George Lucas vs Leslye Headland on "Balance" in the Force

[@EntertainmentMan132]

The way I way I understood Lucas' explanation is that there is a balance between light and dark, therefore you should acknowmedge the darkness within you, but the best solution is to embrace the light to counteract the dark. They explain this really well in Karate Kid/Cobra Kai: Sometimes you're so full of darkness that will weigh you down and destroy your spirit, so you need to counteract it with all that's good in your life to achieve balance. Of course, that's juast my take, and I'm perfectly fine with SW exploring different definitions of balance (it's made for some of the most intriguing Expanded Universe stories in the past.

[@GeekyStoics]

Very right about Cobra Kai. Its “shadow work”, recognition and integration of your inherant dark. THAT is part of SWs lore around becoming a Force ghost but not necessarily balance in the Force. Force Ghosts defy pure Light Side as the being the way.

[@GameFactsSpecial]

This, recall that one episode of Clone Wars where Yoda faces his darkness.

[@GeekyStoics]

Exactly. Something I went in depth on in my book, “how the force can fix the world”

Thank you, seeing more and more people understand balance in Star Wars is so good. The Dualism Balance idea is wrong and it made people think the ridiculous Gray Jedi is the Way. Well it isn't. Grey Jedi don't make sense anyways as you can't use the darkside without it corrupting you. People just want more powers without the consequences of being the darksider. The darkside is quicker and easier but it is evil. The Balance is the lightside. The darkness causes imbalance from the words of George Lucas himself.

[@GeekyStoics]

This is something I’m only just now coming to understand better. I wrote a stinking book with an entire chapter on balance, how the force can fix the world, and I’m not sure I agree with the chapter anymore. That kind of stinks. But whatever lol. Dualism isnt SW.

@@GeekyStoics Same man, I was in the camp of Grey Jedi and balance meaning Dualism, but now i understand how much it doesn't work. Firstly it's not the message of Star Wars anyways, Secondly I don't believe it's true to life as well. C.S Lewis did a great job explaining the concept of good and evil. And evil is always ultimately some kind of good being corrupted.

[@GeekyStoics]

@ We're kindred spirits haha. Love how you think about this. You on our newsletter community at GeekyStoics dot com? You'll fit right in.

@@GeekyStoics Not yet, but I was really happy when I found your channel and after 1 video I already needed to recommend it to my friend who still doesn't get these concepts. I could already see the way you think could help him, so I am really glad I found you. I'll check the community, thank you :)

[@dancorneanu9144]

Most people fail to understand what Yin and Yang are. Together they are good, separate they are bad. Neither are good or bad. You can not balance good and bad. Grey is a man that understand that he is making abd choices and instead of choosing not to make more, makes even more... He fails the the test and falls. It's the greatest trick. How Palps put it. "There is no good or bad, just power...." Said the evil man.

[@DrD00M3]

I don't understand why people want to change The force people want to be sith but without the consequences as I see it

[@GeekyStoics]

thats correct. they want it to be easy and without consequence. empowerrrrment.

[@jamestolbert1856]

In order for their to be balance, the Jedi must either conquer the Sith or redeem them from their own darkness. Cause I believe compassionate harsh love can save the world.

[@jaieregilmore971]

@@jamestolbert1856 I agree if a Jedi can fall then a Sith can be redeem.

[@BroadMeadow-d9s]

People want to make good into evil and evil into good. "Star Wars" is rooted in traditional notions of morality, which today's leftists want to abandon and turn upside down.

[@YancyEvans]

Yup, Lucas makes this very clear in the audio commentary of ANH: ‘Which brings us up to the films 4, 5, and 6, in which Anakin's offspring redeem him and allow him to fulfill the prophecy where he brings balance to the Force by doing away with the Sith and getting rid of evil in the universe. Which proves that balance does not mean equal number of Sith and Jedi." So to Lucas balance is more in line with classic ideas of Christian theology as you stated. You are not more free because you can do whatever you want., in fact you will find yourself enslaved to your vices; so you aren’t truly free. You are most free when you do what is right.

[@GeekyStoics]

Well put. It’s hard to tell exactly where he looks east and where he looks west. Star Wars and redemption looks more to me like eastern philosophy. But when it comes to balance between light and dark, it looks like western won out. Its all just wrapped in very eastern looking sets and design.

[@YancyEvans]

@@GeekyStoicsHence why he describes himself as a Methodist-Buddhist.

[@GeekyStoics]

@@YancyEvans I like the author Arthur Brooks, Catholic Buddhist lol

[@damiantirado9616]

Th problem is being free in doing what is right is that who determines what is right? A long time ago slavery was considered a righteous thing.

[@GeekyStoics]

@@damiantirado9616 yep. The difference between what is permissible and what is good

[@rileyblanton]

I feel like George also evolved overtime - like some of the commentary he had during the time of the prequels was different from some of the philosophy within the Mortis trilogy. But ultimately, I think the journey of Luke Skywalker shows how true balance is what a great Jedi should strive for. Not the balance of the light and dark, but the balance of letting go, and embracing the living force.

[@DarthWinterMadness]

That's what made Qui-Gon a perfect Jedi and not a "Grey Jedi" as some seem to believe. He followed the will of the Force and not the will of the Senate. Cheers from France! 🍻

[@rubensaenz]

Balance in the Force, GL said in interviews, ….is the absence of the dark side

[@Blah3210]

Excellent video. You deserve far more attention.

[@GeekyStoics]

I appreciate that!

[@RTJ81]

Oh man this is my kind of stuff! Glad I found this kind of channel!

[@GeekyStoics]

Welcome!!!

[@eriklucasmusic]

This is absolutely excellent. CS Lewis all day!

[@GeekyStoics]

more CS in the video "Good is Just a Point of View?" with Luke on the thumbnail. Mere Christianity insights.

[@laurenzollamas2324]

Having studied / practiced Taoist philosophy off and on - Lucas actually nailed it pretty well (whereas Rian Johnson goofed hard). So it adds even more frustration that modern-day Star Wars is overrun with this concept of having it both ways or that maybe a little Sith is necessary because 'balance.'

[@GeekyStoics]

appreciate this comment! you should def some join us at geekystoics dot com

[@johnklocke6327]

If someone buys into the idea that they can be 50/50, they will use it to justify all kinds of evil. I'm on team "Balance means channeling your passions to do good."

[@GeekyStoics]

100 percent

[@JainaSoloB312]

I agree with you on pretty much everything here, but why do you think Leslye sees Balance any differently than we do? She says "there is no light without darkness. No good without bad." Which seems to equate Light with Good, and Dark with Bad. So she's knows the Sith are not a valid way to live your life. She also says those who use Telekinesis can do so because they've achieved Balance. Well if she interpreted Balance as a mix of Light and Dark, then she'd have to claim that every Jedi is using significant amounts of Dark power whenever they use Telekinesis. This would be absurd, clearly Yoda is not using a mix of Light and Dark when he pulls the X-Wing out of the bog on Dagobah. I think what Leslye means is that everyone, no matter how Light, has darkness within them, and mastering that darkness so it has no hold on you (Yoda in his trials is a great example) is the key to Balance. But not in a "I'm a Jedi who occasionally throws Lightning with no spiritual consequences because I'm just so cool" way. In a way where mastering your dark side means knowing yourself and your emotions and your flaws so well that they have no power over you to sway you from the Light. Knowing yourself, learning from your mistakes, protecting the oppressed, loving selflessly, these are how you find Balance.

Hopefully Anakin changing to Vader was only to give Ahsoka a lesson not the Dark/Light thing. Just a projection to help her grow and forgive him after all. She did change form people's favourite "Grey" (jedi) to White. So it seems the right thing wasn't her being grey but when she ultimately chose the light. If they are going the path of Dualism, well it isn't what Star Wars was originally standing for and I don't believe it's true to the world around us as well. Even in Clone Wars when Yoda was on Dagobah, he had to accept that the darkness is in him, but he had to let it go and take control over it with the light. It actually does seem to be the similiar concept we can see in Christianity as well. Only when you acknowledge the fact that you are not always good and the darkness is in you (all men have sinned), you are able to overcome your weaknesses and are open to change to the direction of the light (acceptance of the forgivness and making up for wrongdoing - only after acknowleding what you did is wrong you can seek forgivness and accept it, then you can change towards the path of righteousness). A darkside is a part of everyone, but it shouldn't control us as it throws us out of balance, which can only be brought back by the Light. It's sad to hear the core ideas of Star Wars are getting ripped when George is not around.

[@GeekyStoics]

I loved that whole Anakin-Ahsoka sequences DEEPLY. But as you know the whole Mortis concept (which I guess George greenlit) is fraught with questions haha.

​@@GeekyStoics I know, and hopefully it will be explained a little more in Ahsoka Season 2. It's not easy to understand, but we'll see if Dave has any insights from George to help us. Also maybe the darkness is necessary, but for the concept of free will to be possible. If you can only choose good there is no choice. That doesn't mean that the world is in balance this way, as the choices people make can cause the imbalance. But if these choices weren't possible it would be totally determined and free will wouldn't exist. Evil isn't definitely a part of the same coin. You can find some good even if it was caused by evil acts, but you can't find evil in good acts.

[@jayhernandez5508]

From what George Lucas has said about balance, the conclusion I draw is that balance is Light & Dark, but no dark side users. When the Jedi stopped listening to the Force, and listened to politics - that paved the way for the Sith to rise

[@wyattE415]

The light is balance; the dark is balance...from certain points of view. It is best not to deal in absolutes.

[@GeekyStoics]

Perhaps…but if you cant deal in absolutes then you cant ever have answers to …anything

[@wyattE415]

I prefer to deal in The Force. -Revan

[@kyzit8458]

To add to my point I was more talking about the light side and dark side in people. I meant that people should embrase the light side but the slip of darkside is for example their self-preservation instinct. If you fall to the dark side you become really selvish but if you embrace the light you will become selfless but that instinct, the desire to survive remains in you atleast in some extend. I'd like to get your opinion on this.

[@Deuteromis]

So basically Disney Star Wars when it comes to the Force is "Have your cake and eat it too."

[@GeekyStoics]

Yea?! Thats what we worry. We’ll see

[@Deuteromis]

@@GeekyStoics I'm already cautious about the show because of the fact that Headland talked about how there is going to be a saber duel that will rival or be better than Maul vs Obi-Wan and Qui Gon. And I think we saw it in the trailer with the Jedi vs the unknown attacker. I think that will be the only duel in the show.

[@frederickkeith8054]

Episode I, which introduced the idea of balancing the Force, dealt a lot with the idea of symbiosis. The Naboo and the Gungans were described as being symbiotic. Jedi and midichlorians were described as being symbiotic. There are three types of symbiosis. In parasitism one side gains at the expense of the other. In commensalism one side gains at no expense to the other. Finally, in mutualism, both sides gain. I think simply put, "balance" is mutualism between the Force and users of the Force. You're supposed to balance what you take from the Force with what you give to the Force. The Sith became parasitic, only taking from the Force and not giving back. The dark side is quicker, easier, and more seductive because it's only a one way exchange of effort.

[@Xarr23]

"She talks about balance, unlike George Lucas" Then shows George saying "you need to have balance". Palpatine talking about peace being his purpose, the Light in the Dark. The Jedi ignoring slavery in the prequels, taking children away from families, and invading separatist and unaffiliated planets for the Peace in the Republic is the Dark in the Light

[@Liamsynclair1]

i’ve always understood the balance as 100% Light 0% Dark…he had always said the Darkside was a cancer to the Force, so to have balance u must ride the Force completely of the Darkside…i feel like the way Hedlund is claiming is to open the door to have Grey Jedi, which Lucas has always been opposed to…

[@kyzit8458]

Thats how I see the force: There are 2 sides light and dark. As george lucas said light side is selfless and the other selvish. Imo light side is the desire to help others, and the dark side is wanting something for you. I think that using both sides would be possible if you used the light side to help others, and also used the dark side so you had a desire to have something for you( for example house, family, personal items). You would use both sides but use the light side to keep the dark in check, not reject attachments but always help others first. The light side in you would make you help others at all costs but if its not necessary you could focus on your personal life. I see balance not as using both sides equally but by using both of them while prioritasing the light. I hope I made at least some sense.

[@Deuteromis]

Lucas said that the Darkside isn't the other side of the coin in terms of Lightside the Darkside is basically a cancer, so when one is corrupted by the Darkside, the balance is upset.

[@kyzit8458]

​@@Deuteromis you can think of it like that because of his words but he didnt exactly said that. I think of something like Cal Kestis who is using light side most of the time but he sometimes uses the dark side. Also you just said that when one is CORRUPTED by the dark side the balance is shaken, not when one uses it sometimes.

[@Deuteromis]

@@kyzit8458 No that is what Lucas said back in 2001 that the darkside is cancer or poison. I shouldn't have used corrupted outright, but when on starts going down the path of the darkside, the force becomes unbalance. Also Cal was created by Disney when they weren't going by how Lucas defined the Force. That is one of the issues people have with Disney Star Wars.

[@kyzit8458]

​@@Deuteromis it turned into the debate. I dont want to argue with you. Maybe you are right, maybe not. Nevertheless survivor's view of the force isnt the same as acolites director's because he doesnt use both of them equally. Lets just end this. Goodbye

[@Deuteromis]

@@kyzit8458 Uh, there was no debate, I was just merely stating what Lucas said about the Force and how Disney and Headland have it wrong.

[@JoshClarkson-j5u]

Late to the party, I personally it is about balance between the light and the dark, both selflessness and selfishness can become self destructive, I do believe in kindness and selflessness but not if nothing constructive comes from my generosity, the mortis arc of the clone wars hints most at keeping the light and dark in balance, the Jedi have more in common with slave morality and the Sith with master morality and that both an individual and civilization at large progresses and grows stronger in conflict (both internally and externally), where as the Jedi believe more in the collective to the extent that it potentially suffocates the individual. But ultimately in the words of Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars Rebels ‘just when you think you know everything about the for you find out how little you actually know’.

[@lukeorloki]

Lucas SW canon is, of course, what I prefer. I currently don't see some of what disney has produced as even being canon. Still it is their right to produce and change SW however they want since they own it. As with any entertainment or even art, it is up to the consumer/fan to choose whether they like it or not. As a fan I choose what I accept as canon and what I reject when it doesn't work within the established lore. Not all Star Wars is for everyone, especially disney SW. I am still hopeful that the Acolyte show will be good or even great. If it tries to retcon an important aspect of SW such as changing what the force is then I will skip ever watching anything new by disney that deals with said change. Leslye Headland seems like a knowledgeable SW fan. I don't think she would retcon the biggest thing in SW into something it wasn't in a show that occurs before the original trilogies in the timeline. Retconning the Force now after decades of story telling makes as much sense as changing what Hope is in Star Wars. I've never subscribed to disney plus so I'll wait for what the youtube reviews say when the show is out. May the Force be with us ... OG Force of course.

[@GeekyStoics]

Fingers crossed! And that’s a healthy way to approach fandom! -Riley

[@truetory6231]

Leslie Headland is wrong and George Lucas is right. The force is not like yin and yang, the light side is when one is guided by the will of the force whereas the dark side is when one tries to manipulate the force to thier own will, that is why the light side is balance all on its own.

[@thewanderingrambler7420]

Ahhh Acolyte is nothing but bad Bantha fodder. Like the Bantha doesn't want to eat It's fodder.

[@TaraCicora]

Thank you - you have (again) summarized my thoughts on this. I am cautiously excited about the Acolyte but I don't care for the Headland's comments. It sounds far too provocative and very much like something someone doing bad (the Sith?) would say to justify their position. This could just be marketing, I guess we will know soon enough.

[@GeekyStoics]

I’m all for people taking creative liberties within the Star Wars universe, but it can’t happen if it changes what Star Wars means. Headland is maybe the director I have least trusted in this job. But Im always open to being surprised!

[@pabloj.garcia2559]

They are saying the same thing. There is light and there is dark, and there is balance, which is ti not let the dark side ti control you. Lucas has used already the term ying-yang speaking about Star Wars in the sense that light and dark are two sides of an spectrum, but that does not mean balance is equal parts of light and dark

[@BroadMeadow-d9s]

Light and dark are not balanced, because darkness doesn't actually exist. Darkness is an absence. You cannot push darkness into a room. You can only take light out, and darkness is the absence that is left behind when light is removed. There is nothing to balance. It has no existence. It is a void ("Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your master" Gandalf).

[@vernonhampton5863]

This is my belief on SW. Of course there are people that have good and evil within them (see Han Solo). But for force inclined people, there is a baseline of good, and the dark side is the area of imbalance. Just look at the Tennants of Sith vs Jedi and it's all in the beginning of each. Staying light requires work, but the dark side is the short cut and selfish path. So I think Headland has some points... but then she goes off into the weeds.

[@matthewsawyer4864]

The Sith and the Jedi exist because different force users have their own ideas. The Sith and Jedi say, "If you actually want to use the Force, ignore all your dumb theories. This is how it works."

[@addictstatic]

I have come to perceive the force as nature both cosmic and terrestrial nature. To be balanced to favor the will of nature with flourishing conditions also must the destructive conditions/events this is why to have attachment is unfavorable because then perception would be to favor the safety and protection of said "possessions/loved ones" fear leads to hate which in turn leads to suffering not only for the person who laid claim to said people of things but the response to revenge those or the thing that stole the possessions from them. To have only a black or white option to any dilemma is selfish aka the dark side. I have been an avid fan of the series and mythos through good times and bad and finally in my 47 years as a fan finally am able to convey this coherently, now the current society will exaggerate the plain and simple message but that is a fight that was never mine to fight..thank you for the content

[@jaieregilmore971]

The films at least George Lucas movies makes it clear balance in the force is the light side looking how Anakin ended up being Vader falling to the dark side wasn’t worth it none of the Jedis didn’t deserve to die like that. The whole you could have all the power of the force wouldn’t work in the long run sometimes somethings needs to give up. I rather be on the Jedi side to be a good person rather than being an all powerful being like Obi wan Kenobi.

[@rickblaine9670]

I honestly don’t feel like being so kind with these new wannabe “theologians” of the Force. I mean, the first Sith to be chronologically introduced, in the flesh, in George’s saga is LITERALLY a horned demon. Yin and Yang my ass😂

[@GeekyStoics]

haha excellent

[@VincentWebb-z7s]

A they didn'tget a second season.

[@GeekyStoics]

nope!

[@ketchupcommander]

force user that cant sense other force users and has to pay to find out. the entire premise of the show destroyed in the opening line....''where's the jedi?'' zero out of ten for strategic writing skills.

[@daviddyster4145]

George Lucas Superior, Leslye Headland Inferno.

[@ketchupcommander]

force user that cant sense other force users and has to pay to find out. the entire premise of the show destroyed in the opening line....''where's the jedi?'' zero out of ten for strategic writing skills.