxsonofkosmos23]

The genius of Palpatine, is not that he created the fall of the old repubic, but that he took advantge of it.

[@alexkhaid]

honestly, that sums it up really well

[@wingedbluj1674]

The dominoes were already set up... he just knocked them over

[@eren-jz5kd]

Just like hitler..

[@davids8127]

I cannot unsee now how much Yoda was responsible for this. As the oldest master he has a big part of allowing the Jedi order's demise. Windu and Qui gon has their instincts in the right place but yoda just constantly making passive decisions which supports the success of the Sith.

[@alexkhaid]

@@davids8127 The thing is that Yoda became used to peace, his entire long life the Republic was at peace. And when all hell broke loose he didn't know what to do and fled to his cave of solitude.

[@rainershea3880]

I once talked to a hardcore Star Wars nerd, and he went on a whole rant about how Jar Jar is responsible for the downfall of the Republic. He was right.

[@BonaparteBardithion]

I'd like to see a breakdown of that. Disregarding Sith Lord theories, what we have is someone well-intended but ill-informed. An everyman caught between the speeches of their friends and the propaganda mill of the same side that suddenly was entrusted to make an enormous decision. You can make a lot of parallels about his role past the first film.

[@reubenmanzo2054]

The Republic was already on a downwards trend. Jar Jar's action simply twisted the knife that was already in its back.

[@Salsmachev]

It's only true in the most facile sense. The Republic was brought down by Liberal naïveté in the face of fascism. Jar Jar represents a kind of childish innocence/ignorance that is also present in the Jedi (peacekeeping philosophers who have become police and generals), Padmé (a progressive politician who has no real solution to the bad faith tactics of fascists), the clones (who believe war is something noble), and probably others.

[@Qardo]

Really. I dislike people who seem to always throw Jar Jar under the bus. When he was manipulated into his actions and though Palpatine was his friend. Palpatine still the mastermind for the downfall of the Republic. Along with so many in the Senate also aided in this downfall. Jar Jar was just a pawn. Yet people still think he is the soul person to blame.

[@Sez___]

People underestimate just how bad of a position he was in. Padme was kinda thrown to the side because of assassination attempts. We was the rep from naboo. The now supreme chancellor was from his planet and is saying it would be courageous for someone to suggest the emergency powers. He tries helping padme and his planet and everyone but Shiv made it so he would be alone and forced into that position. Let's not forget though, everyone else supported it. That is a bigger problem... Now we have an unelected governor of New York grant herself emergency powers also pulling for authoritarian leaning ideas. We are so much closer to this than people think

[@44xtallyikmusic97]

"Democracies aren't overthrown, they're given away" - George Lucas.

[@michaelstark8720]

@@TheConservativeCrusader Do you have some brain malfunction? If military makes a coup, it can only stay in power if peoples don't do anything. if peoples are willing to fight, then it all depends how firm they are against military coup

[@vindicare9636]

@@michaelstark8720 Also depends how far the milllitary is willing to go in a coup

[@leiflech2513]

This video really makes me think about the downfall of the Weimar Repulic

[@cashwat210]

“Two weeks to flatten to curve” “We’re all in this together” 18 months later…

[@robertsimpson8292]

I think Iran and lot of Latin American countries would like to say something to that sentiment

[@Arowrath]

I've been thinking a lot lately about Anakin and Padme's conversation in AOTC where Anakin basically says "the system doesn't work. Someone should make the politicians work for the people" and how dangerously close that sounds to the way most of my friends talk about politics.

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

I didn't really pay it any attention when rewatching AOTC for this video, but it really caught my eye a while after I uploaded this. It really is just Anakin saying outright that he wants a dictator. That's not foreshadowing, that's just a straight up confession.

[@Arowrath]

​@@ArkenTheAmerikan Right? His worldview is flawed from the start, we just don't realize it because he's operating within the bounds of the Jedi at first.

[@brandonbonas2761]

​​​@@Arowrath i wouldn't say flawed more like tragic. The system has failed so badly that ppl no longer believe in the republic and think a dictator will solve the problem. If Democracy fails it isn't surprising that ppl turn to authoritarianism.

[@Aaronblkgt]

To just think this is happening in real life is scary bc it is

[@AJ0223]

Based

[@officernealy]

This video 2 year later is still a masterpiece. It makes me wish for an epilogue of sorts because seeing how the "thunderous applause" dies down and the Empire gradually gives up the facade of a "safe and securer society" as shown in The Bad Batch, Rebels, & Andor is fascinating. Palpatine's coup de grâce to the Clone army, the tools he so callously used, to replace them with stormtroopers is particularly diabolical.

[@moisescortes4899]

I love the way that is portrayed in the books as well, for example in the book of "Leia princess of Alderaan" Leia shows evidence of the empire actually doing illegal stuff, (since usually they hide behind their new laws and technically never do anything illegal), to Mon Mothma for her to present to the senate, and she explains to Leia how by that point everyone already knows that the empire is cruel and sometimes even evil but they just can't do anything about it because they dedicated so much of their time to the empire and now it has so many resources and power that they don't see a point in fighting it, and the worst part is that later in the book of "Inferno Squad" the empire imprisoned all of the former senators after the destruction of the death star and interrogated them to see if they were connected to the rebellion, the ones that were found to be allies of the rebellion were killed in the comic Star Wars Annual (2015), pretty cool how consistant the storyline of the empire slowly not caring for their image anymore is throughout the saga, going from making people want to be a part of the new empire, to people being afraid of not being a part of the empire. btw english is not my first language so sorry for any mistakes

[@officernealy]

@@moisescortes4899 I understood you perfectly and you've made me curious about checking these stories out. :)

[@theseekerofancienttruth3873]

It was Even Worse in Legends. Just look up the Dark Trooper Program... it was an Early Warning for the Horrors of "Operation Shadow Hand," and the Abominations unleashed from the Alchemy Labs on Byss.

[@SkidMan_Jurej]

​@@moisescortes4899"going from making people want to be part of the new empire to making people afraid of not being part of the empire" So basically "if you're not with us, you're against us"

[@macgyver42563]

@SkidMan_Jurej If you are not *with* me, then you are my enemy!

[@jacobj297]

Man Darth Maul screaming “we’re all going to die- you don’t know what you’re doing.” Chills. What a character and character development.

[@O1OO1O1]

Especially when you learn where he came from.

[@hastekulvaati9681]

“What a character and character development…” He shows up, is mean and dies. Shakespeare eat your heart out.

[@jacobj297]

@@hastekulvaati9681 It’s kind of like a cosmic gumbo.

[@1lamafarmer]

​@@hastekulvaati9681 Is this a joke/reference I don't get? Cause if not, it's got to be the most egregiously abrupt summation of a narrative character arc I think I've ever encountered.

[@spartanwar1185]

It definitely made it easier to accept that this dude miraculously cheated death twice and came back from utter madness Poor dude had me rooting for him since he crawled out of his state of madness and sought to build himself a better future He worked for, suffered for and deserved a happier ending than what he got

[@onlycorndog6322]

Palpatine's manipulation was so masterful that, by the time Order 66 came down, he barely had to lie at all. Practically everything he said in his senate speech was entirely true and I think that's one of the most tragic parts of the story.

[@samwilsoncaptainamerica233]

I think the most tragic part is that the Separatist were right. The fact that the Jedi order and Republic had become so corrupt they didn't realize they were the very evil they were meant to destroy was tragic.

[@Molten-Throne]

@@samwilsoncaptainamerica233 right in some ways, wrong in others of course. Wish it could have been shown better in the movies but I agree with you. The cis should have been a little more sympathetic, because you’re right, they had some very valid points and critiques of the republic and it’s corruption. But they also were in no way perfect, believing in freedom to oppress, to enslave, to enact violence on those weaker then themselves, and the belief that might is right. But your point does have validity

[@vampman87]

A point worth mentioning is that Mace Windu considered that the Jedi flat-out overthrow Palpatine and take control of the Senate themselves. Yoda was horrified at the idea and talked him down into attempting to simply expose and arrest Sheeve, but it seemed like Mace was SUPER CLOSE to actually doing his original idea if Anakin hadn't intervened and allowed Palpatine to kill him. If Mace had succeeded in killing Palpatine, basically the Jedi would've turned into the monsters that Palpatine claimed they were.

[@generalalduin9548]

Ironically the Seperatists fought for the same evil.

[@talltroll7092]

@@vampman87 Arguably, Mace was right. The Senate had degenerated to a state where it is questionable if it could be reformed; it needed to be destroyed, and something better put in its' place. whether the Jedi could actually have achieved that is a bit open to question, though

[@reiiigns]

could you imagine the philosophical and political masterpieces we could have gotten for ep 7-9 if George Lucas was still in charge of Star Wars

[@jakob8940]

He wouldnt make the sequels at all. Episode 6 was the perfect ending

[@shimoarikiku7791]

I can’t imagine.. they would’ve been too good to imagine.

[@rickblaine9670]

@@jakob8940Yeah. From the way I understood it, there were periods when he seriously considered the idea, then he simply realized RotJ was the perfect ending, so he let it go.

[@alexwildner6369]

It would of been interesting to see the flip of episodes 7-9 from the story told in 4-6. Instead of an Empire that controls absolutely and loses, a Republic that must either control absolutely or be harsh enough so that they dont lose control otherwise doing "the right thing" would make them collapse anyway. Basically how the start of a Republic/Democracy can be just as bloody or terrible as the dictatorship that predated it, if they want to continue to survive, and explore what rights and cultural norms have to be sacrificed or kept around to keep their government from going under.

[@boringblaziken8122]

George is 2-2 in terms of directing, I don't think he is the messiah you make him out to be.

[@b.p.emma.]

watching this video has singlehandedly turned me into a starwars fan. i was gripped from start to finish and watching the scene where palpatine smiles and screams “POWER” while killing windu genuinely frightened me. im shocked thank you so much

[@solo_edits1984]

Welcome to the family!

[@KyleEvra]

Welcome fellow Fan. 😊❤

[@S1mpSlayer]

Windu was probably even more shocked than you were

[@derekhollars8985]

UNLIMITED POWEEEEEEERRRRRRRR

[@bigyoshi5170]

Mace Windu was also…shocked! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[@officialFredDurstfanclub]

I really like how Lucas depicted the rise of the Empire. Not through some big coup or Revolution but through years of meticulous planning, political meddling and strategy, all from the inside

[@samschiller3813]

You’ve found the biggest divider between the Star Wars prequels and the Roman transition. The people that pushed the Roman Republic into the empire were not all-knowing foxes in a cabal, but individuals who believed they were the only ones who could save the republic. The only one who was a true mastermind was Octavian Augustus but it’s unfair to juxtapose him and Palpatine

[@KaiHung-wv3ul]

@@samschiller3813 Papatine was the combination of all the greatest politicians in the Late Rome Republic, with Caesar's populism, Cicero's ability to control the senate, and Octavian's political acumen.

[@savagetv6460]

​@@samschiller3813 the star wars republic isn't meant to be an allegory to one specific republic, it's basically meant to be all of them in some way or another. The Roman republic collapsed thanks to a century of poor handling of the class divide

[@samschiller3813]

@@savagetv6460 But it arose as the empire with a prestige that no one in those days would dare threaten. In truth, the Roman state wouldnt'y really be threatened until the 200's

[@samschiller3813]

@@KaiHung-wv3ul Idk though the historical tradition treats each of those men as tragic in one way or another. Cicero's naive idealism, Caesar Julius' faith in his personality cult, or Octavian Augustus' willingness to trust his spouse

[@carbodude5414]

If Palpatine has taught us anything is that people can't be forced into surrendering their liberty but they can sure as hell be persuaded into giving it up bit by bit if their safety is at stake

[@wordforger]

Yep. All you need is a "them" to fight. Then you can ask all you want "in the name of defending our way of life." If a "them" can't be found, all you have to do is manufacture one.

[@wordforger]

Yep. All you need is a "them" to fight. Then you can ask all you want "in the name of defending our way of life." If a "them" can't be found, all you have to do is manufacture one.

[@rodgerthat6287]

@@wordforgervery true

[@georgewillow112]

Yep, this is also how blacks got enslaved in the USA and became a huge slave force driving the country's economy. Bit by bit, the whites took away their rights and freedom until they had nothing left.

[@MLife1000]

💯

[@andyb1653]

The scene between Anakin and Ashoka when the latter is leaving the Order might be the only time in my life that a cartoon brought a tear to my eye. What a f*cking fantastic TV show. They really don't make 'em like they used to. When Anakin says "I understand wanting to leave walk away", you **feel** it. Then, having been primed by that, Ashoka's "....I know" is a goddamn gutpunch. On top of it all, when viewed in retrospect, you realize how much this moment contributed to Anakin's ultimate fall... MAN it's powerful stuff.

[@scottb3034]

Except it didn't. The show told something not at all evident in Episode III and that's its big issue. It tries to make an impact and mean something but ultimately none of it does because it was made after the movie and the movie made no considerations for a show. That's why Ahsoka is meaningless, Maul returning is meaningless, the various Mandalore arcs, etc. They play no part and mean nothing to the narrative of the films, any attempt to reconcile the films and show is just a futile endeavor in your head. Anakin was so in love with being a Jedi and wanting to be a Jedi that he did everything in his power to remain one until he couldn't anymore and he believed resolutely in their cause until he had to dilute himself the drown the pain....aka nothing at all like his conversation to ahsoka.

[@dennischristopher9952]

​@@scottb3034starwarz2wokeforyou?

[@Undeadhorrer]

You are very incorrect. @@scottb3034

[@scottb3034]

@@Undeadhorrer Explain otherwise your comment was pointless. The show did what it could to fit around the movie, made zero impact and had no meaning to the film. as for anakin wanting to be a Jedi... it was apparent in his words and actions. He only stopped because he chose padme and decided he was irredeemable.

[@EbonyManta]

@@scottb3034 So basically, if a film doesn't explicitly reference tie-in material that doesn't exist yet, the tie-in material is worthless? That's the only point I can see in your comment, and without explanation it doesn't really make sense. I'm surprised you even watched the prequels in the first place if that's how you feel about additional material.

[@Mildcat743]

Tarkin in the Clone Wars was the thing that, as a kid, finally mare me realize that the Republic was doomed, because who we see on screen in Clone Wars is exactly the same as the man we saw in A New Hope. He's not a young idealistic officer who was broken by the war, he's already a cold, calculating man who puts his victory over all else.

[@therealspeedwagon1451]

He was that way since he was a child. If you read the comics, you’ll know that Tarkin was basically forced to fend for himself by his parents at a young age; thrown off into the forests and grasslands of his homeworld to fight for survival. That baptism by beasts turned him into the brutal, calculating, and Darwinistic man we know him as. To him, whoever can’t defend themselves is not a real person and only deserves to be beaten into line and kept there by fear. He is a cold, hard, calculating utilitarian and the wielder of the Empire’s instruments of policing. He was the man who orchestrated the entire Tarkin Doctrine under which the Death Star and Imperial Star Destroyers were built with. The whole alpha and omega of his ideology was “fear will keep them in line, fear of this battle station.” he believed his battle station was impenetrable and unstoppable, and his hubris would cost him his life.

[@thatpitter]

"The reason people hated prequel politics is how much they resemble the politics of the real world." It's scary just how accurate that statement is.

[@markstuart9545]

I think it made them uncomfortable more than they didn’t like it. I think that was a carry on emotion.

[@reubenmorris487]

You mean our entertainment is a mere analog of real life??!!

[@davefoss3316]

The Empire, - Controlling the Media & Big Tech, Censored all speech against the Empire, treated other people like second citizens, had no moral compass or ethics, cheated to rig elections, using it's military against it's own people...... Yeah, I think I know which American political party they represent.

[@DaftPunkSkittle]

@@davefoss3316 oh and The Republicans clapping along pointlessly (to Emperor Trump or otherwise he'll send a mob against them and threatening their reelection ) alienating your own ppl due to where their parents came from or what race they are, Latinos (the innocent Separatists) scapegoating said race (the innocent Separatists) denying/omitting factual information like global warming and vaccines against Corona Virus (Like the corrupt senate under Sidious control and the corrupt Jedi order) oh yes I see the Republicans

[@carloscruzhuanca239]

@@DaftPunkSkittle you and the other guy don't see the wider picture, both parties are the two heads of the same monster, the monster wants people tearing apart each other, so no one will challenge him

[@matthewy2j]

Interestingly enough, in the ROTS novelization, Mace and the Jedi go to arrest Palpatine on charges for being a Sith. Not for being a war criminal, a traitor, or a dictator. Palpatine ironically retorts that being a Sith was not illegal under Republic law (in which he is technically correct), and that he is protected by the freedom of religion laws. Meaning the Jedi even bungled Palpatine's arrest since he uses this recording as evidence that they wanted to arrest him based on religious persecution. "You're a Sith Lord!" "Am I? Even if true, that's hardly a crime. My philosophical outlook is a personal matter. In fact-the last time I read the Constitution, anyway-we have very strict laws against this type of persecution. So I ask you again: what is my alleged crime?"

[@Cyberium]

That's a false logic from Palpatine, but a convincing one. Being a Nazi is a political outlook, but during WW2 it would mean the person is unconditionally charged as a criminal, even if today's law would not automatically condemn him. Being a Sith is no more a "philosophical outlook" than Nazi being merely a political outlook when either holds the pinnacle of power within a (supposedly) democratic world, especially since Dooku (a Sith separatist) is related to Palpatine, Jedi/Republic can still arrest Palpatine for investigation base on that tie alone, since "Always two there are". Yes, people can be arrested base on suspicious criminal activity.

[@luke-alex]

@@Cyberium People can be arrested for all sorts of (sometimes spurious) reasons; it all depends on what arrest powers the people doing the arresting actually have been given in law. Being a Nazi is-in the context of WW2-membership of the NSDAP, so a lot more than just a political outlook (legally speaking). There were plenty of people in allied countries with politics pretty similar to the Nazis, but they would only be at risk of arrest if they were Nazi sympathizers in the sense of having some allegiance to the NSDAP or the Nazi German state.

[@Cyberium]

@@luke-alex My point exactly. Palpatine's claim of "philosophical" innocence was moot because the Republic was fighting the separatists at the time, a movement founded by a known Sith, him also being a Sith as the leader of Republic warrants enough threat, therefore could be arrested for that relationship alone.

[@PeevedLatias]

@@Cyberium While that's true, you could make the argument that the CIS was not fighting under ideals of the Sith "religion" and that Dooku just *happened* to be a Sith, much like Palpatine. For instance, if America went to war with the UK, you would not say that it's suspect that the leader of the UK is of the same religion as the leader of the USA.

[@matthewy2j]

@@PeevedLatias It also doesn't help, as per Knights of the Old Republic 2, we understand from dialogue that the average person doesn't understand the philisophical difference between Jedi and Sith. Which is why they refer to the events of Knights of the Old Republic 1 as the "Jedi Civil War". They think Sith are just "Evil Jedi".

[@rickblaine9670]

I love how the conclusion of the saga doesn’t explicitly show us the Republic being reinstated and perfected without the flaws that brought to its fall. Because, well, in order to do that, Lucas would have had to solve the problem of the perfect society. Something that really couldn’t be asked of him, since humanity itself as a whole hasn’t yet solved that problem. But Lucas did give us a hint, one that echoes the words of many great philosophers before him: in order for society to be good and to work well, it has to be made and brought forward by good PEOPLE. In order to defeat the evil within the systems that we create, we must first defeat the evil within ourselves. And politicians should guide us towards that goal. In fact, the ideal politician, as Plato once stated, is the one whose main job is precisely not to administer the state, but *to make his citizens into better human beings,* so that society can be better as a consequence. Notice how Palpatine is the exact opposite of that, since, as a spiritual corrupter first and foremost, his main goal is to make anyone he meets into a worse person than he/she was before.

[@austen98]

I like the direction they were going with the politics of the new republic in the years ABY. You can see the complicated machinations that intertwine themselves after a takeover of that magnitude. You can't just supplant everyone with new people who walk a different way and it shows. Even if the leadership positions are filled with former rebellion high rankers and the normal rank and file that came before with their agendas intact, you see the intricate politics being played just like in the old republic and the empire before that. The sequels never really covered any of that and it would've added a needed side story that most Star Wars movies had in various capacities. Although I agree with your take on the ideal politician, the sad thing is that most get into it for their own gains and agendas, whether it be personal or on behalf of other interest groups. Very few do it for the old adage of "being of service" to others and fewer still make a difference, if at all, to the citizenry they purport to represent and serve. Take former British PM Boris Johnson. He started his career as a columnist at a British paper and only became a politician in the later half of his career. He is now mired in political controversies during his time as PM and recently resigned from Parliament. By far the biggest accusation being levelled at him is his agenda regarding the Brexit referendum. He used to be a good man but politics turned him.

[@rickblaine9670]

@@austen98 Yes. Fittingly, another point that the aforementioned Plato made is that no ideal can truly come to be in the world as we know it. We do have to try and get as close to perfection as we can, but to fully complete such a task is impossible. Ideas and their “copies” in the material world simply belong in two different realities. Still though, we can surely do better than we are right now, even if the real world is all we have to work on😅

[@pancakes8670]

His idea for a Sequel Trilogy would have been about the New Republic struggling to build itself. Destroying a Democracy is one thing, building one is another story. However the through line would have been that the Rebel Alliance believed in its cause and were committed to making it work. There was at the very least hope that the citizens of the Galaxy deserved better and could do better. I think it's rather inspiring that while we don't have all the answers yet, people will always try to build what is good for each other.

[@alanmercado7725]

This is one of the best videos about Star Wars i've ever seen, makes you understand and realize the weight of politics in prequels and how they actually matter a lot for the story. Thanks for making it :)

[@alexanderrahl7034]

The saddest, and most realistic part about the delegation of 2000, was that line "suggesting? Forgive me, I don't mean to sound like a seperatist." Followed by "we are not separatists! We just want to preserve democracy in the republic." In that moment, they failed to get that the separatists were much like them Palpatine had successfully turned his opposition into boogeymen. Anyone against him, was a separatist.

[@CaptainBones222]

Holy cow, that's so true. I never realized this.

[@jordanread5829]

Even Anakin accuses Padme of 'sounding like a separatist' at some point in Revenge of the Sith.

[@The_True_Mx_Pink]

Which is, interestingly enough, exactly what happened towards marxism.

[@occam7382]

@@The_True_Mx_Pink, I mean, Marxism isn't exactly the best ideology, but damn, if that isn't true.

[@The_True_Mx_Pink]

@@occam7382 Sorry I have ADHD and am a radical marxist, so I ended up rambling quite a bit more than I intended to, but I think I said some real shit anyway so I'm keeping it. It's the best we've discovered so far. Leninism/Stalinism, or in other words, fancy totalitarianistic authoritarianism, the ideology most "marxist" nations use(d), is most definitely wretched and I do agree and recommend that you beat the snot out of the USSR for their political ineptitude. I mean seriously. A huge facet of communism is the removal of classes, which includes the government class. The only reason it should exist would be to further advance socialism, instate anarchism and syndicalism, or deal with a significant enough crisis, to which it would then immediately disband upon accomplishing that goal. Leninism was essentially just, "Hey, what if we keep the government that has no permanent, thoroughly maintained, and relatively untouchable constitutional limitations to prevent evergrowing systemic corruption and social injustice without a goal to guide it, wouldn't that be fun?" and then Stalinism came in later and said, "Hey, what if we took advantage of all that and become fascists, wouldn't that be fun?" and then it collapsed 6 decades later because people didn't like fascists and refused to trade with them, which meant they suffered economically, which lead to desperate peoples, which lead to crippled morality, which lead to even further political corruption, which weakened the power they held, which finally caused them to dissolve. And then we threw capitalism onto them in a few months and then acted surprised when they grew into a fascist plutocratic oligarchy even though that's literally what happened to the US since capitalism is an economic system that requires infinite targets to maintain infinite growth, so when it doesn't have any or can't maintain enough, it has to target inward, which is often seen through the most oppressed peoples such as prisoners, minorities, and the homeless/general poor, as a result of the fact that unmonitored and unfiltered actions would lead the cruelest of the cruel to do cruel things that would allow them to continue growing more ever greater power and facing less and less competition, often seen through the removal of social welfare programs, removal of worker rights, and a lassez-faire economy, inspiring infighting and new ways to remove basic human rights, which inspires a new generation of doomerists within the people they rule over so the 99 workers don't beat the snot out of the 1 who takes over half of the total production. Which is also a big reason why marxism is so despised throughout the world, as it takes the power the 1% maintain through anti-democratic means and distributes it to the people, which would not only destroy their current power, but would also very likely end up destroying all future attempts to regain that power, and it also makes a very good target for capitalism as it continues to evergrow and will continue to grow until all forms of media mentioning marxism stop being public-use. Thank god we don't have state-wide book censoring. Isn't that right, FLORIDA. Jesus Christ, it's a miracle it's taken this long for people to start looking back towards marxism, the steps towards fascism have been being taken for decades and were not concealed whatsoever. I am very tired, but I am very willing to answer any genuine questions in the morning. My final messages before I head off are: Christianity and adjacent are imperialist propaganda, Reaganism is the second worst form of an economy, apathetic objectivism always leads to conservatism, equality cannot exist without equality, the idea that humanity is inherently evil is fascist propaganda, remember that signs of national failure should lead to radicalization rather than despair, and hopelessness is the ultimate goal of fascists aiming to stop the revolution of the proletariat.

[@deinotumiwa7049]

Imagine a 'House of Cards' style series for Star Wars called 'The Senate' with Palpatine as the main character

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

I would pay a lot of money that I probably don't have for that. I have a lot of ideas for Star Wars, but I never thought of that. That would be so fucking awesome.

[@MrGrimjaw]

Their is going be a Palatine series

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

Yeah I brought this up to some friends of mine and a couple of them mentioned the Acolyte series. Very hyped for that now.

[@123GOHANZ]

I’d so watch that

[@starwarfan8342]

Some people equate the two, but I see Palpatine as a better character, and (unironically) an actually better person, or at least a more personally honest person. Palpatine does the things he does because he's a genuine believer in the Dark side of the Force, just as the jedi are believers in the Light. Yes, he's a mendacious, narcissistic sociopath with a God complex who'd kill people for no other reason than that it's fun, but he's a true Sith first. Frank, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have any personal core or true values that he holds deep down. Palpatine does, it's just that those values are horrible. But at least he has them.

[@percyj220]

I believe the reason people hated them *is* because they didn't understand them. Palpatines plan wouldn't have succeeded if people had realized what was going on

[@klausvonfischerundfallbeil1290]

Just like in reality

[@NeonBeeCat]

Project 2025 reminds me a lot of the palpatine story... Yeesh

[@Jessica-wo6px]

That's the point of the whole PT. Everybody's blindness and ignorance to Palpatine's schemes and planning led to this. When people don't speak up and they turn a blind eye when something is wrong, it will turn out to be a disaster and innocents will pay the price.

[@chrismoiser6477]

I think it's a nice touch that Palpatines nameless Twilek advisor/supporter gets gradually more pompous and grand in appearance between the films. It's easy to imagine he sensed where the power lay early on and decided he was going to ride Palpatines coat tails as far as he could.

[@ZKP314]

Mas Amedda Also, I’m pretty sure he’s actually a Torguta (Ashoka’s species)

[@sambridgers9543]

​@@ZKP314It's a Chagrian.

[@kimjiro4591]

I love how the fandom collectively realizes the true value of the prequels years later.

[@janhensel7241]

Well, nowadays there is always a stinkier fish!

[@49er16]

Don't kid yourself the prequels are bad films. It's just that Disney made even worse Star Wars content so fans were looking for a measuring stick to compare the to.

[@melancholymaids3032]

prequels on their own had clunky dialogue awkward characters and a somewhat confusing plot. it takes the additions of the clone wars, rebels, bad batch, and rogue one to make the span from episode 1 to before episode 4 what it is. a lot of exposition, lore and a heaping helping of character development simply couldn’t be fit into the 7ish hours you get from the prequel trilogy (although let’s fair a lot of it didn’t exist at the time). looking back at it all, it is, as maul would say, brilliant

[@donn.4766]

@@49er16 the prequels, however flawed, are still good movies. Its about world building and the prequels did that. A lot of the people who hate the prequels was because it didnt capture the magic like the originals for them because most were kids when it came out. Also, if u look back, the original had some hilariously corny dialogue as well. “But i was going into Toshi station to pick up some power converters!!” 🤦🏻‍♂️ talk about whiney dialogue, luke whined harder than anyone lol

[@keelobrown4991]

The prequels were always good, no matter what a bunch of whiny man babies say.

[@razuer2920]

“Son you need to stop watching Star Wars and learn about something useful like politics” “I am”

[@9krio]

“Its NOT A FAZE MOM!!!”

[@Nero-ox5tw]

It's a nice introduction for kids

[@paulmerritt8593]

Yet people do not see it happening right before their eyes today.

[@nicolaslatorre810]

@@paulmerritt8593 48:19

[@gelipterzg]

@@paulmerritt8593 i doubt a single person in my country is blind to it...

[@appledrawss1353]

i rewatch this video a lot, not only because i really enjoy the politics and the moral greys of star wars pre-disney, but also because it is genuinely really well made

[@nathannguyen2041]

This is my 3rd time watching lol

[@michaeltorres1263]

I don't even know how many times I've seen this now. It's so good.

[@ronandynan1228]

I've been studying Hitlers rise to power recently and I'm not kidding the first thing I thought of when we finished the topic was 'jesus this seems awfully similar to star wars'. George really was a genius

[@yogurt8284]

Watching this made me realize how awfully close the transition of Rome from republic to empire is to StarWars.

[@_Fornad]

Almost as if it was based on it or something

[@truegamer_007]

@@_Fornad Well, it's based on a number of Empires.

[@thatsaboat2882]

In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Roman Empire, for a safe and secure society.

[@carlosmedina1281]

Funnily enough, Augustus maintained the illusion of the Republic during his rule.

[@FlymanMS]

@@carlosmedina1281 he was just a good ruler.

[@wwmandalore]

I've NEVER understood how people could find the politics of Star Wars difficult. I saw Episode 1 when I was 8, and while I didn't understand all of the nuances of what was going on, I did grasp what was going on.

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

Similar story here, my parents showed me Star Wars when I was 5 years old and the basic story always made sense to me. Obviously I had no clue what politics was, but it didn't really bother 5-year old me and it only made me appreciate Star Wars more as I got older.

[@kub5615]

For a very long time in my life I belived that the senate was not a thing on Earth

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

I remember my uncle telling me something or other about the way the legislative system worked back in 2012 or so, I would've been around 8 years old at the time, and I straight up thought it was about Star Wars.

[@wwmandalore]

@@kub5615 sometimes, I wish it wasn't.

[@francois-mariearouet9379]

Those who hate the politics in the prequels are either just looking for a reason to hate something or just too stupid to understand them.

[@drparadox7833]

59:05 Notice Palpatine's fingers twitching. He was ready to draw his lightsaber right there. Amazing Acting by Ian McDiarmid.

[@BennysGamingAttic]

Holy shit I've never noticed that before!

[@Cherrypie626]

The ONE minor thing I would add, is why it was so easy for the public to turn against the Jedi. Little clips in The Clone Wars show how Palpatine would always praise the Jedi, while adding some doubt by saying “I know some you think the Jedi are murderous, BUT!…” in his speeches to the public. Those little digs at the Jedi would put that seed into the minds of the public. The Martinez sisters also showed how the public couldn’t have cared less for the Jedi’s ways and didn’t care for them anyway. That’s why, I think, it was so easy for people to believe that the Jedi DID turn against the republic. That and everything else that was said, how the Jedi got way too involved in the Senate and politics.

[@warlordofbritannia]

I love that kind of stuff where he’s ostensibly praising the Jedi while implicitly and subtlety actually undermining them. It’s such a common, often unconscious way of thinking-when a person is promoted as an exemplary individual of their particular demographic (depending on who’s making the contrast, of course) there’s the implicit impression that the vast majority of said individuals are incapable…say, for example, a woman is adulated in the media for breaking into a male-dominated field. No matter how complimentary the intent, there’s the underlying assumption that this woman is self-evidently exceptional and so the overwhelming majority of women are either incapable or unwilling to achieve the same. What Palpatine does is essentially normalize that impression in the collective mindset of the galaxy, essentially softening up for Order 66 and anti-Jedi propaganda. As that ingenious mind of several generations put it “You may not have noticed; but your brain did”

[@brokensky2378]

I think it's actually the opposite when it comes to involvement though. The Jedi were too far above and too reliant on the favor of the Chancellor, making them vulnerable and unable to engage with politics on the ground. Frankly, a lot of the Jedi can be pretty charismatic when they need to be, and winning the hearts and minds game is important. A few Jedi Senators would have been pretty useful in realizing what Palpatine was doing and slowing him down.

[@Cherrypie626]

@@brokensky2378 I think that would have worked if they were always involved that way. The biggest problem in the Clone Wars era is that they were never involved like that.

[@bekfasttime7001]

Also, for the vast majority of the common folk, they’ve probably never seen a jedi or at least interacted with a Jedi. In a republic of trillions of life forms, there were only 10,000 Jedi. If they had heard of Jedi, they likely knew of them as just this weird radical religious order or “space wizards” of some kind. By the time of the clone wars they might’ve even seen them as the generals and leaders in the war, which aided the belief that they were murderous warriors, not peacekeepers. Many probably couldn’t give less of a shit if they were killed off or not.

[@klooger28]

@@bekfasttime7001 I think the population of the republic must be in the quadrillions, coruscant alone has a population of 3 trillion, and there are tens of thousands of inhabited planets out there minimum, as stated by dooku referring to how many systems might join their cause.

[@alexanderlyons4807]

There is one line, used by two people, in the same movie, both directed at the same person. "He is too dangerous to be kept alive" Palpatine to Anakin before Dooku's death, Mace Windu to Anakin before his own. First a Sith Lord, then a Jedi Master. Perfect parallels. I feel like this line isn't discussed enough as the perfect way to sum up the Jedi and Sith as both sides of the same coin.

[@DerAua]

This explains the way the sequels went.

[@Tahkaullus01]

Honestly I think this gets overanalysed.

[@maxacorn]

it's a pretty telling line. to me, it showed anakin that, despite all the dogma and teachings, the jedi and the sith really aren't that different at all. just another way that the jedi failed anakin.

[@reubenmanzo2054]

After Dooku's death, not before. But otherwise, you're correct.

[@justr6982]

Of course, Windu was right

[@SPIRE_FAN]

This is a masterclass video. Whenever people (including myself) tell others about how The Darth Plagueis Novel and Clone Wars Shows further elaborate and demonstrate the revelation of how well crafted the Prequels were with its politics, this is the exact video I will link now.

[@Sovereign-kh4ng]

This story has one core message that flies over people's head. "NEVER LET PRIVATE COMPANIES HAVE POLITICAL POWER".

[@iainballas]

To this day, Maul's "You're all going to die! You're all going to burn! You don't know what you're doing!" gives me chills when I watch it in a netflix binge. The sheer terror, you can see it in Maul's eyes that he'd rather drop to his death than witness the person he hates above ALL others, his old master, succeed. Maul had a miserable, bitter life. He was a miserable, bitter person, and went utterly insane towards the end. With his attitude and determination, one can only imagine what kind of jedi he'd have made. But there, in those moments, the voice actor really portrayed someone *literally* at the end of their rope.

[@isaiahgeorge906]

Netflix binge? Pretty sure when season 7 first came out, and even before that, the show was removed from netflix and long since put only on Disney+

[@klidthelid8361]

I think the pure terror in his voice is from him knowing exactly where he was going to get send to if captured, straight to palpatine (probably gonna get tortured until he dies, and then revived, and then tortured again)

[@cosmicerror7789]

I also like that at the end of his life Maul seemed almost relieved. Both that he didn't have to fight anymore and that there was someone who might be able to make Palpatine fall.

[@iainballas]

@@isaiahgeorge906 I still use "Netflix" as shorthand for "streaming", even though other services have been around long enough I don't have a good excuse anymore, lol.

[@artofluck3641]

@@isaiahgeorge906 Just go with the main plot don’t get caught up on side quests. I mean that in all aspects of life.

[@thedimers]

“The Jedi Order’s problem is Yoda. No being can wield that kind of power for centuries without becoming complacent at best or corrupt at worst. He has no idea that it’s overtaken him; he no longer sees all the little cumulative evils that the Republic tolerates and fosters, from slavery to endless wars, and he never asks, “Why are we not acting to stop this?” Live alongside corruption for too long, and you no longer notice the stench. The Jedi cannot help the slaves of Tatooine, but they can help the slavemasters.” -- Count Dooku

[@elgusaniiiodeljuego6823]

So what should yoda have done? Take over the senate by force? Yoda played his part. The politicians didn’t.

[@xcjsmith5310]

@@elgusaniiiodeljuego6823 true, but there is always way to counter the corruption. If everyone followed your ideas, then nothing is changed, that is why revolution occurred. For example, French Revolution, if nothing really happen, country like Malaysia, Lebanon and Venezuela will happen. Pure corruption and destruction of a nation in term of economy and social. Revolution by force is always the way

[@DmoneyS44]

@@elgusaniiiodeljuego6823 yoda could have liberated those slaves through force, yes. You can make any excuse you want but if he really wanted to, he had the power to do so. Instead he did not. You tell me whose side the jedi were on over that question

[@husky3g]

At the end of the Clone Wars animated series, Yoda admits this to himself and with wisdom from Force-derived beings from another planet, they teach him how to commune via the Force after death and tell him he is to wait for another Skywalker on Dagobah. He spends the episode facing things he's been mistaken about in his life and it's a really revealing episode. It's possibly the only Star Wars lore that delves into Yoda in a somewhat deep manner.

[@alenasenie6928]

@@DmoneyS44 He could, once, but what about the next generation, and the next one, the only way to truly liberate them and dot be all his life doing nothing but fight slave owners is to help extend the reach of a stable political system, so one by one new planets are added, until the outer rim becomes reachable, the only way to help from the outside is to build a system that will end up helping at some point, it is useless for people now, but it is the way to make real lasting change, he obviously failed, but it is how you can archive maximum benefit, what matters if one slave master is slain and all their slaves liberated, without a strong system in place they just will be replaced by another one, there is this thing, shown in avatar, specifically how season 3 and 4 are connected, an anarchist removes the one in power, leaving a power vacuum and the established order in chaos, then that leaves just one natural consequence, one power even more extreme taking it all for themselves, instead of an apathetic dictator you get one extremist that will kill you, instead of a slave master that doesn't mistreats their slaves you get one that does it, after all, if they fear retaliation they are less likely to seek or accept help. We have seen in our own history how this kind of deals end up, is never good.

[@user-hf8yp6je9j]

no line in star wars sent chills down my spine quite like "you're all going to burn; we are all going to die!" god bless sam witwer

[@lawrencium2626]

for me it was - those credits won't do you any good, without a chai-ai-ain co-o-od-de.

[@therealronniej]

I feel like the creation of the Empire has always been a warning against the rise of fascism. I also think that your observation about Prequel hate being due to our modern day politics is 100% true. This is the best Star Wars video on KZbin. 🙏

[@mikelitten7489]

You’re 100% correct. Just remember, in Star Wars and in real life, the ones accusing others of being fascists are almost always the fascists.

[@6666Imperator]

well the "re-rise" I guess because fascism is much older than the Star Wars movies and you can see a bit of Caesar in Palpatine's power take over as well but I agree this video is great

[@bjornolfactory9363]

What ever name or label you want to put on it. Tyranny is what you should be worried about. Because those who are so quick to accuse others are usually the ones guilty of the very thing they are accusing others for.

[@xantishayde-walker4593]

​@@bjornolfactory9363 I think this coincides with your statement about accusing your enemies of what you do. Hitler apparently had a set of rules he abided by to get control of the general population of Germany during his rise to power. See if this sounds familiar. His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it. Sound familiar? Sounds like the Democrat way to me. The funny thing is, they call their enemies Nazis. Sad really, that so many people buy their drivel.

[@WeDeserveBetterNow]

@@mikelitten7489 Unless a non-fascist correctly points out an actual fascist as being a fascist. In that case, the non-fascist is still a non-fascist, and the fascist is indeed a fascist.

[@Tareltonlives]

Even as a kid, I liked the politics in the prequels as they justified the conflict. I was getting into history at that point in my life, and noticed how much maneuvering and strategy and deception played into the big events in history. The politics explained what what actually going on: why the bad guys attacked, why the Republic didn't do anything, why Sidious was bossing around the bad guys while helping the good guys, why Padme had to abandon her moral stance to save her planet, why the Jedi were marginalized, etc. It was only later than I realized it reflected the inherent flaws of democracy and representative government and the rise of dictators in past and present. They're smart movies, smarter than a lot of people realize.

[@Tareltonlives]

There IS politics in the original trilogy, but it's only in the very first film. There is a Senate, but it's nominal, and the Empire is getting rid of it, and the rebels are fighting the empire to get the Republic back. People are so fixated on Vader stepping in and looking badass they ignore his talk where he explains how to manipulate the Senate, which is preventing unopposed fascism. Politics is why the Death Star exists. Politics is why Rogue One works: there's different rebellions and different factions of villains.

[@toastytoast9800]

if you are interested in history, politics is necessary, otherwise you just get a list of events without context

[@matt1975ification]

L

[@jj_verona]

@@matt1975ification cope harder, nerd

[@SirMatthew]

When I was a kid I didn't catch on to any of it. I was just there for the lasers lmao. Probably why I liked TLJ when I saw it in theaters before realizing it was mediocre at best. I'm glad I watched this video, lest I go another decade without knowing.

[@TheObicobiHD]

Padme is underrated. Some people have yet to realize how important she was, the biggest adversary/foil to Palpatines plan

[@danielepadrini6731]

basically the only one actually

[@Drowsyspace128]

And also pretty much the one that started it

[@lemonade_011]

Yesssss

[@despaceto1152]

Indeed. She was the one to continue softening Anakin's heart to the point of killing Vader and the Emperor.

[@GrasshopperKelly]

Padmeé*

[@MoonlightReaper14]

I have rewatched this so many times yet each rewatch I am still very entertained and pleased to see every detail laid out. Hell, it got me into watching Episodes 1 and 2 again. Just holy shit, Palpatine was playing 5d chess while everyone else was playing outdated checkers. This is what Disney forgot about the series. *The drama* it IS a space Opera after all.

[@LGus-gr9wo]

Been a while, but a even more darker thing I just realized about Fives's death. The Coruscant Guard troopers who were sent to arrest him: their weapons were deliberately set to kill, not stun. Sidious leaves no loose ends, he made sure Fives would not be allowed to slip away a third time.

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

"Let us heed George Lucas's prophetic warning and maybe just maybe should our republic survive, we may all go forth into a bright future" My dude, that was literally the perfect way to end this documentary.

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

At the end of a tale of darkness, there's always gotta be a little light.

[@Sardaukar_]

It's also completely, utterly missing the context of the original movie. It is painful to see someone whose politics supported American imperialism in the 20th century trying to say America was once good.

[@crownedclown49]

Found you and true that

[@olegc.7877]

It is too late. The Republic you know has already been destroyed from the inside. We all are just going through the motions till the shooting starts.

[@zollen123]

We defeated Darth Trump, we won't be so lucky next time.

[@hamizanyunos1502]

One issue that is not emphasized enough in the prequels how much power private corporations have in the Star Wars Universe, it seems that the Galactic Republic has fully allowed private militaries to operate with no limitations or restrictions.

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

I sorta tried to touch on that but yeah, it didn't really fit itself in particularly well.

[@hamizanyunos1502]

@@ArkenTheAmerikan Ok I think it speaks volume to how people focus on Jedi and Sith but neglects the wider political themes of Star Wars especially in relation to war and economic power. Overall this is a great video it is also important to note that in the days before end of Roman Republic, wealth inequality flourished heavily which lead to massive instability and infighting among elite classes that is exploited by Julius Ceasar and later Augustus Ceasar to establish the Roman Empire. We can see this happen especially in Star Wars with the hyper-wealthy Separatists and Galactic Republic both using their massive wealth and resources to bully smaller and independent worlds but other than that are driven to civil war that is exploited by the Sith to seize absolute power.

[@lordofd7111]

At least until they impose upon the sovereignty of member worlds, an entanglement they have to then debate the obvious legality of due to the stalling and manipulations of the corporate lobby trying to cover their own asses. It's fucking crazy, but it's a brilliant bit of worldbuilding.

[@hamizanyunos1502]

@@lordofd7111 Yeah I agree, there has been many sovereignty and legality issues of member worlds being violated or manipulated by corporate lobbies such as the invasion of Naboo by Trade Federation which leads to large debates and discussion within the Galactic Senate about how to deal with the ramifications.

[@kylevolbrecht9255]

Look up the East India company and how many ships, sailors and soldiers they had vs the British army at the height of their power. Now consider that the Republic has *no* army at all. It is totally unsurprising to me that a government (Galactic Republic) without an army essentially delegated all security to the corporate interests themselves. And no surprise either that they tried to rebel. I wouldn't be surprised if the CIS was based on the crown corporations of the colonial era and I would bet that George Lucas has mentioned them as an inspiration in some interview or another.

[@YuriDSC]

When in position of power, never let yourself become complacent. Palpatine didn't bring the Republic to it's knees, they did it themselves, he was only there to capitalize on their downfall. If the rest of the story was to unfold naturally, it would take multiple decades of tyranny, but sooner or later Palpatine or whoever is in power would as well become complacent and followed the same path to self-ensured destruction. While this is an essay on how Liberty dies, the entirety of the first two trilogies is a prime example of the cyclical nature of political regimes.

[@kingorange7739]

Indeed

[@lunavarion]

This truly proves how much of a masterpiece Lucas created. The man is a storycrafting genius. You can't deny this, regardless of what one may argue about execution. Likewise, good sir, this video is a masterpiece. Excellent job! This video is now officially among my favorites.

[@Joe2033]

"Are you going to kill me?" "Yes." *Written and Directed by George Lucas*

[@s0uverains95]

*star wars theme starts playing*

[@charliesteel350]

The political side of Star Wars is too often overlooked and rarely done justice. Thank you for making this incredible video and passionately demonstrating the genius that is the politics of Star Wars.

[@gregbors8364]

Meh. The first two movies (“Episodes 4 and 5”) were good, but even by “Return,” the franchise had become a vehicle to sell toys. There is nothing “deep” about “Star Wars.” That’s why all the political speechifying in the prequels just made them boring.

[@DemonicRemption]

@@gregbors8364 Prior to seeing The Phantom Menace in theaters I was started watching a quaint little anime on Toonami called "Gundam Wing." I blame that series slow pace and political themes for why I enjoy the prequels so much even if the political talks within the galactic senate flew over my head until I was like 14 or so. The way I see it the political aspects of the prequels are gonna seem boring to people who aren't into political dramas.

[@jamestolbert1856]

I always loved Star Wars for the action and characters and worlds but I overlooked the politics. Thank you for this vieso

[@Kmarksman]

The politics in the clone wars show was really hard to stomach as a kid, but once you get older it makes so much more sense on why it was integral to the rest of star wars. We have to thank Dave Filoni for that because no one else could've done it better.

[@christianweibrecht6555]

Imagine being a self serving senator who allowed the republic to decay, choosed to serve the empire, then defected to the new republic

[@kingorange7739]

We don’t have to imagine it. We are seeing it first hand

[@eduardmart1237]

Just a usual politician))

[@bluewhaleking6227]

The Sequels should have been about PRESERVING a republic!

[@Wolfman7870]

Indeed, but the army of ideologically possessed diversity hires and flash in the pan directors that had little love for the universe they're being paid millions to build didn't have the talent and interest to do the story justice. Filoni should've always been in the room.

[@thomasw4422]

I have to wonder - If somehow, a new tv series a few years from now could take on a side story, yet a real story that happens simultaneously, and reintroduces this somehow

[@ivanvikalo4995]

It was actually suppose to be according to Lucas. Guess Disney saw it differently

[@carmineglitch]

It's sad, the Emperor rules with fear now. All the cowards and sheep bend their knees in submission

[@REDDAWNproject]

@@thomasw4422 this is why i was potentially excited for a rangers of the new republic series

[@chaserivera1623]

What’s sad is that if Anakin never made the choice to stop Mace Windu, he would have been promoted to Master for stopping Sidious, Padme would survive and become Chancellor, and the war would end.

[@AndrewBrownK]

bro that's wild

[@brunoventura3]

I always imagine a dangerous consequence if Windu killed Palpatine. The Jedi Council would have made a coup d'etat against the democratically elected Chancellor by killing him and taking control of the Senate, just like Windu talked before with Ki Adi and Yoda. How would the public and the Senate itself react? Would they just accept it? The Jedi's popularity was already at low levels, they would be seen as tyrants, and the Republic could fall into a civil war.

[@Euruzilys]

@@brunoventura3 It seems as if the Republic was really over before the name changed. It was doomed to fail by that point no matter what.

[@Issaacson]

I think the reason for his sudden change was to show how the dark side can take over a Force user or Jedi easily if they really wanted to abuse that power. And with all the the images of him losing Padme he wanted to save her. Although I always felt in the revenge of the Sith it was comical how Anakin turned so quickly in that scene. That part always irked me.

[@Euruzilys]

@@Issaacson Might have worked better in a TV series format. With movie things have to move fast.

[@glamourweaver]

A bit I hated in Force Awakens was the description of the war as this recurring cycle of a struggle between good and evil, when the BEST THING about the prequels was rejecting that narrative, and presenting the war ITSELF as the evil.

[@SSZaris]

This was an absolute masterful video essay. Awesome work. I was hooked the entire time and I'm not even that into Star Wars. Thank you for the time and effort you put in to make this great video.

[@ssudzy3]

The older I get, and the more I understand politics, the more I like the prequels. I feel they’re under appreciated and the politics actually add more explanation and depth than anything, they don’t hinder the story, they add to it. It’s awesome.

[@CHRB-nn6qp]

exactly! i've always found it weird that the prequels were about the rise of the empire from the republic and people were confused that there was an overarching political intrigue plot.

[@ehrenthompson7891]

True, the prequels are good.

[@DevonCosmos]

To our credit, we live at a time where we have more material to go on. Isolated, the prequels are less intuitive than they are with the context clues provided by the Clone Wars. It's arguable that the Clone Wars series saved the prequels' narrative cohesion, or at the very least make the trilogy all the easier to peruse for understanding.

[@gilbatzri]

@@DevonCosmos Well you have what 30-40h of material set between films 2 & 3, it's great retrospectively.

[@bhka6423]

The prequels are basically a fictional explanation for the things that happen in the real world. The clones thought that they were fighting for a good thing but in reality they were just used by someone who is more powerful. Just like in the real world. In clone wars you could also see how corrupt the politicians are. Many of them wanted a war because they benefit from it. The Caminoans wanted to sell more clones because the war gave them money. In the end the senate decided to increase the numbers of the clones. Star Wars, especially the prequels are very deep, but many people don’t see it

[@tillerplayzgames1335]

George Lucas was truly a visionary. The addition of The Imperial March as the camera pans over the clone army, genuinely gives me chills every time. Just knowing what was created in that moment is truly terrifying.

[@michaellassila6614]

I've always liked how perfectly the clones serve as an example of the hypocrisy of the Republic. They are an army of men born to fight and die for people who don't care about them. They have next to no rights, are not paid, cannot leave and can be brainwashed at any time with a code phrase. They are essentially a slave army in service of a nominally anti-slavery democracy.

[@pd28cat]

technically that was john williams

[@Themehsofproduction]

Fascism thats Whats horrifying

[@jacobrog1622]

​@@Themehsofproductionyou're horrifying

[@Themehsofproduction]

@@jacobrog1622 defending nazis hmm??? How typical of people on the internet

[@cheshirecat7957]

Padme’s line: So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause. Man that line hit me when I saw it for the first time. And it still does. EVERY time.😢

[@doodoo5594]

Looking back on The Phantom Menace with the context of how in depth Palpatine's plan was, I think these days the politics is actually one of my favourite parts of that movie, more for the subtext than anything else. The idea that Palpatine and Plagueis orchestrated the attack on Naboo in order to manipulate Padme and use her as a spokeswoman against Chancellor Valorum, so that when he was forced to step down Palpatine could take his place, its just so cool. Which is why it's a shame that people only see Palatine's plan for the Treaty signing part, when in reality that was all just a ruse to make Chancellor Valorum look weak for not helping Naboo.

[@themecha47]

the restrained venom behind "We must let the wheels of the senate... turn..." Is easily one of palpatines best moments

[@alexanderthered5603]

"His evil scheme is he really wants Queen Amidala to sign a paper." Yes, Chris, that's how politics work. That's how dictators rise from democracy. My goodness what an idiotic statement he made.

[@cadenfinch4813]

Who's chris?

[@alexanderthered5603]

@@cadenfinch4813 Chris Stuckmann, thr guy giving that quote.

[@Goldfire345]

@@alexanderthered5603 it's honestly amazing just now much power a simple signature has in this world when it comes to ownership or rights.

[@ForbiddenFollyFollower]

All the dictatorships that formed in the 20th century including the Nazi party were voted in through democracy with Mussolini as the sole exception.

[@hastekulvaati9681]

@@ForbiddenFollyFollower scores of 20th century dictators took power without being voted in through democracy.

[@galactiquechannel2517]

I remember studying a text in philosophy. It said that you could imprison someone, torture him to deprive him from his liberty, but he is still free to think. You can manipulate his soul and he will be deprived from his liberty without even knowing. Exactly what happened in Star Wars

[@undercoverjesus9352]

No babe, not tonight, the youtube algorithm just blessed me with a 1 and a half hour long analyzation of star wars politics.

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

Please give your girlfriend the attention she so clearly needs. My silly video can wait.

[@sambridgers9543]

​@@ArkenTheAmerikanYep. Cuddles first!

[@NoahPurdyFR]

The prequels then are possibly the most ambitious iteration of the Star Wars series

[@cheekloins4126]

Absolutely, and you saw how easily fans hated them. I was a kid when Phantom Menace released and it got me into the franchise so I didn’t have anything prior. Even after watching the original trilogy I always loved the prequels more.

[@iz444]

​@@cheekloins4126same, Revenge of The Sith is the best star wars movie

[@vb_blokeboi7251]

At an hour deep into this video, two things are abundantly clear. Disney Star Wars has lacked the Machiavellian flare, and the music of Star Wars is possibly the most integral element to the success of the entire franchise.

[@DogeickBateman]

The amount of internal backstabbing, manipulations, treachery and intricate alliances in the post-Endor Imperial Remnant alone is more deep and profound than the entire Disney Star Wars trilogy.

[@Mr._Anderpson]

@@DogeickBateman We could always raise the bar a bit. After all, the Star Wars Christmas Special is more deep & profound than the Darth Disney movies.

[@user-nm1lx8qb3u]

@@Mr._Anderpson Darth disney. HAH! I see what you did there.😏👉👉

[@tinobemellow]

Star Wars really wouldn't be the same with different music. Even a soundtrack composed by the likes of Hans Zimmer or Howard Shore would pale in comparison to the gorgeous symphony made by John Williams. If you played the Star Wars soundtrack from end to end, you could almost feel the tone of the story without even watching a single scene. I think you could go back in time to the late 1700s and make an opera based on the story of Star Wars, and the music would fit perfectly without any alteration, and later be commended alongside the compositions of Beethoven and Mozart.

[@MasonMapes]

Well stated.

[@finnland5513]

18:37 when Ashoka mentions that ‘we’re fighting for freedom’ it reminds me of something. In the Christmas Day truce of ww1, 2 officers, from the German and British side respectively met and talked with each other. The British soldier told the German that they were fighting for freedom but the German soldier exclaimed back “but we’re fighting for freedom.” This perfectly sums up the clone wars

[@isaiahgeorge906]

That's war for you. No side in war is truly white or truly black. There's always some murky grey mixed into the horrendous existence that is war. Not just WW1, but the same could be said for WW2, and I always shake my head when some people say the average soldier of Japan or Germany were purely in the wrong, as it shows they don't fully comprehend what caused just those two countries alone to think of another large-scale conflict, as well as the others.

[@markbergin8821]

​@@isaiahgeorge906 hold up, no. Don't compare the clone wars to WW2, the Nazis/Axis were definitely "the bad guys" and the aggressors. Just because soldiers are told they're fighting for freedom doesn't mean they ARE. In hindsight, we know the "right side" won, it's not like both sides had a point here.

[@hellothere1216]

@@markbergin8821 while yes, the "good guys" won WW2, the point brought up was about the average soldiers of the war. The average soldier of WW2 on either side was in no way evil and not representative of the evil of their government, as is the case in most wars

[@Notlilithsbitch]

@@hellothere1216 you’re actually really wrong about that lol, you may want to look into how the National Socialist party of Germany came to power. The Weimar Republic wasn’t some authoritarian country until 1933 it was a Republic

[@nobblkpraetorian5623]

@@markbergin8821 Even WW2 wasn't as black as white as we like to think. Take the Soviet Union for example.

[@siregar0512]

The fives arc is summarized in one quote “ the truth is insanity in a world of lies”

[@nickm2890]

Rest in peace, Fives. You were right. I was just now years old when I realized that when Padme was laid to rest, she appeared to still be pregnant. Holy moly, that's both brilliant and also kind of dark on the part of Organa and Kenobi. My man, 10/10 video. The best Star Wars related video I've ever seen. Truly amazing work.

[@kianvandenberg6364]

It’s common sense, not brilliant

[@nickm2890]

@kianvandenberg6364 To you. Didn't occur to me at all. What value did your comment add beyond trying to bring me down? You feel good now?

[@brettlucas5564]

There is a saying I heard recently about Ceasars civil wars in Rome. It was a contemplative statment about how Ceasar was able to seize so much power. It says "Caesar pushed against the political system of Rome and saw nothing pushing back". I think that sums up how Palpatine was able to seize power. The cracks in the Republic were already there, he just made the final hammer swing.

[@freewyvern707]

Though with Caesar, there was a lot more pushing back. Pompey and the Senate did fight a civil war against him, the Senate did position itself to fight against him in the future (they did this by surrendering power to kept themselves alive as an institute), and the conspirators obviously killed him. Caesar was really just another Sullus. A showcase that the Senate could be bullied by a military dictator, but ultimately both didn't actually convince the senate. In both cases, the Senate remained an obstacle to them, and no amount of Golden Chairs was going to change that for Caesar. And that was why Augustus was different. He wasn't a military man, but a political man. The political loopholes he utilised to destroy the Senate itself, and the veneer of a Senate he left gave him so unrivaled power that the very concept of "Emperor" derives from the title he gave himself.

[@ohnononowhydidi344]

@@freewyvern707 Augustus' title while living is princeps or "first man." It was historians who called him emperor.

[@freewyvern707]

@@ohnononowhydidi344 Augustus title was Augustus, as well as Princeps Civitatis. As well as Imperator. All have primary evidence of how he was named and styled. The former title was what became the primary imperial title, even until the 19th century. And obviously, the title has become synonymous with his name while Emperor. The latter, for clarity, is where the term "Prince" comes from. The title "Caesar" (which was Augustus' adopted name) became utilised for heirs to thr Empire, and is where titles for Emperor like "Kaiser" and "Tsar" derrive from. This term only appeared after the fall of Jullio-Claudiam dynasty however, so is unconnected from Augutus apart from using his name. "Emperor" as a term in English derives from the title "Imperator", which was military title utilised by Roman Emperors (and initially family members) starting with Augustus.

[@ohnononowhydidi344]

@@freewyvern707 very interesting! So Augustus is both his name and his title?

[@DrippyWaffler]

I guess life rhymes too cos that's the same with Trump

[@jamestkirk9165]

You know, even if Palpatine could’ve saved Padme he probably wouldn’t have. She would’ve been too much of a threat to his power.

[@RandoGrunt]

Incidentally Padme did a great deal that would wind up leading to Palpatine's destruction, namely being a critical player in laying the groundwork that would rise to the Rebellion. Even in the CGI show a speech of hers (temporary) delayed Palpatine's plans that even he admitted credit where credit was due and spoke to his vizor how simply the smallest thing could have the biggest ripples.

[@jerm70]

Palpatine took Padme's life force away and gave it to Anakin. Which is why Anakin breathes when Padme dies. The final subversive act. Destroy Anakin entirely.

[@TheArrowedKnee]

@@jerm70 This is just a theory though, don't think this has ever been confirmed by any "authority", George Lucas or Disney.

[@thomasdeguzman1149]

@@jerm70 The thing is, Palpatine probably didn't expect Anakin to lose to Obi-Wan. Best case scenario for Palpatine would have been for Anakin to have won, or at least got out of his fight with Obi-Wan without any injuries, which would have made him the ideal poster boy hero that ended the war that the masses would have looked up to. Instead, he became a cyborg who no one in the public eye knew the real identity of and pretty much came out of no where. And from a combat perspective, Darth Vader pretty much relied on the force to keep him going, but imagine if he was actually physically healthy on top of that with no life support machine to rely on? Luke would have had a much more difficult fight against him.

[@xanderfulton3186]

I’ve never understood that line of reasoning though. Surely Padme was by far the easiest way to control Anakin and by extension vader

[@Trey_816]

I remember Fives was drugged and that caused his mental state to deteriorate the way it did.

[@NostalgiaNetwork]

Correct

[@MMZERO9]

The sad part is that Padmé and her delegation didn’t really understand just how much the Sith had corrupted the Republic. To coin a phrase from one of Liam Neeson’s other characters, they were defending a Republic so corrupt that the Sith have infiltrated every level of its infrastructure. How does one even begin to fix something of that magnitude? I think even Padmé would have had an emotional breakdown at realizing she may be fighting a losing battle.

[@DarthCheese]

I love how Maul knew exactly what was going to happen, yet he couldn't do anything about it. To the Republic, he was just another bad guy that needed to be put down. The same goes for the Separatist Alliance. Yes they were just pawns of a bigger plan, but their ideals can easily be understood. Despite all of the signs pointing to Palpatine being the villain, the Republic dismissed them because they got too arrogant.

[@izzy1356]

Adding onto that last part, it's especially tragic when you realize all the key figures in the Republic who knew something was wrong (Padmè, Fives, Ahsoka, Baress, and Satine) were the ones nobody in the Council really paid attention to besides Anakin and barely Obi-Wan. They not only ignored the obvious signs, they even ignored *verbatim warnings* too.

[@user-xx6vy9ri8p]

Maul could say directly "Yo, chancellor is the Sith lord".

[@PeachCrusher69]

@@user-xx6vy9ri8p and the Jedi would obviously believe the Sith lord who is responsible for the death of probably multiple Jedi. Why would a Sith Lord lie, eh?

[@user-xx6vy9ri8p]

@@PeachCrusher69 Even if you don't believe it, you will check it.

[@PeachCrusher69]

@@user-xx6vy9ri8p or you would realise that Maul is just trying to divert their attention from impending doom if they don't put their maximum in the Clone Wars. The people are suffering, and you are starting to lose faith, why would you not try to delete the root cause, the War, and go focus on some random ass Sith Lord who was supposed to be dead by now. Also, Dooku already did the exact thing you're talking about, and it didn't help at all.

[@ThePlasmicAlchemist]

It's a really cool irony to note that Palpatine lost in Episode VI the same way the Jedi lost in Episode III; he became stagnant and jaded, thinking he could crush the rebellion the same way he destroyed the Jedi. The Rebels evolved when the Empire didn't, and Luke's pure heart proved to everyone that the Jedi can also evolve into good people. ...Well, *almost* everyone. Palpatine looked unconvinced. His loss, I guess.

[@onemoreminute0543]

Exactly what I've thought

[@wayward5219]

Ironic

[@reubenmanzo2054]

Going by nomenclature definitions, they weren't actually a rebellion, so much as a resistance.

[@user-pm5gg6ho9g]

This is honestly the best KZbin video about Star Wars ever. I make it a point to watch it once every year. It’s so amazing that you have a talent for video making.

[@tretrei7967]

The one thing for certain is that this is not an Anakinpiece Because it's a masterpiece

[@ndhickson3599]

😂

[@Man_Aslume]

😂

[@Door227]

You didn’t have to do him like that

[@d3335]

I used Padme’s speech during a class that focused on poverty and the reason why people are often impoverished. My classmates laughed at me, but later on understood why I chose Padme’s speech.

[@preciousotoakhia9789]

Sorry about that dude what happened after

[@d3335]

@@preciousotoakhia9789 nothing. they thought it was silly to use clone wars stuff. I made them realize how wrong they were.

[@preciousotoakhia9789]

@@d3335 that is cool👍

[@darthbigred22]

I mean Padme ain't broke she can pay her more...typical leftist politician. Talk a good game but actually be the cause of authoritarianism

[@knightmare5097]

@@darthbigred22 You clearly didn’t listen to Padme’s speech nor even watch the video

[@dencocreations1701]

You can’t have War, without politics, the prequels are just another look at what goes into War.

[@MikeJones-qn1gz]

That’s the if the big problems with the sequels, there is no motivation for either side other than “we are bad or we are good” even the OG movies (which Disney tried to mimic) there were reasons for the civil war and motivations behind both factions. The empire preached order above all else and safety through security, the rebels saw the empire for its corruption and crimes and each rebel had their reasons for fighting the empire.

[@curranlakhani]

"war is just the continuation of politics by other means"

[@LyreozMC]

@@MikeJones-qn1gz Yes, we even see these politics come into play when they're talking about dissolving the imperial senate, it's absurd how quickly some people will say that Star Wars shouldn't be political when it always has been.

[@ElPolloLoco7689]

Politics is war without bloodshed. War is politics with bloodshed. -Mao Zedong

[@orange_turtle3412]

Pike. Why tf does the first order exist? What are their motives? Its never really explained that well. The empire, on the other hand, has an entire arc. Its a fallen democracy corrupted by power-hungry politicians into a tyrannical dictatorship. The rebellion had a reason to exist because they were fighting against tyranny and oppression on a galaxy-wide scale. The first order is kinda just there.

[@chaosandwildflowers782]

Brilliant analysis; I love to see people appreciating the political intrigue of Star Wars, since a lot of people are more into the flash and action than the political side. So much work clearly went into writing the fall of the Republic, and it's a stark warning to us in the real world.

[@messengerguardiansparanorm8606]

This is done so well. I teach Annotations in literary studies to college students. This is the kind of synthesis (not just "analysis") that I ask of my students, getting under the surface meaning. This is done so well. Thank you. Excellent work!!! It's interesting how the United States nearly barreled itself right into this. If it hadn't been for the sheer level of bafoonery of certain leading figures, as well as the manipulative , open and abject, wanton ignorance and idiosy amongst most of the "should-have-been-unelectable" elected officials, we might have fallen in a similar fashion as projected into the 'ficticious' Star Wars prequels. The People brought this nighitmare about. Now, we're trying to live it down, while some of the same willfully ignorant officials are allowed to continue. Time will come...and time will tell. Again, thank you.

[@solo_edits1984]

Agreed. Those who don't know history are bound to repeat it, and this seems to be something that Lucas knew well.

[@williebori]

Back in 2005, Lucas saw ROTS as a mirror of the politics of that time. During that time 9/11 was still recent and the Federal Government had expanded its power through legislation like the Patriot Act. We saw many of our freedoms disappear.

[@pansagi]

And it seems as if we keep trading the little freedoms we have for the rhetoric of politicians. And nothing radicalizes me more than watching the US fall further away from democracy towards authoritarianism.

[@dylantennant6594]

Try being a Canadian. I see the centre of the democracy falling into authoritarianism and hate. I see a Rome falling in flames. And in place, my country has a week leader who can’t keep us safe or free. What does that make my country? The Germans of this new Rome?

[@ryanfreeman5083]

@@pansagi The US isn't and was never a democracy, its a Republic, or at least, it used to be. You are correct, whatever you want to say, democracy or republic, you are right, we are heading towards authoritarianism all the same.

[@pansagi]

@@ryanfreeman5083 i just want to point out that a constitutional republic is still a democracy. I really don’t like when people try to say the equivalent of oh sand isn’t silicon it’s silicon dioxide you’re technically right but at that point it’s just semantics

[@danno6995]

@@ryanfreeman5083 a republic is a form of government while democracy is a system of governance thus democratic republics can exist which America is

[@diamondowl9321]

I felt like dropping this in here: I explained the Clone Wars to my dad this way: “It’s basically a mass murder plot played out in extreme slow motion, but most of the time you forget about that because hey, it’s a fun adventure show for kids! You get so caught up in the thrill and the missions that you don’t always realize or think about the way the true plot is being played out. It’s obvious when you focus on it because of course you know what’s going to happen, but you’re not always thinking about it” And that’s kind of the whole point.

[@luisaguilar7997]

That’s wonderful, that’s exactly what happens to the characters, even the council after having learned of the origin of the clones cannot unbusy itself enough to figure out what to do, ultimately they do nothing and their passivity literally backfires

[@Ironwolf-pm7zs]

Finally, someone explains how Dooku wasn't explicitly evil, he just wanted change and was desparate to get it.

[@vibechecker3168]

I think one of the key things that led to the disintegration of the Republics rims was the neglect of the armed forces due to the Rusaan reformation. TL;DR no protection means people seek out any form of protection in desperation This reformation disbanded the republics army and demilitarised the Jedi. The remaining republic military was put into the judiciary forces (those guys in blue in the frigate in episode 1) and other law enforcement, and each individual system was given responsibility for their defence and security. This idea had good intentions, being a measure to prevent tyranny and overreach, but it fell apart rather quickly. Each system was given individual responsibility for their own defence, so while the richer or most peaceful did well, the poorer systems simply couldn’t maintain their own security, and so piracy became rampant in the outer rim. Most systems came under Hutt space or corporate control. This is also how the major separatist corporations like the trade federation have these massive fleets and armies, to protect their own interests in these outer rims. So this absolute lack of military power or authority leaves the republic scared and alone when the separatist crisis begins. So when the clones appear most don’t even think twice about how this army of millions of bred slave soldiers came about, and what they were being made for. These clones become the main arm of the republics army and they drop their heads and just go along with it. The place where the transition from ‘republic’ to militarism is most easily and strikingly shown is on Coruscant. At the start the senate guard and police forces like police droids and officers are seen more often and even the Coruscant guard are deployed on emergencies and dressed in the senatorial crest. But as the war goes on, and the senate guard and police found time and time again to be completely useless at their job as well as corrupt as well, the Coruscant guard is found on the streets and the prisons and the senate, dressed more and more militarily. While they aren’t evil, these foreign and alien military troops kicking down doors and dragging of the accused does certainly not good optically. All it takes is order 66 and the military shucks of the skin of a republic and becomes and military dictatorship. People like the twileks nabooians or the Wookiees realise too late and the forces they relied on to keep them free could just as easily oppress them now.

[@ethrsag735]

I still find it egregiously hilarious that while Rex did his best to resist the chip, Cody's first thought after being contacted by Palpatine, which was written in some novelization or note; was "Really? You couldn't have called before I gave Kenobi back his laser sword?"

[@more-reasons6655]

I imagine Kanobi and Cody was a very professional relationship while we've seen Asohka and Rex grow very close, but to help their case Asohka also wasnt a jedi at that point so as a Gen 1 clone it may have taken a while to take over, so plenty of reasons really

[@prince-solomon]

What control chips? Is this some animated CLONE WARS stuff? For years it was made clear in books and stuff that they simply followed orders, no chips or anything, just professional soldiers obeying orders.

[@ethrsag735]

@@prince-solomon In an attempt to centralize all the lore and events Disney cut out the expanded universe which technically included the novelization of the films. So when Georgie Boy sold off what he and others had built Disney said the only things considered to be Canon were the films and the newest Clone War series as their starting point. The bio control chips were the new answer for why it was so easy for the Clones to turn on their Jedi friends and officers when O66 came down.

[@JP-rf8rr]

That was written before the whole "chip" idea. The clones were supposed to be indoctrinated soldiers with the bodies of 20 year olds but the mental experience of 10 year olds. They were like the Hitler youth, taught obsessive dogmatic loyalty to the state since childhood. It explains how cody wasn't "resisting" foriegn control because the action came entirely within.

[@lukescrew1981]

The chips were a dumb ideia

[@commanderwyro4204]

"the power you give me, i will lay down when this crisis has abated" man hearing that line in 2021 is just... scary

[@firstnamelastname489]

And what do you know? Lots of politicians are trying to keep their 'emergency powers'.

[@commanderwyro4204]

@@firstnamelastname489 its terrifying. i was pretty young when these star wars movies came out so didnt know much about all that political stuff. but as i get older palpatines push towards total power using only politics is scary

[@Taco-pd4ce]

A weak government is a strong country

[@arezdracul8650]

Imagine Trump as Palpatine, I am sure it’s what he wanted!

[@commanderwyro4204]

@@arezdracul8650 not the most perceptive person huh lol

[@Yeetstar_Goofy]

This feels like some English teacher in uni made you do an essay project on something political and you made a video essay on Star Wars. Very enjoyable vid, helped me get through being sick and stuck in bed (:.

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

I assure you that I would never spend as much time as I did making this on a school project. Get well soon!

[@thefbiman2116]

Its kind of funny. In the end, it really was a matter of pride that killed the Jedi. They had literal proof that the war was an inside job of some kind but refused to reveal or believe that rather than face up to their well deserved criticism. They would have been revealed to have ALMOST handed the next Sith Empire on a silver platter and need reform of some kind. In our ending, they successfully did that. At least in the other ending THE SITH DON'T EVEN EXIST ANYMORE

[@aahillakhani399]

"Stifled by tradition, deafened by our past glories, blinded by endless war."

[@anon9060]

Basically Bush Era presidency, which was when these movies were being released. But besides that, I'm personally not a fan of the allegory because the cultural deterioration of the United States had been gone on long before the Bush administration even ascended to office.

[@robertpatter5509]

@@anon9060 the US ended in the 1790's during the Whiskey Rebellion. That was the final end. The militia used to fight in 1776 was used against its own people in the 1790's. Some say the Civil War was the official end , but I think the Whiskey Rebellion was that. All the people who thought the militia would be used for ill were correct. And thus the beginning of the end. What can you expect? The Founders were booted from England for Heresy after all. So a nation founded on Heresy would eventually fall. Freemasonry and all that. The Founders were the Oligarchs of their day. And George Washington wast really this honorable and decent soldier. But that's a story for another day..

[@MM-vs2et]

@@anon9060 Well, there was Reagan for one

[@jghifiversveiws8729]

@@MM-vs2et All 20th-21st century president's are culpable to be honest.

[@requiem5151]

The Republic in Star Wars is a clear allegory of the political establishment throughout the west, not only USA. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble but that clear establishment is perpetuated mostly by the Democrats. They are the top 1 party for anyone looking to be a puppet president while the real "black suit" guys run the USA in the shadows. It's very evident with Biden, even more than it was with Obama that the real people running the USA are not elected by the people and that has probably been the case since a very long time ago. While most republicans are pro-establishment aswell, you'll never find anyone willing to tear down the establishment in the Democrats, they would gladly silence them or keep them from ever reaching a contender position for president. The Democratic party has the clear sympton of any other pro-establishment party throughout the West, they hold "Democracy" like a dogma, anyone who criticizes it is a facist or any other buzzword they find. In reality, this are only buzzwords to prevent anyone from destroying the establishment that fills their pockets in the name of "Democracy"... Pretty pathetic how no one seems to realize this.

[@memoryfoam2285]

The fives arc has always hit me hard, his death genuinely makes me cry everytime. Such an amazing show, building to an incredible moment.

[@oscarosullivan4513]

I think the prequel trilogy and the clone wars show are based on the history of Rome.

[@memoryfoam2285]

@Oscar O'sullivan I think they're more of a commentary on modern politics. The prequels are a pretty clear critique of the post-9/11 rise in authoritarianism and militarism in the US, while the clone wars has quite a few episodes that criticise the cold war and its many proxy wars.

[@calvey]

​@Memory Foam you're intelligent

[@im3phirebird81]

@@memoryfoam2285 The Phantom Menace came out in 1999.... And Attack of the Clones in May 2002. I don't know how valid this statement can be as there is a serious question how many changes still could be made to the story's fundament between September 2001 and May 2002. That being said political machinations and mind games always are the same, people are just too stupid and keep giving their voice and power away to others who promise to do right by them. The entire prequel series though is good predictive programming for the people for what is happening now.

[@memoryfoam2285]

@@im3phirebird81 episode 3 definitely contained deliberate patriot act criticism

[@avenged7peep958]

I have to say: this masterpiece of a video and analysis was more than worth the 1hr+ of my time. The structure of the video is very well done. I'm proud to say that I noticed pretty much everything you pointed out in the video the first time I watched in chronological order as an adult and glad to see other people got that too

[@onlyrushb6428]

It really is horrifically accurate how well the prequels portray the fall of democracy, and descent into dictatorship. It perfectly explains the rise of Hitler and Lenin and their greed for power in possibly one of the most terrifyingly true subsets of fantasy ever created. also, Kudos to you for creating such an in-depth video on the topic. your vast political knowledge should be commended.

[@somedipshtinthecomments2507]

I love how the librarian in the Tyrannus deleted scene is just like: "Bet you'll never guess what this guy's doing these days! Get this: Arch-treason! Weird, huh? Probably something going on there...WEEEELL anyway."

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

Reminds me of a quote from the old Jango Fett game from 2002: "Jango, if you're playing this message, I'm probably dead. Weird, isn't it?"

[@M0butu]

guess they cut it for a reason...

[@khymaaren]

Just a very good example of Lucas' inept writing style and direction. If only Carrie Fisher had doctored the scripts like she did with the OT screenplays.

[@Krauserarm]

That line from Palpatine about letting the wheels of the senate turn shows how patient he truly was. If the cards didn’t fall the way they did, he would have waited another 10 years-20 years for his ultimate victory.

[@Baldwin-iv445]

And even then he probably would've had Anakin under his thumb, and if Dark empire is too be believed then he likely would've returned even if he died from old age.

[@HolyknightVader999]

Or if the right people lived, his plan would have all fallen to pieces, and he'd wound up on the receiving end of a beheading via lightsaber.

[@82dorrin]

@@HolyknightVader999 If Qui-Gon had lived, Anakin would have never turned.

[@HolyknightVader999]

@@82dorrin Indeed.

[@f3rfra]

The first time this video appeared on my feed I played it a couple of times and listened to it when i went to sleep.. days later I watched the whole thing and I can confirm it is the best thing I've seen this year on KZbin. This is probably my 10th rewatch. Thank you!!

[@avenged7peep958]

The symbolism in the movies and foreshadowing (especially in TCW) is absolutely remarkable

[@wolfgang7812]

" A corrupt society inevitably creates a corrupt government" this statement has a real life importance to it as well.

[@Toix]

Yes, and with constant lack of moral indicators and transparency it will eventually lead to reality, to add those with the government can take advantage of their assigned affairs if the society simply doesn't care enough-clear as daylight in this world.

[@_-Freeman-_]

Another way of putting it is, "Politics is downstream from culture" (Andrew Breitbart).

[@gussampson5029]

The People always get the government they deserve. I realized years ago that our politicians and bureaucrats are only as corrupt, immoral and self-serving as the population in general is.

[@xxcoopcoopxx]

It only has importance for a Monolith society that is not America. America is horizontal. House of Reps > Senate > President > Supreme Court = Bill becomes Law. Monolithic societies like Russia, China, Great Britain; laws are made at the top and do not go through four different representation before becoming a law. You're misinformed.

[@xxcoopcoopxx]

@@gussampson5029 You are corrupt and self serving. That's why the politicians do what they do, to communicate to you.

[@milo_thatch_incarnate]

This is by far one of the best KZbin comments sections I’ve had the privilege of reading through in a long time. It seems by and large to be the home of that wonderful minority of people who dearly love their fictional worlds and characters in true nerd fashion… but who are also realistic and intellectual, and have deep, well thought out theories and explanations for the political, religious, philosophical, and psychological reflections and implications of said fiction. I LOVE it. _These are my people._

[@markstuart9545]

I second this. Thank you 🙏

[@chrisstowell484]

Back at ya! May the Force Be With You!

[@thomasjones4570]

Thats because he deletes negative posts.

[@TommyTombstone]

This video is a masterpiece. Revenge of the Sith is probably among the greatest tragedies ever written, but even so, the editing of this video essay just adds a punch to already emotional moments. Bravo.

[@triplea657aaa]

Most of the criticism of the prequels were "I'm too stupid to understand this" when it really wasn't complicated at all... I understood them when I was 7 and I'm not that smart....

[@AImighty_Loaf]

I think mindset and expectations is what ruined the perception of the films.

[@baneofbanes]

@@AImighty_LoafI mean the acting and dialog isn’t the greatest which in a medium highly reliant on that can be a major hinderance.

[@AImighty_Loaf]

@@baneofbanes that's fair criticism. It isn't fair to say the whole trilogy is terrible because of that. But whatever, everyone has an opinion