The Importance of Luke Skywalker

#StarWars #GeorgeLucas #LukeSkywalker
Luke Skywalker's destiny feels different from a lot of other movie heroes. That's because... it is.
The Mythology of Star Wars (with Bill Moyers):
• The Mythology of Star ...
George Lucas' Advice:
• George Lucas' Advice
Patreon, if you want to support the cause: / souncivilized

[@rithvikmuthyalapati9754]

Luke is the kind of guy who when asked "Did you save the galaxy" would respond with "No. My father and my friends did"

[@jmeds94]

At the end of Band of Brothers when the WWII vets are giving interviews: “Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?” “No… but I served in the company of heroes.”

[@juresaiyan]

YES

[@NigerianCrusader]

And Luke skywalkers actor also played the character Blake in wolf tracers dinosaur island

[@kylesparrow9996]

​@@jmeds94man; no matter how many times I re watch that series, that love still never fails to choke me up. He says it with such sincerity and respect, you can't help but get emotional.

[@erikbihari3625]

​​@@kylesparrow9996. That's what Star wars has been missing most of all, the sincere heart and pulp energy, with a well told story to boot! Filoni is just an imitator, for price!

[@roguestar8]

Luke Skywalker doesn't destroy the bad guy, he saves him. He doesn't even destroy the bigger bad guy. He also doesn't get the girl as in most other stories. He doesn't defeat evil with violence, he defeats evil with love and compassion. And that is why Luke Skywalker is a true hero.

[@mikedrop4421]

This needs to be sold as an inspirational poster.

[@gabrielaj2066]

It kinda sounds like spiritual. It’s like Jesus Christ in Star Wars

[@kevinnazario1015]

Excellently explained.

[@Arvaniz]

You, man... are a poet.

[@TheFourthHorde]

I hate to quote TLJ but “We won’t win by killing what we hate, but by saving what we love.” Luke did that

[@Jackarooooo]

I can’t believe I never realised that the very first person to recognise Luke as a true Jedi Knight/Master was The Emperor himself

[@ctrain149]

Me neither. Its poetic.

[@sheriffdin-gabisi4139]

@@ctrain149 Also Palpatine: "Ironic..."

[@NigerianCrusader]

A reminder, Luke skywalkers actor also played Blake In wolf tracers dinosaur island

[@brich261]

chewbacca calls luke a jedi knight after han solo is taken out of carbon freeze in jabbas jail cell

[@alectriciti]

Yet he was not granted the rank of master. This is unacceptable. It's unfair.

[@triton2397]

I’ve just realized something; Luke’s electrocution is eerily reminiscent of Mace Windu’s in ROTS, and as such, Vader’s sudden realization that he can finally reverse the mistake he made decades ago motivates him to save his son. He’d probably replayed that moment for years, and in an instant, is given a second opportunity to save a Jedi from a Sith Lord instead of compromising himself and the galaxy in the process. I’m guessing that Windu’s death was a deliberate reference from Lucas to that scene. Damn; like poetry, it rhymes.

[@kalebtheherald2947]

Damn , George actually knew what he was doing from the beginning.

[@yanisaliouche8891]

Broooo holy shit I love this thanks for pointing this out Love when Star Wars is like this

[@ikr9358]

After watching Revenge of the Sith, I found myself thinking that Vader's defining trait was self-loathing. That's why Palpatine tells him that Anakin killed Padme, so that he blames himself. And as you say, he undoubtedly blames himself for Windu. And so in Return of the Jedi, Vader is denying that he has any good left in him, he's been wallowing in his own self-hatred for so long. Until the end, when he finally realizes that he can do one last good thing to save someone.

[@REDDAWNproject]

they are actually shot identically. Lucas clearly wanted that to be a parallel.

[@aninternetuser4306]

I just watched a documentary where George Lucas was saying stuff about scenes rhyming for the OT and the prequels. He had a great vision.

[@HeroesFanProductions]

"If he can become a Jedi like his father, his father can become a Jedi like him." I'm in awe. This was so beautifully written!!

[@nineleafclover]

"The son becomes the father, and the father the son." --Jor-El

[@Alavi24]

That line made me rethink that moment. It truly adds a whole new depth for me.

[@Thatguy-mw7sz]

Agreed.

[@ARCtrooperblueleader]

Absolutely. 😭❤️

[@LopezAlabama]

It's like poetry, it rhymes

[@sebfolgero]

George Lucas talking about joy vs pleasure overplayed with clips of Anakin and Luke perfectly captured the differences between them.

[@lukeskywalker8570]

Yes

[@ARCtrooperblueleader]

I fully agree. ❤️

[@FiggsNeughton]

We all believed Lucas was just a silly old man talking about his movies rhyming. Turns out he was a Jedi Master all along!

[@michaelhenderson6786]

@@FiggsNeughton 💯

[@michaelhenderson6786]

@@FiggsNeughton also your username is legendary lol

[@hecate235]

I remember walking out of "Return of the Jedi" in 1983 completely in awe. Luke had progressed from saving the princess, to saving his friends, to saving the villian. It doesn't matter that he's being tortured and slowly killed, he will not turn. I also remember the audience's reaction: cries of empathy, pain, and pleading that Vader help his son. Probably one of the most moving climaxes I've ever seen. I don't think the final trilogy understood that....

[@Guyote_]

I wish I could have been there to experience that for the first time with everyone

[@hecate235]

@@Guyote_ I saw the original Star Wars in '77 with two college friends, in the smallest theater in our small town. Held maybe 225 people and was notorious for having a pillar at the center back of the floor seats to hold up the balconies. When the crawl came up I was delighted (my dad and I had stayed up late on Friday nights to watch Buck Rogers serials on PBS out of St. Louis). When the destroyer roared over the top of us, the entire theater went "whoa!" And when Artoo and Threepio were wandering on Tatooine my friend said, "It's a comedy team. Laurel & Hardy!" The audience was noisy and appreciative, and the editing was the fastest anyone had every seen. No time to even breathe. So much fun, and real sci-fi. (There were precious few decent sci-fi movies until SW.) Everyone broke into applause at the end. When ESB came out, i was in Chicago with an afternoon gig driving school buses in the suburbs. Four different routes and for THREE DAYS that's all any of my kids talked about. "Is Vader really Luke's father?" "Nooooooo!" Three years waiting for RotJ, endless analysis and speculation. And whatever critics may say, the audience loved it. Six years waiting for the end of the story we first saw in SW, and not what anyone expected. I'm still impressed by Lucas.

[@Aquascape_Dreaming]

@@RagnarBlox respectfully, none of the clues were really that subtle. We were all supposed to be aware of the conflict within Vader post ESB.

[@ToxicallyMasculinelol]

@@Aquascape_Dreaming please spare me the smugness

[@RagnarBlox]

@@Aquascape_Dreaming - Disagree but you're entitled to your own opinion. Most people don't catch stuff in movies.

[@upliftstv]

“Just accept the fact that it’s here, and it’s gone, and maybe again it’ll come back.” Exactly what Anakin couldn’t accept

[@thesuperintendent4290]

@Son 0f Jack Star wars is clinging onto life. I think it could recover as people like Dave Filoni have created literal art. I think it can make it out if you ignore the sequels which mostly every true Star Wars fan has.

[@thesuperintendent4290]

@Robo Don't worry, you don't have to say that the OT is subjective. I think they are the best and that is coming from a prequel fan. They have no crappy dialogue, good use of practical effects. But yes people look into it too much. But making new stories is unnecessary as there are so many stories to work with. This wasn't a problem until now as Disney is producing vast amounts of shows that will probably be crap. But I think the community will endure as survived TLJ. As flawed a man as George is he is still the heart of Star Wars and not listening to him is a death sentence.

[@mihailos8701]

Thanks for that quote

[@youwouldntremembermeanyway7410]

@Robo yeah. They really shouldve stopped making anything about Star Wars in 2005 (or after Clone Wars CG series was completed if Lucas never sold it). You can only build upon an estabilished story so much after the author left before it starts feeling like it was being milked or derailed.

[@wildfire9280]

Unfortunately I don’t think Alderaan will be coming back anytime soon.

[@michaelwells529]

"Lucas doesn't tell stories about good people and evil people, he's telling stories about people who can choose good or evil." Why do I like this line so much?

[@SoUncivilized414]

Probably because deep down it is an extremely paraphrased lift from C.S. Lewis.

[@vakonightsbane9044]

Also because this is the destiny we all face. We choose what we will be.

[@warriorguydudething]

That’s the reason I love the Fable games

[@josedavidsalasatehortua8367]

But sidious is pure evil

[@candidob8683]

@@josedavidsalasatehortua8367 Because he chose to be.

[@noahmclaughlin7921]

It's so refreshing to hear a Star Wars fan that actually respects George Lucas

[@hobomike6935]

the fans respect george. don't let the loudest group dictate the "narrative" of george's reputation (AKA the social justice sequel trilogy by disney.) people didn't like everything george did, but they ALWAYS liked what george wanted star wars to mean for people. the prequels had their problems but I think the sequels opened people's eyes to I, II, and III's best qualities (ESPECIALLY III, the most important prequel movie.)

[@124085]

@@hobomike6935 Ironic you'll criticize Disney for "Social Justice" Lucas' problem was ironically, he wanted to rewrite the narrative. The pointless re-edits of the Han and Greedo cantina scene. Lazy CGI layered over practical visual effects. Not to mention Lucas made it all but impossible to legally watch the theatrical versions of the original trilogy. If you want to watch the version of Star Wars that viewers saw in 1977 and fell in love with you need to resort to the dubiously legal de-specialized edition. Lucas literally made it illegal to watch the original version of Star Wars! Praise him all you want for his creative and narrative vision. But don't pretend he didn't rightfully lose goodwill for Historical Revisionism. Hate Disney all you want but don't pretend Lucas was forced to sell out to them. He's richer than you and I can imagine now.

[@hobomike6935]

@@124085 not every decision he made was good, but he definitely cared more about the story than disney does

[@Habibas777]

True SW fan will always respect George Lucas.

[@pastaweasel5088]

@@124085 I do think that the original versions of the films should have been included as extras, but a lot of the changes weren’t exactly bad. They helped make the films seem more connected with one another. I don’t think the original Star Wars would nearly have the same graphics as Revenge of the Sith. I’d say that George Lucas is trying to establish a world, and avoid as many inconsistencies as possible.

[@plane_maniac]

I’ve always thought “Return of the Jedi” meant the Jedi Order coming back into existence (aka the sequels) but now it’s so much clearer that it refers to the Return of _the_ Jedi, none other than Anakin Skywalker

[@pwnmeisterage]

"Jedi" could be singular or plural. Luke proved himself a Jedi. When he redeemed Vader. But Vader also proved himself a Jedi. When he redeemed himself.

[@Caliif]

@@pwnmeisterage this, it means both. return of the jedi (singular) Vader redeeming himself and becoming a jedi again and return of the jedi (plural) the return of the order with Luke

[@codafett]

Double meaning, but yeah.

[@jonathanvaldes7753]

In spanish, it's translate as singular (El Retorno del Jedi). Plural will be "El Retorno de los Jedi", so we are used to think is either about the return of Luke after his fall in ESB or the return of Vader to the light, to be Anakin again.

[@TheMisterGuy]

@@jonathanvaldes7753 "In spanish, it's translate as singular (El Retorno del Jedi)." But unless you know that the translator asked the original author, that could just be the translator's interpretation. A lot of times, translators work without a lot of direct contact, and may only be talking to someone at the movie studio, not the writer or director.

[@JamesRDavenport]

When I watch RTOJ, and it gets to Luke's triumphant declaration "...I am a Jedi, like my father before me..." I can see under Vader's mask in my mind. I see him shedding a tear. The love of Shimei, the love of Qui Gon, The love of Obi Wahn, most of all the love of Padme, finding him again, all embodied in the courageous love of his son. For the first time, he is a proud father, in awe that Luke could stand up to The Emperor. He loves again. In that moment he realizes he can be Anakin again. He owes it to all those who have ever loved him.

[@AlvoJAM]

Thank you for this comment. Truly.

[@JoyfulUniter]

Well said.

[@loraines3977]

Brilliant comment

[@yourdedcat-qr7ln]

That was beautiful man

[@charlie-obrien]

You've got me shedding a tear under my mask.

[@NYWallCrawler]

The George Lucas speech about happiness is the wisest thing i've ever heard.

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

Dude has clearly read and internalized some of the great philosophers, and turned it into beloved parables.

[@MotleyNerd]

Of course it's wise. It's even Biblical. And people don't like the Bible. Makes you wonder.

[@gamingtime468]

@@MotleyNerd The bible, and just about all religions, have some rather questionable aspects to them, some even hideous qualities that most would shy from admitting. It's good that we have these things, and I respect them, but just like everything else, they have a dark side.

[@lukelim5094]

@@MotleyNerd he got it from Buddhist philosophy.

[@Fargoth_Ur]

It very much sounded like something from a treatise on Stoicism. He was practically describing the concept of Eudaimonia without direct using the term.

[@DrJay-iy8rv]

“But you are not a Jedi yet.” “You must confront Vader again only then a Jedi will you be.” “A Jedi Knight?! Luke’s crazy!!” “So be it……Jedi” Thanks for the 2K guys 🙏🏾

[@marsinvader9078]

Augh, it's too good, it's all too good😭

[@luxintenebris1776]

It was indeed the Dark Lord of the Sith himself who Knighted Luke

[@trillionbones89]

@@luxintenebris1776 And he was called Majesty by Luke.

[@Vandil_the_Rogue]

@@trillionbones89 Your Highness, but same difference

[@jacobredfield1386]

Based Sheev Palpy :>

[@PlainsPup]

Luke is such an amazing hero. What Disney did with him is unforgivable.

[@mr.t993]

Yes unforgivable ..but not the whole of Disney did this, just a few people in power with a personal agenda.

[@danielvelascocampos1900]

what happened?

[@PlainsPup]

@@danielvelascocampos1900 They basically turned him into a big loser, when really he’s one of the best heroes in cinematic history.

[@danielvelascocampos1900]

@@PlainsPup but how did they do that. Thats what im questioning. For the he is in fact one of the biggest heroes and the strongest jedi of all of them (not including dark side lords)

[@PlainsPup]

@@danielvelascocampos1900 A number of ways: 1) He tries to murder his nephew (Ben Solo) in his sleep, while in the original trilogy he did all he could to save his father. 2) In Legends he goes on to become an incredibly powerful Jedi. He founds a new Jedi Order, one that does not demand ascetic, abstinent monasticism, but that allows for marriage and family. In the new movies, he’s just a bitter old hermit, who remains childishly subservient to his old teacher, and has given up on everything. Disney did Luke dirty. They just tried to torpedo the source material to prop up their own agenda and “subvert audience expectations,” but in the end all they made was a huge, costly mistake that alienated their fan base. They’re worse than fools; they’re propagandists.

[@martinaxe6390]

Lucas’s speech about pleasure vs joy is such a great description of Light vs Dark, or Jedi vs Sith. Anakin fell to the dark side because he couldn’t accept what was: that Padme would die. He needed to maintain the pleasure of his relationship, so he kept doubling down on the path to the dark side. Yoda tells Anakin, “Rejoice for those around you who transform into the force.” Yoda is mirroring George Lucas’s words from this speech. Anakin would lose Padme from the material, but she would be with the force, and Anakin would find joy again with Luke and Leia. Lucas frames joy in a very Stoic manner: acceptance that the world is, and happiness is an internal state that comes from focusing on the things we can control.

[@tesslichtman7302]

Maybe, but Yoda also said not to miss and mourn those who have passed on. It’s important to focus on what can be controlled, but it’s natural to mourn those who have passed on as well.

[@dannyblitz2122]

@@tesslichtman7302 I have come to realise that this line of Yoda's is also about faith - believeing absoloutely that those who lived righteously will inherit a blessed afterlife. To miss them is selfish, to mourn them is to blashpheme the force, so to speak, because if the force exists it is far better to be dead than alive, just as it is with heaven, provided you are devoted to God. This faith is essential for a Jedi and has to be unwavering. I see this as part of how Lucas incorporated elements of Christianity into his mythology - real Christians do not mourn thier dead as if death is a tragedy, they celebrate that the person is now with God and that they will eventually be reunited in the Kingdom of Heaven.

[@jeffmuller1489]

No, Anakin's fear of loss (from a dream) and his fight to control everything to prevent it from happening led to him sabotaging his future and ultimately the future of the galaxy. Padme died of a broken heart because of what Anakin did.

[@jeffmuller1489]

​@@dannyblitz2122 I know what you're trying to say, but I will submit to you two things: 1. Faith in the Gospel or Grace is what saves you, not a righteous life. Whatever sin we commit as Christians, we believe it is under the blood of Christ. We all fall short every day, it's God's Grace through our Faith that saves us. 2. I still mourn the loss of my daughter, though I know she's with Jesus. I mourn the loss, that she is no longer with me, not her fate. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea that Christians are somehow immune from grief because it's just not the case. Grace and Peace

[@Justin-ep8zo]

Padme wasn't going to die

[@a_fine_edition2746]

This is why I think Return of the Jedi might actually be my favorite out of the original 3. All the Ewoks and other stuff aside, the core conflict between Luke and Vader is so beautifully done.

[@localgyakutenkenjitu]

I like it for the spectacle of the Battle of Endor

[@TheHegetzu]

I absolutely LOVE Return of the Jedi. I've never understood the ewok controversy.

[@zanfear]

@@TheHegetzu Man-children at the time couldn't cope that little teddy bears could help defeat the Empire.

[@TheHegetzu]

@@zanfear oh, right. Teddy bears, or as I see them, badass guerrilla tactics using flesh-eating mofos.

[@daedalus6433]

@@zanfear More-so that the Empire fails to destroy a rebel force far smaller than them, and completely crumbles just because the Emperor dies, despite the fact that it would just leave a power vaccum.

[@garmadonthesensei59]

The ending of “Return of the Jedi” left such an impact on me. I went in fully expecting Luke to kill Vader and save the day, but instead I got Luke INSISTING there was still good in Anakin, refusing to fight his father, and then throwing down his weapon. Luke didn’t fight to the death; he refused to give up hope on someone, and so his heart saved the galaxy. It‘s a masterpiece, and so profound. “I am a Jedi, like my father before me.” One of my favorite lines in cinema besides “You bow to no one” from Lord of the Rings 🤧

[@dariocrescenzi5121]

❤

[@chriswilson3126]

It's beautiful. They couldn't have made a more perfect ending to the original trilogy.

[@aelius3805]

Luke was my hero since I was a little boy. He was how I tried to live my life. You aren't perfect, but you do what is right. We don't really have heroes like that today. At least it doesn't feel like it.

[@anthonypellico2235]

This a fantastic analyzation of Return of the Jedi

[@Cubelarooso]

The LotR line can't even compete since it didn't originate in cinema

[@dextercochran4916]

George Lucas is one of those gems that no one will appreciate until he's gone. We as a whole will never realize how much Lucas gave us until he's not around to give us any more.

[@Danebrogen1]

The dude made Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Aside from lord of the rings and game of thrones aka a song of ice and fire, noone has ever made anything like it. And the dude made two franchises, one spanning six movies. The other, three, we don't speak about the fourth one. And the other two I mentioned are based on books.

[@juresaiyan]

😢

[@connorp4213]

@Darth Desec He partly sold it for the money, partly sold it because of all the shit he got from fans on the prequels. People are sliiiiiightly more complicated than you lead us to think.

[@poutsamouni5483]

@@Danebrogen1 congratulations every word of what you just said is wrong

[@anamku00]

i don’t think you should appreciate or dislike something based solely on whether the creator is dead or not

[@xoler2167]

This right here is what Disney fails to understand. Not just with Luke, but Star Wars in total. They just see spaceships and big glow sticks and think it’s all about action and seeing new random things on screen even if it breaks the lore. There’s more to Star Wars than just that. As Lucas has said, it’s a soap opera, not a space opera. There’s much more deeper themes and layers in the Star Wars universe such as referring back to stuff like greek and Roman mythology, the theme of not being consumed by darkness and the fear of letting go, the chances of redemption, etc. The fact that they didn’t want Lucas involved when they took over really speaks volume of how little they care about the true meaning of Star Wars.

[@chriswhite4408]

Yeah there is good disney star wars stuff but they have very little substance

[@TheMisterGuy]

"This right here is what Disney fails to understand. Not just with Luke, but Star Wars in total. They just see spaceships and big glow sticks and think it’s all about action and seeing new random things on screen even if it breaks the lore." Don't just blame Disney, the prequels did that too. Even ROTJ's Ewoks were purely in there so they could be made into toys. I'm also going to defend Disney on the grounds that the fans were proven brainless by the prequels, as they just accept anything with the spaceships and glow sticks, no matter how crappy or nonsensical the rest of it is. They're a business and if the customers will pay for crap, why put in the effort to make something good? It's just money. Even if you get actors like Boyega who can nerd it up and actually care about Star Wars as art, from a fan's perspective, it still doesn't matter because the high-up people who drive it only care about ROI. And I'm not blaming them, because that's their actual job. Just how it is.

[@knightmare5097]

@@TheMisterGuy The prequels may have done a similar thing, but they kept the soap opera, the deep themes, and the layered characters.

[@TheMisterGuy]

​@@knightmare5097 I don't know how you'd really argue that. They had layered characters and themes? It seems like you could say that about almost anything. Why can't you say that for the Disney ones?

[@knightmare5097]

@@TheMisterGuy Let me give an example. Anakin Skywalker had layers. He was arrogant, but smart. Quick to anger, yet loyal to his friends. He didn’t betray the Jedi Order and everything he knew on a whim. He knew the consequences, and still acted nonetheless, and without joy, might I add. And because of his choices, the consequences were lasting and hurt him more than the “reward” did. It took him decades to even realize his mistake Rey’s just…kind I guess. And also quick to anger. But unlike Anakin, these don’t have any lasting consequences. She gets angry, and that’s it. No one suffers, and if they do, she learns her mistakes minutes later and all is forgiven.

[@henrikaugustsson4041]

I would disagree that Luke isn’t the hero of the story. He’s the one that inspires his father to seek redemption. He may not be the one to defeat the villain physically, but he does so in a metaphorical sense. His way of life is pitched against the Emperor’s, and Luke’s way wins. Vader is the judge.

[@stephanieloverde7755]

He didn’t inspire his father to seek redemption, he SHOWED his father that you can do some unforgivable things (like a son attacking and maiming his own father) and you can be still stay on the light side and be forgiven. Anakins problem was that he assumed he could never be forgiven, which is why he stayed on the dark side. He didn’t commit suicide due to his fear of death.

[@devinthompson7143]

A hero is not one who saves people, a hero is someone who inspires people to save themselves

[@Dark6997]

I would say he was a hero but he wasn't The Hero instead of being a story of his own triumph his actions lead to the story of his father's redemption. Which I think is the triumph that means more to him

[@henrikaugustsson4041]

@@Dark6997 That’s why I think he’s THE hero, he showed Vader that he can be redeemed, that someone still has faith in him. That means Luke defeated the emperor through faith. It wasn’t so much Vader turning traitor that did it, it was Luke’s trust that Anakin wouldn’t stand by and let his son be murdered. You can see it like a tug-of-war for Anakin’s soul. The rope in a tug-of-war isn’t the winner, it’s the one that pulled the best. Palpatine basically got rope burn and lost his grip and fell in the pool. That makes Luke the winner/hero.

[@gooddaygene8355]

@@devinthompson7143 by throwing garbage down a chute to be "disintegrated" 😂 Palpatine being the metaphorical garbage in Vader's soul. The energy that seduced him to the dark side. External actions reflecting internal energies. Either way, I think everyone has their own metric to identify who they bestow "hero" status to. Actions, medals, sometimes they coincide. More than often they do not. One thing to muse over, whatever one deems heroic is something they may be "missing" in themselves. Or at the very least seeking in one way or another.

[@qui-gontimtherandomraptor1072]

11:12 "Destroying Vader, and _becoming_ Vader, are the same thing." "If Luke wants embrace his own destiny, it means he has to embrace the good still left in his father." To claim there is no redemption, to say that one is beyond saving, and to destroy on that basis- that is evil. That is not the Jedi way. Only a sith deals in absolutes.

[@670HP-Package-NOW]

I will go out on a slight limb and say that palpatine was beyond saving

[@qui-gontimtherandomraptor1072]

@@670HP-Package-NOW well yes, but I guess more what I was trying to say is a Jedi must be willing to show compassion to anyone, even Vader. Heck, even Sidious if it came to it. Only a sith says "join us or die".

[@vullord666]

Or the Jedi during the entire Clone Wars but whatever. Also reminds me of a meme I saw where Anakin countered Obi-Wan saying "isn't that in of itself an absolute?" And yeah it is. The only Sith deal in absolutes line just didn't make sense.

[@user-xx6vy9ri8p]

@@vullord666 Speaking in absolutes is not dealing in them.

[@upublic]

@@vullord666 it makes perfect sense, but let me give a simpler example: Aristotle's "Moderation in everything" obviously doesn't include "moderation in moderation itself", or "murdering a little, not always not never" or "betraying your friends sometimes, not always not never" and so on. We instinctively UNDERSTAND all these without deep philosophizing. It takes tough, cultish dogma to brake these instincts.

[@Amoschp524]

I have always find it interesting that Yoda says confront Vader, never kill him. Seems Yoda realized that Luke had to face his destiny to be a Jedi. Everyone else always believe Luke had to kill Vader and the Emperor but that conflicts with Yoda's teach that a Jedi never attacks, only in defense.

[@DanteTCW]

In a way (yes it is with the prequels taken into account) this is Yoda showing growth and a character and a person. He told Anakin to more or less bottle up and repress his feelings, he tells Luke to instead face his fear, face the Destiny and as you said he doesn't mention kill or destroy. Yoda has learned, he has learned that there are only two ways to handle fear, prevent it (aka stop the reason for it) or face it (in a way a nice little connection to Dune's litany against fear :) ). Hell, even Obi-Wan in hindsight has learned, he told Anakin that his realationship and love for Padme was dangerous...years later he tells Luke that his love for his sister does him credit but that it can be used. Both Yoda and Obi-Wan learned to understand where they and the Jedi had been wrong...feelings can't be cut off, but you have to let them out and face them or they will poison you. Also at the end of Return of the Jedi, Anakin shows he has grown and learned too...his words to Luke "Tell her...Tell her that you were right!" Words he himself never got to hear from his teachers and mentors. With his last words he gives Luke a vaccine against the Dark Side, he gives him credit and tells him he was right. Damn, I love Star Wars!

[@pohjanvanamo]

@@DanteTCW By reading this comment (and maybe few others), I am pleased of the order the movies were made. The sensitive core of the story comes made first, before the story starts drifting too much of the idea. (I think they always do drift/live their own lives). Then comes the prequels later, building around it, can't take away from the original conclusion, but giving elements to add to the story. And good visual images too. About the Disney movies, I don't care much of them. As movies average, they are probably alright, but for me they don't link to the original. Maybe they happen on distant place on the same world, but the story is new, and haven't really touched me. I've seen 7&8 and have no desire to see 9.

[@hecate235]

Thing is, both Ben and Yoda lied to Luke. Ben, flat out, and Yoda by omission. "....confront Vader" is an evasion. Luke calls Ben out on "...a certain point of view," "I can't kill my own father," "Then the Emperor has already won." That's pretty much Ben saying, "Kill him." Neither Ben or Yoda have ever considered another way. that maybe a Sith could be turned back to the Light. No one had ever tried it. Luke takes new path, of compassion, love and sacrifice. This is also why I very disagree with Yoda trying to talk Luke out of rescuing Han, Leia and Chewie in ESB. Luke's friends are being tortured, maybe killed, because of HIM. And Yoda wants Luke to save himself? At their expense? Luke goes into the fight half-blind because Yoda hasn't told him the truth. And Luke pays dearly for that "lie by omission." Luke is something very different from the old Jedi, and neither Ben or Yoda can see it.

[@awandererfromys1680]

@@hecate235 In the OT Obi-Wan and Yoda have essentially given up on Anakin's redemption. To be fair, it's not that unreasonable on their part imho. They also still push the 'no attachments' philosophy. Initially Luke goes along with it because Vader is just a faceless tyrant. But when Luke finds out he's his father, his entire moral outlook changes and clashes with Obi-Wan and Yoda's priorities. The Prequels expand on this by showing a Jedi Order that's build upon self-serving sophistry. I mean, they talk a lot about compassion, love, and upholding peace and order and all, but when it comes down to it they turn a blind eye to all kinds of injustices in the Galaxy and mostly help their own. They never bothered to free Shmi and told a ten year old boy to just forget about his enslaved mother, that his love for her was a bad and dangerous thing. That's some f***ed up cold-hearted shit and predictably it didn't go well. Anyway, Obi-Wan and Yoda just continue that with Luke, they see his feelings towards Vader (and Leia and his friends) as a weakness rather than a strength. Especially because they already believe Anakin can't be redeemed anyway. From their perspective it's a guaranteed loss to even try. Again, not entirely unreasonable. And it _was_ a high-risk-high-stakes play in ROTJ. Luke wasn't that sure about Vader, and it would have been a massive victory for the Empire had he been wrong, _and_ he almost failed, but in the end he not only faced the Dark Side, he brought it to its knees when he spared his father. Luke's willingness to die for him made Vader realize that his own life was a small price to pay to change the future for his children. It's the one thing Palpatine could not foresee because he had no understanding of it: Love. That's where the sequels fundamentally fail when it comes to the OT characters imho. Everybody ran like rabbits who got scared by the first sight of their own shadows.

[@hecate235]

@@awandererfromys1680 Yes, yes! I agee with almost everything you've written. The Republic Jedi needed to fall. They've become political at the expense of justice. And they've been kidnapping children, for heaven's sake! They misinterpreted the "prophecy." Anakin wasn't meant to "restore balance" to the Force. He was meant to reset it: the Jedi have to start all over again. I also think the Emperor made three critical errors in the last moments. One) he's so delighted that Luke is about to lop off Vader's head -- like Anakin did to Dooku -- that he comes down the steps to gloat. Giving Luke those seconds to realize he's standing on the knife edge. He can hear Yoda's warning : fear for Leia and his friends has gone from fear to hate to agression. It's Cloud City, but from the other side. Luke sees the trap -- and steps back. He chooses the Light, he chooses mercy, even though it will mean his death. Two) because the Emperor is away from his throne, I suspect there's a warning light telling him the shield generator has fallen. Maybe Palpatine had other legions or fleets in reserve, he did have a tendency to over plan. Or he could just have hauled a** and got off the Death Star before it blew, but he's too busy congratulating himself. Three) When Luke refuses to turn, Palpatine should have gone with a quick blast to Luke's heart or brain. But no, Palpatine is in such a rage that this young upstart has defied him, he wants to torture Luke to death. And that lets Vader FEEL his son. He can feel that Luke will never turn now. But there's no hate, no curses, no blame. Luke still believes Vader can be redeemed. That's why Vader keeps looking back and forth from his son to the Emperor. Luke's love, compassion, sacrifice are all still there, even as he's being blasted apart. Palpatine has spent over twenty years teaching Anakin arrogance, cruelty, and fear of his "master." Luke undoes all that in only a few hours. Luke spoke truly to the Emperor, "...your overconfidence is your weakness.

[@ZweimannImperium]

It gives me chills that the first one to call Luke a Jedi is THE Sith-Lord. Edit/added: I mean the point where he acutally was a real Jedi knight after defeating Darth Vader. Yoda told him that he would only be a true Jedi if he confronted his father. Then Luke did so and won before realising that he had fulfilled his final test. He told it the emperor who then accepted the fact that he had failed to turn him to the dark side by saying: "So be it, Jedi."

[@pwnmeisterage]

Vader called him a Jedi. Obiwan called him a Jedi. Yoda called him a Jedi. All his friends called him a Jedi.

[@ZweimannImperium]

@@pwnmeisterage Yes, but I mean at the point where he acutally was a real Jedi knight after defeating Darth Vader. Yoda told him that he would only be a true Jedi if he confronted his father. Then Luke did so and won before realising that he had fulfilled his final test. He told it the emperor who then accepted the fact that he had failed to turn him to the dark side by saying: "So be it, Jedi."

[@jaieregilmore971]

@@ZweimannImperium When the most evil person called you something by there enemy of light that means you are worthy.

[@jhhh888]

As a recovering alcoholic I must say that Lucas' speech at the end is spot on. I drank to feel pleasure, and I sure did. But the next day I would regret it and drink even more, which turned into a spiral of suffering in the long run. But when I think back at the road trips I had with my friends years ago, I feel joy. How we laughed and had so fun together without alcohol, that gave me memories that will bring me happiness for the rest of my life just by thinking about it.

[@Bezanie]

I hope you continue to find joy in your life!

[@roelofzinn8227]

"Always emotion is the future" as Yoda said. All of the best on your own Hero's Journey my friend. The Force will be with you, always. Please do take care of yourself and may you find that joy again. And, as Lucas said, you never know when a moment of (good) pleasure might occur spontaneously. Keep on punching, amigo. All of the best.

[@sartainja]

I hope you all the best on your road to sobriety.

[@skinnex3236]

Hope your doin good man, life is beautifull and you should always enjoy every moment of it

[@nicklima1779]

Jesus Christ is the key for our Joy, Purpose, Peace, & Love. He gives us Rest, Wisdom, Discernment & Courage. Trust Him in all things. He frees us from all sin & dwells in us forever when we Repent & Seek Forgiveness from our sins. He also gives us the strength to forgive others & ourselves & helps us pray for our enemies too. Jesus loves you friend. He is Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins. He is The Way, The Truth, & The Life. No one comes to The Father, but by Him.

[@rga1605]

I gotta admit what called my attention most was the observation that Luke, in spite of being the hero, needed to be saved at the ending of each movie. That's really a great insight, while it helps him to resist hubris, it also shows how important it is that he's not alone. Luke has an underrated quality that is simplicity. Many consider it to be a writing flaw, but simplicity is present in a lot of heroes and this is what saves them from falling (like Frodo resisted the Ring for so long because of his hobbit simplicty and when he fell because the ring was just that unbearable, he was helped by his pity and Sam who's an even simpler character).

[@emmaspencer4586]

Less is more.

[@cuffzter]

This is certainly something not to be overlooked in the criticized sequel trilogy. The new jedi protagonist doesn't need to be saved but breaks out and saves everyone else, not just once but twice (no wonder some people considers her a Mary Sue) and its not until the third movie there is a moment when it is she who is saved, but by then it feels its to late by many.

[@saphiriathebluedragonknight375]

Whereas Anakin had no one to save him. Obi-wan wasn't there when he fell. He felt so alone. Luke had help to save Han. No one helped Anakin clear Ahsoka's name.

[@AgnumMD]

@@saphiriathebluedragonknight375 Anakin was physically saved numerous times in AotC and a couple times in RotS. Multiple people tried to emotionally save him too. He just rejected it because he had given in to the allure of power. The Dark Side of the Force was quicker, easier, more seductive.

[@logicaldude3611]

I always found it interesting that the Emperor thinks it will be extremely easy to turn Luke to the dark side, just get him a little riled up. That may have worked on the old school Jedi Knights who were like monks, but Luke is a regular kid with regular concerns. The Emperor vastly underestimates how grounded Luke is.

[@gchm3503]

Hopefully not but am I the only one that every now and then I rewatch this beautiful video to remind myself what Star Wars actually used to be about?

[@paveldatsyuk8268]

Yup

[@DJNenz]

I come back to this every couple of months. Fantastic video.

[@redbynight]

not just you...

[@thomassamuels794]

Bro, this is my 3rd time in two weeks, I have a problem

[@ronmitchell9710]

Same here

[@revpembroke3082]

Seeing what Lucas did in Revenge of the Sith just gives so much context to Palpatine in the Death Star there. And the way he just looks so.... puzzled and confused is fantastic. "It worked on the father, but not on the son?"

[@tomnorton4277]

Similar to Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas was always at least 10 steps ahead of the people who criticise him.

[@hecate235]

@@tomnorton4277 Stanley had control issues. Like doing sixty takes of an entrance in "Eyes Wide Shut."

[@tomnorton4277]

@@hecate235 Yep. But he still knew what he was doing.

[@hecate235]

@@tomnorton4277 lolol Just because you're a genius doesn't mean you don't have massive "quirks." I also think it means you don't trust your actors. Hitchcock was a genius too, but he was a real jerk to his leading ladies. "I never said actors were cattle. I said they should be treated like cattle."

[@revpembroke3082]

@@hecate235 That's cool and all, but... the fuck does that have to do with anything? The guy you're replying to used Kubrick as a reference to praise George Lucas, and now you're going off in a rant about Hitchcock being an asshole?

[@nineleafclover]

What I've noticed is that Lucas, consciously or otherwise, employs a dialectic method in each trilogy. The first movie in each trilogy says, "Feel, don't think. Trust your instincts." The second movie in each trilogy says, "Patience! Think!" The third movie in each trilogy is about resolving these two imperatives, and finding the balance between them. In Episode III, Anakin fails to find this balance, succumbing completely to his emotions. In Episode VI, Luke succeeds in achieving a balance by finding a rational way to resolve the emotional conflict facing him, inspiring his father to then achieve the same balance.

[@SoUncivilized414]

Always adding really interesting stuff down in these comment sections.

[@lukas.ferreira3916]

@@aricaj.3006 Like father, like son. God, I love this series…

[@KingArthur39]

This is what I think George was going with "balance in the force". Not Darkside + Lightside, but Mind + Soul or Cosmic + Life

[@articlevftw8920]

@@aricaj.3006 We should all allways ignore the Disney sequels. I can't wait until they finally get rid of 'Krazy' Kathleen Kennedy and put Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni in charge of LucasFilm.

[@saphiriathebluedragonknight375]

@@aricaj.3006 In Rebels Ezra used a Sith and Jedi holocron to find the key to defeat the Sith. He saw Tattooine. On that world was Luke. Luke was the key Ezra was looking for. By saving Vader Luke enabled the Chosen One to fulfill the prophecy.

[@Icup200169]

The single best line of dialogue in any star wars movie: "I am a jedi, like my father before me."

[@narutardkyuubi]

It’s an amazing line: Because it shows that the Emperor LOST. Luke has seen what became of his father, he’s been thrown through the emotional wringer with no preparation, and yet, he refuses to give in and chooses to believe in Anakin’s goodness which everybody else (including Yoda and Obi-Wan) told him was a lost cause.

[@kennethjuarez5384]

My personal favorite is from Episode V. Yoda says to Luke on Dagobah: "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." We are not just our physical selves.

[@loganfields159]

The delivery too. So good. All the other Jedi we see are promoted by their instructors. Luke declares it to be so, and is confirmed as such by an evil bastard. "Very well....Jedi"

[@narutardkyuubi]

@@loganfields159 Not just ANY evil bastard, but one of the greatest Sith Lords in the galaxy knighted Luke, from a certain point of view.

[@gamingtime468]

*"It's over Anakin. I have the high ground."*

[@Webhead123]

A friend and I were once engaged in an incredible discussion about Luke's journey through the films, particularly regarding its culmination with his confrontation with Vader in RotJ. My friend expressed something very close to what you said about Luke's recognition of their intertwined destinies, as he battles his fate near the end of the duel. He said,: "To Luke's mind, it isn't just the acknowledgement that "_I am becoming like my father_" but the recognition that "_My father was once like me_"." This duality, this shared destiny, is part of what makes the story of Lucas' Star Wars so timelessly endearing.

[@tdagz20]

The pleasure vs. joy speech given by Lucas is so overwhelmingly powerful how it perfectly depicts not only his saga of Star Wars, but also how society functions as a whole, forgetting that selflessness is the root cause of the progression of humanity. So eloquent, thanks for memories, George.

[@charleswhitehead7489]

I've always loved that final duel between Luke and Vader. The music and the cinematography when Luke lets loose on Vader just feels like "this is where it all ends," and it looks like, in that moment. Luke is headed down the dark path

[@SoUncivilized414]

That's one of my favorite musical passages in this series -- different from most of the other stuff and a little bit lost in the shuffle sometime, but you can very much feel the wavering fragility of Luke's position in that moment.

[@gonkdroid8279]

@@SoUncivilized414 It's one of my favorite parts of the score too, fits the drama of the scene perfectly

[@olivertamburro3504]

Quite possibly my favourite scene in all of star wars

[@SoUncivilized414]

That's a good candidate -- mine is the burning homestead.

[@FosukeLordOfError]

This is my favorite scene in all cinematography and why Return of the jedi is my favorite star wars

[@Orochi2345678]

“If he can become a Jedi like his father, his father can become a Jedi like him” If that’s not a quote to summarize that final confrontation I don’t know what is. Very well crafted video.

[@shawnthompson2303]

At the end of RotJ, Luke is acting 111% on FAITH.

[@grantbreland654]

“I am a Jedi like my father before me” brings me to tears every time

[@Squeekysquid]

The hardest line in all of Star Wars imo. Followed closely by "You were my brother Anakin, I loved you.

[@anenemystand5582]

I think what's most important about Luke is that he doesn't achieve victory through righteously punishing evil. He achieves his victory through compassion and understanding towards someone consumed by evil.

[@logicaldude3611]

I always loved how Luke becomes the ideal Jedi Knight by listening to the teachings of his mentors, but ultimately rejecting their guidance as being in direct violation of those lessons. He's taught "trust your feelings" and "do what you feel is right" but also that he should sacrifice his friends, and ultimately that "a Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack" but then they insist he has to go kill his father.

[@leahvolmer9210]

When do Obi-Wan and Yoda insist on Luke killing Vader? If you watch the whole conversation during RotJ, not once do Yoda or Obi-Wan use the word kill. Face and confront, but not kill. It's only LUKE who says the world kill. In this instance, Luke is projecting onto Obi-Wan and Vader. After Luke says he can't kill his father, Obi-Wan notes of how good a friend Anakin used to be to him and that he then devolved into Vader. Obi-Wan and Yoda don't want Luke to have to kill Vader, they merely see Vader as a lost cause. And they're not without good reason. Luke is not rejecting their teaching at all, that's just more anti-Jedi sentiments that have been going on for far too long.

[@logicaldude3611]

@@leahvolmer9210 "I can't kill my own father"... "Then the Emperor has already won, you were our only hope." It's extremely clear what their intentions are. What do you think they want Luke to do when he "confronts" Vader? Obi-Wan does not deny at all that that's the intention, he even clarifies by affirming that if Luke doesn't kill Vader then the Emperor has won.

[@Boss_Isaac]

@@logicaldude3611 Agreed. It's pretty clear that both Yoda and Obi-Wan were under the impression of Anakin being a lost cause, that Luke would be foolish to think that he could persuade his father in appealing to his own sense of compassion and that he would have no choice but to kill Vader. They're worried that Luke will end up killed, as Vader has not presented himself as a particularly merciful or compassionate being - under the presumption that she'd conspired with Obi-Wan to kill him, he put his pregnant wife in a chokehold and then resolved to kill his old mentor lmao.

[@leahvolmer9210]

@@logicaldude3611One way or another, Vader has to go. He's done too much and sacrificed too much of himself to go on living, redemption or not. Anakin literally has to tell Luke to let him go. The problem with Luke is not his faith in his father, but that he kinda wants to sacrifice everything on the whims of his father's good nature. Both Yoda and Obi-Wan did that and were burned for it. Luke is getting too attached. He only wants to see his father and not what Anakin allowed himself to become. I'm not saying Luke is entirely wrong in his compassion towards his father. The ability to reach out to Anakin's humanity despite never having seen it is what does eventually redeem him. However neither are Obi-Wan and Yoda being jerks who want Luke to kill his own father. They've seen Anakin's heroic nature up close and personal, yet still Anakin allowed himself to fall, despite doing the best they could to help.

[@logicaldude3611]

@@leahvolmer9210 I never faulted Obi-Wan and Yoda for wanting Luke to kill Vader, it makes complete sense. But I do think it's interesting that it goes against the principles he's been taught by Yoda. And in the end, both sides want Vader dead. Not just Obi-Wan and Yoda, but the Emperor as well. So Luke is in a dilemma and I think when the Emperor goads him to kill Vader, that's when it all comes together for him. He realizes what he's caught in the middle of and he rejects it completely. It's a very good arc, very creative storytelling.

[@bpetey5970]

One of my favorite lines from Star Wars is at the end of Return of the Jedi when Luke is trying to get Anakin off the Death Star and he tells him, “I’ll not leave you here I’ve got to save you!” (Therein we see again Luke’s character of always trying to rescue.) and his father replies, “you already have, Luke”. Gets me right in the feels every time.

[@hecate235]

What gets me is how carefully, how gently, Luke removes the helmet and mask. Then when he sees his father's ravaged face, there's no horror or disgust, just compassion, understanding, and love. (Love Mark Hamill. His acting is very underappreciated.) That's what some of the books get right.. Luke doesn't see himself as a healer, but he is.

[@martialarts2475]

Whether he had died on the second death star or not he was still doomed because he left there changed one way or another.

[@VioletsOnMars]

Luke has always been, and will forever be- my favorite character. He felt human in his experiences and growth rather than scripted to be a heroic archetype for "character development".

[@sharrpshooter1]

That speech at the end really hits, but it hits 1000x hard with this masterful edit, showing Anakin whenever pleasure is mentioned, and Luke whenever it is Joy, like showing that what they were chasing is why they turned out differently. The part at the end where he said just accept that its gone and maybe it will come back then shows Anakin as a ghost at the end of Return of the Jedi is genuinely one of the greatest subtle editing moments I have ever seen that has such a massive effect

[@hannahb2383]

Was going to comment something similar!! That speech/edit combo gave me serious chills 💯💯

[@mishynaofficial]

Makes one think whether Luke’s is so different to Anakin or he’s just lucky Han took his gf? 😂

[@xmarksthespot4021]

Luke Skywalker goes from whingebag to a badass with compassion. He's a perfect character for people to imitate.

[@VirtualSG]

I'm confused. Luke Skywalker goes from "whinebag" to badass in the first movie. The sequels just stretch that same concept and don't really add a whole lot IMO. Sure, Empire and Jedi are well intended - but they are also just watered down versions of Star Wars '77.

[@VirtualSG]

@@LordVader1094 Now I'm confused about your position 😀 My point is that Luke is most definitely a badass - by the middle of the original Star War '77, never mind the end. Empire and Jedi play around with the concept - but they aren't awesome movies the way the original Star Wars is and I'm fascinated by the fact that people downplay Star Wars '77 as "introduction fodder" that merely lays down some ground work or something - nonsense! Star Wars '77 is the only Star Wars movie that even matters IMO. (I made a video all about it)

[@joejack4616]

@@VirtualSG Eh, he still whines a lot in ESB. Especially on Dagobah.

[@VirtualSG]

@Joe Jack True. It's difficult to tear down the basic premise of Empire, but IMO Luke feels more like a plot device than a character. Matter of fact, I would describe every single character, except Yoda that way. I made a video about that sort of thing, if your interested... 😊

[@kylekatarn5964]

Meekness is an underappreciated trait in heroes.

[@nobody-qi2yf]

Finally someone who respects George. My entire life I've witnessed people bitch about Lucas. It's nice to see someone recognize him for his gift to us. Star Wars quite literally saved my life, and for that I will always be grateful to George! Great video btw.

[@gerardotejada2531]

Star Wars killed sci fy for decades. Chep knock off after cheap knock off. And even star wars became a hollywood empty block buster after the Original trilogy. Thats why George is hated. Than and that he killed the olriginal versions of his films

[@user-xx6vy9ri8p]

@@gerardotejada2531 First of all, he talked about people who love Star Wars but hate Lucas. Those who hate Star Wars in general are very few. Secondly, we can't know what would happen with sci-fi if Star Wars wasn't a thing. After all, most of classic sci-fi movies came after 1983. Thirdly, prequel trilogy isn't empty at all. And he didn't kill original versions, they exist, you can find them very quickly.

[@aesir1ases64]

@@gerardotejada2531 Non sense, if thats the case Tolkien and the LOTR would also be hated for the cheap knock offs that came after, and like the guy above said, you can find very quickly the original versions of the OT. The reason that George is hated is because he doesnt bow down to clowns fans and never asked sorry for the morrons that never understood or enjoyed the prequels. But at least he got his redemption after the disaster of what Disney has done to his saga and those same old fans are now respecting him more.

[@itnotmeitu3896]

I’m glad people are realising that now

[@razorfett147]

@ nice try. But the prequels and the fiddling with the OT are 99% of the reason Lucas started getting heat from the fans. Its objective FACT. That heat didnt start til largely after the prequel trilogy started to release. Lucas is a great visionary, but lets not sugarcoat it: he needed alot of help to make Star Wars a legit phenomenon Furthermore: loving the prequels is NOT the same as them being good films.

[@TwinSteel]

For me, that scene, where Darth Vader chooses his son, is one of the most poignant and meaningful scene in all of cinema

[@attackontitanbeautytheking2725]

Luke Skywalker meant such to me as a child. I loved his journey and growth. So you can imagine how I felt when Disney took that all and threw it out the window

[@JoshuaWillis89]

That juxtaposition of Luke in the Death Star II throne room standing over a disarmed and helpless Vader to Anakin on the Invisible Hand standing over a disarmed and helpless Tyranus was so impactful, especially the way you edited it.

[@The_Gallowglass]

The scene is similar, but I would say the Mace Windu scene where he's standing over a cowering Emperor was the flip to the Luke / Vader scene on Death Star II. Anakin chose power to bring order and save those he loves (to their peril) and Luke chose to relinquish power in order to save those he loves.

[@JoshuaWillis89]

@@The_Gallowglass in the sense that Anakin committed to his path, yes. The visual comparison isn’t quite there, and at no point does Palpatine casually command Anakin to kill Dooku or Mace to join the dark side like he does with Luke. So there isn’t really a one-to-one scene.

[@AndreNitroX]

I loved that

[@acrow5]

@@JoshuaWillis89 You don't think Palpatine telling Anakin to kill Dooku was him trying to lead Anakin down the dark side? The most famous like from the Prequels? "Do it!" That is definitely Palpatine influencing Anakin, just not as overtly as in Return of the Jedi.

[@xy6845]

@@JoshuaWillis89 He did, just as @acrow5 mentioned. He just didn't reveal himself as a Sith lord yet because the time hadn't come yet for him to do that, whereas the Episode VI scene basically leaves Palpatine without many of his so valued and masterfully exercized means of manipulation as options to choose from, because everything is already revealed to everyone. In that sense the throne room scene is the ultimate showdown of 6 episodes while Episode III (which is still top-ranking to me) is, well, still part of the prequel storyline and a connection line to the original series. But it is true, all 3 scenes well illustrate the relevance and substance of Lucas' tendency to make his main protagonists change the whole plot by choosing a path of many laid before them.

[@cl5470]

Vader didn't save Luke. Luke saved Anakin and set him free. Luke was Anakin's final teacher.

[@theuncommonn00b12]

*F A M I L Y*

[@pizzario4986]

@@theuncommonn00b12 Don Torretto was the one who saved us all in the end

[@mauricioabad1317]

The fact this video does not show any of the sequels scenes, makes it totally relatable to the original idea Lucas had for Luke; The Classic Hero Archetype with all its trials and tribulations. And not the sad excuse of an hermit Disney sold to us. Kudos for the video

[@aninternetuser4306]

Disney's failure is complete.

[@officialthomasjames]

Lucas’ plan for Luke was quite similar but I hear you. His execution definitely would have been better.

[@spencerfoote6977]

It’s interesting how Luke was told so many times he had to follow his destiny but he kinda didn’t. I mean he defeated the empire but he just was himself till the end. He was suppose to kill Vader and the Emperor but he did neither. He wasn’t suppose to save his friends and take Vaders place but Instead he forged his own path. He was the opposite of Anakin.

[@kalakritistudios]

"...but he was just himself till the end..." Reminds me of him looking at the Twin Suns in The Last Jedi, especially the novelization lines of his death. Makes me think, these characters we love are controlled as puppets, sometimes they retain a few original qualities they have about them. Feels like we're controlling something in another universe. It feels like our love for a chicken in a chicken fight. It has its qualities, will do things on its own, the master will make it do things... and we can intervene if we try REALLY HARD. NO HOLDS BAR. ... Just something I thought of because of themes of STAR WARS here such as attachments.

[@rayvonvelez3129]

The thing I love is luke goes against both ways. He chooses to to try and save his evil father instead of destroying him like the jedi and palpatine have been telling him to do. He chooses his own path. That allows vader to know he himself does still have a choice, he chooses to save his son.

[@cryptosporidium1375]

He is upholding the Jedi principle better than the fallen Jedi order.

[@brandenmarcum430]

@@cryptosporidium1375 it’s funny how much Luke is like Qui-Gon, even though he never knew him.

[@darthportus]

Yo ucan't blame Yoda or Obi wan for that. Yoda never met Anakin after his fall he only saw his deeds and Obi wan was met with nothing but hatred since Anakin start blaming everything on him. Luke had it different since Vader persona started crumbling down every since he met Luke.

[@Imylover]

That's what I love so much about Luke in ROTJ; he's offered two choices, either kill the Sith lords or join them. But Luke sees a third option. Because he's optimistic. He has learned his lesson from TESB about not believing & henceforth failing, now he believes in the impossible & therefor achieves the impossible.

[@chazblank2717]

Yeah the editing in this video was really good... the idea that Yoda in much the same way as the Emperor is pushing Luke to fight Vader.

[@zonefreakman]

With your Star Wars in the Upside Down video I realized that Revenge of the Sith is Return of the Jedi in the upside down. An inversion of the ending. So it makes for a spectacular ending/beginning sequence for the point where Luke enters the scene. It's a foreshadowing of Luke's possible future if he fails, just as he saw his own face in Vaders helmet on Dagobah. George Lucas' saga is such a brilliantly constructed and thought out series, I can't believe how much more I appreciate it over time. I wonder if you will bring that perspective into this video.

[@philippealain6172]

@Damian Rubio, no, the prequels are brilliant and profound. Jar jar abrams ruined Star Wars with "the farce awakens".

[@philippealain6172]

@Damian Rubio, because he's a stupid character (and it is deliberate) and abrams is as well. He's not a terrible character and the prequels are indeed excellent movies. The only thing we can reproach them are the two scenes with questionable humor, with Jar Jar Binks. But it' s not two scenes that can harm the prelogy. And even if the character was bad, you don't condemn a trilogy for that, unless you're as stupid as Binks.

[@philippealain6172]

@Damian Rubio, we didn't see the same movies. Just because you say something inaccurate doesn't mean it's relevant. There is no moment where they hate each other, it is completely false to say that there is no chemistry between them, it is based on nothing, just impressions and prejudgments, even false arguments to denigrate. As for the dialogues. You're just an anti-Lucas hater with no objective argument.

[@martimsalvador9186]

@Damian Rubio first, the best friends u can get are the ones u can disagree with. however, in ep3 we still got some really cool dialogues between anakin and obi wan. So, even if u didnt watch the clone wars (u definitly should, because it gives even more debt to the characters in the movies, especially anakin, obi wan, padmé and the clones) u could understand that they were friends, that anakin has grown from a student to a friend. second, by the time padmé died, vader only had one "friend", palpatine. Even if vader killed palpatine after knowing padmé died, he knew that he would be alone, until the rest of his days (ofc he didnt know about luke and leia) because he betrayed every one of his friends and family. Also, it is shown that leia looked directly at padmés face when she named her "leia", which means that, maybe through the force, leia could have had visions of her mother (that could be shown in the kenobi show) at last, obi wan has one of the best character developments in the prequels. he starts as a padawan, a inpacient jedi that after his master's death, has to train a kid to become the greatest jedi to ever live. he ofc was never supposed to be a good teacher, he didnt have the experience to be one. that is why anakin is so strange while talking to others, especially females, because he was raised by someone who couldnt properly teach him. however, obi wan did his best, and realized that the master and the apprentice need to be friends, if their master/apprentice relation is meant to work. we will also see even more character development in the kenobi show. that means that obi wan went from someone impulsive and impacient, to someone wise, pacient and essencialy someone who would trust in the force, instead of someone who would trust in his emotions. and also, the clone wars counts to show anakins distrust in the council, the state of the republic at that point, and to give more debt to every relation in the prequels, specially anakin's and obi wan's.

[@zonefreakman]

I hate getting into the Star Wars "debates". I won't be arguing with anyone. I will only say that what I love about Star Wars is what George Lucas creates, his intentions behind it, HIS creation rather than someone else's, and that his stories helped me to develop myself as a more mature and responsible person. All of this bickering, which is what it is, is just self centered egoism. Fair enough to criticize the movies for their quality or whatever, but it cannot take away from how it has helped people to grow as more mature people, into their authentic selves.

[@matthewwhite4564]

This. This is why I'm a fan of Star Wars. Thank you for the reminder. After all the tripe we've had to endure from Disney, I'd basically gotten to a point of not caring about Star Wars. But this video, this has reminded me why I'm a fan. Why I love this saga (1-6). And why passion and creativity is important in telling a story.

[@Dragon_Lair]

I've been replaying Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and man oh man, that game and this series absolutely epitomizes WHY Star Wars was so big. We may be in the dark times of the Empire (Disney) but there IS hope that balance to the Force can be restored and Star Wars make its return. We are living in a time where the pendulum of culture is swinging back in the direction it came from and is swinging very hard, venture capital has run out, the Silicon Valley Bank failed, Disney doesn't have the money to buy Hulu but are legally required to and need every penny they can get and have not had a single movie that belongs to a franchise they own make any money this year, with Indiana Jones looking like it is going to flop hard as well. They've fired Victoria Alonso, the head of DEI AND their CFO, who was one of the biggest allies of these people. Lucasfilm is being sued for defrauding Karyn McCarthy (a personal friend of Bob Iger) and Disney's stock is down. All the pieces have lined up for everything that has gone wrong to fall to pieces and hopefully something new can be born that brings back what we all love about Star Wars. Because of everything that has happened Disney is no longer in a position where they can afford to double down on insanity.

[@colonelradec5956]

Him saving darth vader to me impacted me deeply. I was evil. My son melted me and changed me. I would not be the man i am if my son werent who he was. When luke says i wanna save you and darth says... you already have.. that to me so fitting. Ive lived that. You have no idea how much impact you have just by being you. By being good.

[@sdsdfdu4437]

Luke looking at his own robotic hand after seeing Vader's robotic arm that he just cut is brilliant. It reinforces what was introduced in Empire in the dark Dagobah scene, that the more Luke gives in to darkness, the closer he will become to Vader. And what you said was also brilliant, that if Luke can be a jedi like his father, then his father could become a jedi like him.

[@user-yo8ab1ys9e]

13:14 I’m not afraid to say that Lucas’ speech made me cry. I actually have tears running down my face right now. Maybe it’s because I’m in a bad spot right now, but I think it is because I’ve needed to hear this for the longest time. Thank you George for Star Wars and thank you So Uncivilised for this excellent video.

[@david3atista]

i feel exactly the same way

[@MarcOlivermusic]

Everybody who understands and is touched by the beauty of this story is truly blessed!

[@zephyr6877]

Same here. That speech was excellent

[@AImighty_Loaf]

YOO SAME i just wrote a comment saying how tearful this video made me. This channel is making me remember why I love Star Wars, after genuinely hating it from watching 7-9 and feeling generic and not special from the Disney+ shows like Mandolorian

[@tyleramaker2825]

Heard this part of his speech in another video and it made so much sense. Anyhow, I really hope you're in a better place now than you were 4 months ago :)

[@advancedstupidity5459]

Watched your Anti-Trilogy video quite awhile ago, but now I just returned to watch all the rest of your Star Wars content and, wow. You might have the best understanding of George's storytelling I've ever seen. I absolutely loved each of these videos and I hope you bring us more soon.

[@SeanLaMontagne]

That "Father, please!" Behind screams of pain. You know that was the moment Vader was pushed over the edge. You could almost see his thoughts through his body language, "No! Not again, not my son!"

[@jeremyg4560]

There is a youtube video somewhere out there where Vader has flashbacks of his life with Padme at the moment Luke is taking the Force Lightning. It's beautifully done and adds another layer of emotion to anakin/vader.

[@domino_201]

that's why i don't like the new edition of the movie where they have him shouting "Noooooooo." sure, it reminisces of when he first became Vader but i thought that him self-reflecting in silence was much more powerful.

[@SeanLaMontagne]

@@domino_201 hard agree

[@downbad.8411]

Big agree.

[@shawnthompson2303]

HELP ME!!!

[@odiadordeisrael]

I've always loved how Episodes I-III and Episodes IV-VI contrast each other, with one being about dark overcoming the light, and the other of light overcoming the dark. They are one in the same, yet opposites of each other.

[@procyon6370]

That's the last video, but yeah+ based name

[@Commander_Shepard.]

That's what I love about Original and the prequels. They're the yin and yang of Star Wars.

[@mikewj94]

“It’s like poetry. It rhymes.”

[@LordVader1094]

@@Commander_Shepard. And then the Disney trilogy is a muddy puddle that doesn't understand what made either work, lol.

[@tomnorton4277]

@@LordVader1094 The Disney Trilogy isn't worthy to lick the boots of George Lucas' Star Wars. George created 6 great movies, all of which contributed to tell an epic story that will endure the test of time and be talked about for decades to come, maybe even centuries. Disney couldn't even plan 3 movies. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson made THE worst trilogy in the history of cinema. Can you think of any other trilogy more disjointed and poorly planned?

[@juanpablogutierrez693]

The great thing about Luke is that he subverts the son's destruction of the father theme present in literature throughout history. Much like Zeus destroyed Cronos and Cronos destroyed Uranus, Luke is expected to destroy his father. Luke, however, refuses to partake in this cycle and manages to break it be being a gentle man.

[@jeremyallen5974]

"We must be better than this. The cycle ENDS HERE." - Kratos

[@chrisn676]

This is the best, most cogent, most efficient analysis of Luke's character arc. Applause.

[@andyknightwarden9746]

George Lucas at the end talking about the differences between joy and pleasure should be taken as the ultimate description of the difference between the light side and the dark side of the force. I know of no other explanation that illustrates that difference so perfectly than what Lucas just said in that interview.

[@tomnorton4277]

He speaks like a true Christian. Technically, I think he follows Buddhism as well as Christianity but I have a feeling that George Lucas believes in and follows Jesus Christ because you're very unlikely to find this kind of wisdom from someone who doesn't.

[@42kellys]

Except there is no joy in the dark side. Check it out: it is devoid of joy. Vader is always: angry, impatient, brooding and violent. Where is the joy? When he becomes evil, Anakin loses the love of his life, and loses his mentor and best friend, and he loses his own person. He becomes a slave to Palpatine. Like a pit bull on a leash. He is petted if he does well and if not..or gets old and useless, he is killed.

[@andyknightwarden9746]

@@42kellys Yes. That's what was said. You aren't saying anything new.

[@smartlinus2592]

@@tomnorton4277 are you saying that only ( or near to only) christians can be wise, that is pretty offensive, you know.

[@tomnorton4277]

@@smartlinus2592 I didn't say non Christians can't be wise. I said you're unlikely to find THIS KIND of wisdom. You can find plenty of other kinds but probably not this particular one.

[@charlesjmouse]

Ah, very good. George Lucas is certainly not without his flaws as a film maker. But he's certainly a deeper thinker and a more meaningful story-teller than most of his contemporaries, or anyone in the film business today that I'm aware of.

[@BWMagus]

Because most of them aren't really story tellers--they are show-ers of a series of events that can loosely be called a plot. They want a fist-fight, so someone throws a punch; they want a sombre moment, so someone dies; they want a twist, so someone is a traitor blah blah secret motive whatever. Shit just kinda happens and the characters are all exactly who and what the plot needs them to be to continue. I can't really blame most writers and directors for this flaw because this is how 99% of us would create a story, even when we know that's not how it's supposed to be because writing is HARD, but to get back to your point, yes, Lucas is a STORY TELLER; other directors learn directing, or maybe research technology or some specific ancient civilization, but Lucas was unique in that he studied STORIES to create Star Wars. It's just not really something we teach beyond an elementary level, unless you go out of your way.

[@Xavier17.5]

@@BWMagus I don't tell a story like that. I have consistent characters and I don't just make them act the way the plot needs them to be. If a character is selfish, then in a moment where they can give themselves £100 or someone else £1000000 they would choose to give themselves £100 just as an example.

[@MrPyro6000]

And the "that Im aware of" makes you a more meaningful commentator

[@gaupa007]

He is was a lot better than dose people creating starwars today

[@ryanbarth6691]

May 14 2022 happy birthday 🥳🎉🎉🎈 George Lucas

[@paveldatsyuk8268]

my monthly rewatch

[@MegaKnight2012]

Luke really is different from so many young-adult story protagonists. A lot of YA protagonists need to be reassured they're not descended from evil people, like it mattering so much that Harry wasn't the Heir of Slytherin, or Eragon finding out his dad wasn't the evil dad, but not Luke. Luke is forced not just to face his evil progenitor but redeem him. How many heroes of these stories do that?

[@gnc623]

Making Vader Luke's father was hands-down Lucas's best writing decision. The conflict and resolution of that plot device is what makes the story of Star Wars something truly special. I've talked to a lot of Star Wars "fans" who only like New Hope and Empire, except the ending of Empire. They claim that making Vader Luke's father was the ruin of the story. Those types of people are just action movie fans, not Star Wars fans.

[@huntervanhook]

It blows my mind that people don't like Return of the Jedi -- it's literally my favorite one! Luke's arc and the entire throne room confrontation is incredible storytelling. I remember watching Luke throw his saber at the feet of the Emporer as a kid and being shocked that he actually was able to turn Vader, the baddest bad motherfucker in the galaxy, good. I still get chills every time I watch it. It's just the most badass hero moment and it's why Luke is so iconic.

[@gnc623]

@@huntervanhook You have precisely nailed it! I know - I was shocked to find out later that among many, Return of the Jedi is considered the weakest of the original trilogy. IMO, it's the best one of the three. The throne room sequence is pure gold, and the scene where Vader saves Luke and destroys Sidious still can give me tears and chills to this day. It's actually my favorite scene in all of cinema.

[@gnc623]

@@huntervanhook and I have always said that A New Hope made Luke cool. Return of the Jedi is what made him an iconic hero.

[@pentelegomenon1175]

@@huntervanhook Most filmmakers would have made "Luke becomes a Jedi" the trilogy's happy ending, which is ridiculously inferior to what Return of the Jedi does.

[@stk7778]

well, the real problem is that it wasnt set up very well in the first film

[@ellebelle03]

Luke’s journey matters because all the things that were Anakin’s “shortcomings” were shown as strengths in Luke. His compassion and attachments to his friends and family didn’t make him weak. His desire to learn and be better didn’t make him reckless or weak. His faith did not make him weak. And it mattered to me. Luke’s never ending perseverance and faith and his love for his friends made him strong and he didn’t relinquish the darker parts of himself. He embraced them, and defined himself.

[@ThinWhiteAxe]

The line between a strength and a weakness is often thinly drawn. Anything good taken to extremes can be unhealthy, and the difference between Anakin and Luke are that Luke can manage himself in a healthy way, whereas Anakin lets his nature control him instead of the other way around. And I'm not really blaming Anakin for it either, there are reasons he is the way he is (among them his childhood as a slave), but that's just how it happened.

[@Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

It also shows highlights the differences between Luke and Anakin. Because while they are similar, it's the way Luke resisted the Dark Side that ultimately separates him from Anakin. That fundamental differences is why Luke was the better man and being the better man allowed Anakin to follow his example. Luke was placed in the exact same situation as Anakin but he made the right choice instead of the wrong one. Seeing this, Anakain realized his own mistakes and emulated Luke to rectify his past sins.

[@neilmcdougall4927]

The Disney content sorely misses Lucas' philosophical points in knowing what ingredients to add in a story (that logically gels and emotionally resonates). We are now subject to watch a headless committee led effort to recreate his success

[@temphy]

"if he can become a Jedi like his father, his father can become a Jedi like him" perfect culmination of the topic, absolutely fantastic video 👏👏

[@shawnthompson2303]

This is the Way.

[@brettjohnson536]

@@jessefirman48 Reported for spam :)

[@shaunh4108]

Bravo!

[@Oodelally]

I am always irritated when people complain about the duel between Anakin & Dooku in ep3! It is meant to mirror the duel between Vader & Luke in ep6 - a choice made by the hero that truly defines them. Anakin cements his path towards the Dark Side as he kills Dooku, and Luke truly cements himself as a Jedi Knight by seeing the good in his father and by not giving into his emotions or “destiny”.

[@MattAlbie]

I don't understand how any Star Wars fan could not inherently understand that parallel. It's not subtle.

[@gravemind6536]

@@MattAlbie They literally had palpatine in an emperor style seat telling him to kill Dooku Just like he did to Luke In return of the Jedi even the room design and battle style was quite similiar. Its obviously a very significant moment in the movie for Anakin as a charecter.

[@hashvendetta7226]

@@MattAlbie and it's not that people dont understand what's being done. It's that it's not done well. That entire sequence is all over the place tonally, jammed into the beginning of the third film, when it belongs at the end of the second. It's fine to see the vision and acknowledge that the bones for greatness are there. It's not ok to lie to yourself and claim what they put up on screen was the perfect way to go about it. Jesus, especially with what came before it.

[@SirDankleberry]

@@hashvendetta7226 Wow cool opinion but did I fucking ask?

[@Indurok]

I didn't actually notice that until seeing the comparison this guy showed in this video. That may have been part of what influenced Vader's decision to betray the Emperor and become the good guy again.

[@_seanchilders_]

I love the bit on Luke being forced to surrender himself to be saved as a part of becoming a hero, you can really see this paralleled with Vader, who, in a way, in that same scene has unknowingly surrendered himself to Luke to rescue him from the evil prison he got caught up in from 3-6. Really shows off the connection between the two.

[@jugandolarousse3986]

I never expected a video like this to make me cry. That speech at 13:14 hit me so powerfuly that I cannot even describe it.

[@saps1850]

Anakin will always be my favorite character in this story because he has taken the ultimate journey. He has gone from ultimate innocence to ultimate evil to ultimate redemption. He followed his destiny down his true path and finally brought balance to the Force by destroying the Sith and giving the Jedi a fresh start with a new perspective. (No, I don't accept the sequels. Nice try Abrams). Anakin was flawed, but aren't we all? That is what makes him a TRUE hero. The idea that we can fall from Grace, but then rise up from the darkness and rejoin the Light is very appealing to me. It gives me Hope.

[@jaieregilmore971]

It always baffles me that the sequel never mentioned Anakin at all.

[@mataprogres2100]

Sequels don't exist

[@MonkeyDBatman]

@@mataprogres2100 Except they do.

[@thunderspark1536]

@@jessefirman48 Everyone can be redeemed, hell seems to go against that.

[@skyler114]

@@thunderspark1536 Hell is your destiny on the world and your mental landscape combined at the final crossroads of your ability to determine your destiny. If you wished darkness on the world then your influence will likely have stirred it in that direction, and if you fought to redeem that past then maybe you can start to make things right until you no longer can.

[@TheSoundonly12]

Holy shit, I've been thinking on how in "Attack of the clones" we see every single trait that made little Anakin a hero in "Phantom menace" (his ambition and his passion, his love for the women in his life, his strong sense of self and his drive to make his own decisions whenever possible, his resolve not to let his stifling environment tie him down and his aversion to letting any "Masters" hold his leash) make it hard for him to assume "the Jedi way". I haven't thought of Luke in "Empire" this way until you pointed this out. One more brilliant way "Clones" mirror "Empire".

[@lordofd7111]

And it's funny, because had he been honest about how these things were affecting him not only to Palpatine, but to Obi-Wan, these qualities wouldn't have had to lead to his downfall. Anakin did the exact opposite of what Luke ended up doing: he inhibited himself in order to become his ideal whereas Luke learned to adapt himself.

[@TheSoundonly12]

@@lordofd7111 I'm pretty sure he was honest up until the Clones. He tells Obi-Wan everything. He even tells him how he wants to have dreams about his crush, for goodness sake (ugh), there's no brain to mouth filter whatsoever. Obi-Wan just doesn't listen. Anakin openly expresses his frustrations about being treated like a child and and gets "Know your place". He tells him about his nightmares and gets told to just forget about it. He tells him about falling in love and gets "your thoughts betray you, remember your commitments". Obi-Wan tries to be gentle about it, but it still summs up to basically "I expected better of you, why can't you just be normal". And after what happens on Tatooine he stops telling Obi-Wan everything, because he blames him for his mom (not without reason) and because the new secrets (Tusken massacre and the marriage) would get him thrown out of the Order. Then it all just piles up. Palpatine doesn't help as well. Anakin was raised in the environment that forced him to be ashamed of himself, so instead of adapting he chooses to conceal, pretend and ignore. Luke is an adult and pretty confident when he gets slapped with the Jedi teachings, so he refuses to take any of Yoda and Obi-Wan's bullshit. He learns from his own mistakes and chooses his own path.

[@lordofd7111]

@@TheSoundonly12 I wouldn't pin the blame on Obi-Wan's inattentiveness so harshly. To be precise, he tells Anakin to be mindful of his thoughts and feelings in addition to remarking that they may often betray one's stated person. It wasn't wrong for Obi-Wan to expect better of Anakin by that point - it seems that their relationship had been in a relatively decent spot before meeting Padme pulled Anakin right back into puberty - but at the same time, you're right, having been Anakin's master for ten years by then he could have had the insight to be a little more sensitive to Anakin's pent up frustrations.

[@TheSoundonly12]

@@lordofd7111 I wouldn't say I blame Obi-Wan, he was out of his depth and likely didn't have enough support himself, since he had to practically coerce the Council into letting him take Anakin as a Padawan in the first place. As a teacher who works with teenagers, I cringe at how basic his mistakes are (when you feel like you are losing your authority, the worst possible thing to do is constantly applying to your student's youth, and Obi-Wan manages to squeeze "my VERY YOUNG Padawan" in every conversation they have, just aggravating him further). But he was doing something that was unprecedented in the Order, trying to raise a child who grew up in a vastly different environment, and traumatised to boot. I just had to point this out because it seems very tragic to me, how their relationship was fractured after "Clones" and never recovered.

[@ashrimpcalledhank]

When I was 13 and saw RTJ with my dad, I told my dad how funny it was that Luke was dressed all in black during the movie but at the end his shirt fell open revealing that the whole time Luke was dressed in white.

[@Didymus1720]

I watch this video anytime I need a good cry. Real men cry over Star Wars video essays.

[@Elemental226]

I've been thinking a lot lately about a theme you see throughout Star Wars (I-VI anyway). How dangerous love is. Anakin's love for Padme ultimately turns him into Vader, and plunges an entire galaxy into 30 years of pain, oppression, and darkness. Luke's love for his friends nearly turns him to the dark side, both in Empire and Jedi. Love itself isn't dangerous. It's a good thing. But misunderstanding, twisting, and perverting love leads inevitably to pain. Luke misunderstood love, until that final moment when he throws his lightsaber away. That's when he finally understood that being a Jedi, being a hero, wasn't about swinging a laser sword around and saving a princess. He did all that long before he became a Jedi. Being a Jedi, being a hero, and showing true love are all the same thing. They are selflessness in service to helping others. And that's what Anakin lacked. He selfishly held onto Padme so hard that he killed her. He selfishly held onto the image that the galaxy was putting on him as a hero so tight that it turned him into a monster. He selfishly held onto the idealized image in his head of his mother so hard that he slaughtered a tribe of sand people out of revenge. All in the name of love of these people and things. So what differed between the two men? A quality in Luke that I like to call, "Aggressive kindness." Being so dead set on doing the right thing that you can pull the good back out of even a monster like Vader. For this to work though, you have to be able to learn from your failures when they're small, so you don't make one so big that there's no coming back from it. I could talk about this for hours. And how messed up it is that The Last Jedi COMPLETELY undid all of that good in Luke, by making a man who saved a monster after finding a tiny bit of good in him nearly murder a teenager because of sensing a tiny bit of darkness in him. Even Anakin would say, "Whoa, dude, that's messed up. Sure, I slaughtered a village, but at least it wasn't completely unprompted..." UGH.

[@peanutbutter7721]

Wow you know I never even considered how "I want to become a Jedi, like my father" Is a conflicting sentence! The idea that even from the very beginning where it seems like a clear hero's journey in episode 4 is flipped on its head in episode 5, and episode 6 is the final decision moment of what this destiny will mean for him.

[@rockyseverino9230]

if you want to know how conflicting a statement it is... next time you watch that scene, don't look at luke's face as he says it look at obi wan's

[@likecrazyhorse]

@@rockyseverino9230 The level of acting Alec Guinness brought with simple nods and thoughtful gestures left everything he didn't say as Obi-Wan open to interpretation. The smile he gives when seeing the group at the Falcon could just mean he's glad his diversion worked and they can escape safely, or it could be that he's seeing Luke and Leia reunited for the first time since birth.

[@logicaldude3611]

I'm not sure how Alec Guiness pulled it off, but many times in ANH his expressions lead you to believe Lucas had already planned out that Vader was Luke's father (but he hadn't). When Luke says that to Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan has this very somber look like, "No, son, you don't really want to be like him." The scene in the hut is filled with stuff like that, I've always found that incredible.

[@rockyseverino9230]

@@logicaldude3611 yeah, it's true george didn't know exactly what the deal with lukes dad was going to be, but he knew he was going to do something. that's why all those looks and glances and somber moments are there in early drafts of the movie he had it being revealed that it was obi wan that killed anakin then while on vacation in mexico he had a revelation that vader should also be anakin but he always planned on doing something there, and instructed (i.e. directed...) his actors accordingly ipso facto, while it's a retcon for us, in universe, it's not. George wrote the obi wan in universe to know a dark truth, even if george hadn't decided what it would be yet. typical foreshadowing

[@Batou3]

His father was a good jedi at one time. So not entirely untrue

[@vincentmartinez8241]

To me Mark Hamill's performance as Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi is his most beautiful work of art! His portrayal is a masterpiece! The way he conveys to Leia as to why he must face his father is soo heartfelt and engaging!

[@greenmonsterprod]

Mark Hamill's performance throughout the OT is one of the best, yet frequently underrated, elements of the whole saga.

[@vincentmartinez8241]

@@greenmonsterprod I agree

[@georgelucas2571]

I prefer his acting in Empire. I think everyone was at their best in Empire. The actors in Return of the Jedi feel like they’re not even trying (especially with Leia and Han).

[@vincentmartinez8241]

@@georgelucas2571 I wholeheartedly disagree with you. But respect your opinion and perspective

[@gerardotejada2531]

Mark Hamill best performance is the Joker. Amazing

[@madhattermaker622]

To me, Luke Skywalker is like a simple hero but in all the best ways, he's the prime example of "A heroes journey" when it comes to story telling but he also shares something I love in common with another hero that being Spiderman, Spiderman in Spiderman 2 when he fights Doc Ock tries to use words and compassion much like Luke did with Vader. Luke rises, falls and gets back up. Nearly everything that has helped me get through in life has been all life leassons I've taken by watching Star Wars.

[@bulbakip6380]

Lucas is such a great philosopher. I need to watch more of his interviews 🤔

[@Jared_Wignall]

Luke Skywalker is my favorite character in George Lucas’s Star Wars. He’s the character who never gives up hope and is able to redeem his father, despite having gone to the dark side. He’s willing to die instead of killing his father and following in his fathers footsteps. The arc he has in the original trilogy is one of the greatest put to film, I mean just look at the change he goes through in Episode IV alone. He grew quite a bit in that film and he grew even more in the following two films. He succeeds where his father failed and became a true Jedi. It’s also cool you pointed out that Luke is named after George Lucas himself. He gave the character the nickname he had in high school. He’s also Lucas’s self insert, something that Harrison Ford mentioned in the Empire of Dreams documentary. Thank you for the video, I love what you do and I hope you continue with the great work!

[@diersteinjulien6773]

I think Solo is an equally interesting character. Going from pure bragging mercenary to comrade in IV, to a trusted ally in V (introducing Luke and Leia to his friends), to totally self-sacrificing in VI (willing to go on the ground with no reward since he thought Leia was already taken, and trusting his most precious belonging, the Falcon, to others). It's not as in-your-face as Luke, but it's still a really well done arc.

[@wannabehistorian371]

I hear that George based Luke on himself before, but imo the two aren’t that similar. They just don’t come across as similar to me from what I’ve seen of George. I wonder where this resemblance they talk about comes from?

[@wannabehistorian371]

@@LordVader1094 Well yeah that’s the difference mainly. Luke is friendly and probably a bit more on the extroverted side; he’s an optimistic farmboy who wears his kindness on his sleeve. George strikes me more as someone who you might not like at first because he’s rather quiet and a bit eccentric, and can be pretty difficult but always means well. George also isn’t exactly a Jedi himself (though that’s not anything against him because few are). Mark Hamill himself strikes me more as Luke-like even when not in character, though still not completely.

[@fuzzzone]

@@wannabehistorian371 Self-inserts are rarely honest mirrors. They tend toward a certain idealization.

[@JadeSun7]

Interesting how when Obi-wan hands Luke his father's lightsaber, he calls it a Jedi's weapon, establishing it as a symbol of the Jedi in the audience's mind, yet when Luke announces himself a Jedi, he turns it off and tosses it aside. I think many of us, myself included, fell in love with the mystique of the lightsaber without stopping to take conscious note of this key thematic detail.

[@SoUncivilized414]

The Emperor calls it that, too.

[@hopeshineseternal]

I never noticed that, wow.

[@saberiandream316]

A Jedi fights NOT to attack, not aggressively, not offensively or for warfare - but defense, learning, and compassion.

[@LordVader1094]

Amazing how Luke throwing away the saber has a much more worthwhile meaning in RotJ vs tLJ

[@emblemblade9245]

LordVader1094 Even though Rey hands it to him with the full expectation that he’ll use it as a weapon to confront the first order head-on? The dialogue in the scene was poor, but his reason for throwing away the saber was valid.

[@DerekJFiedler]

Excellent essay. Connecting Lucas and Luke was well demonstrated. Makes sense why Disney has gone out of their way to avoid Luke. They are avoiding Lucas. It would place him at the center of the story and not them.

[@Lawlietftw30]

I loved this whole video. I think there's additional irony in the fact that many "heroes" - such as Captain Kirk in that movie - actually start out much cockier, reckless, and more impatient than Luke ever was (which might make it a bit harder for modern audiences, including me, to see much lighter shades of those tendencies in Luke). And yet, those heroes are usually told to embrace themselves, while Luke must overcome himself.

[@jasonwhite7905]

There's a phenomenon called the Hero's Cross; where the hero and the villain share 1 unique thing in common: each thinks they're the other. The hero worries he is the villain, and the villain thinks he's the hero. It's not just a comic book cliche, but real life, for the term Superman didn't come from America but from Germany. By the same token, the term Man of Steel didn't come from America but from Russia. Luke is unique in this field because it's his naivety and impatience that worked as his dark side. It wasn't until he stared into the mirror that was his father and his dark fate that he finally faced his own evil. The weight of his potential evil was perfectly captured in his eyes during Return of the Jedi. How we reflect on stories like this, and how it builds our world view shows how powerful stories are. And why it's important to preserve the arts as they are.

[@anormalhuman266]

: v| Ok

[@pentelegomenon1175]

I can't figure out the Germany/ Russia thing, is it somehow related to the fact that America regarded each of those countries as enemy powers when the comics were written?

[@jasonwhite7905]

@@pentelegomenon1175 I take it as proof that God has a sense of humor, as both of these countries were antisemitic. But it was 2 Jewish writers who invented the comic book series who now have a worldwide brand name, while Stalin and Hitler's reputation fade into scorn. Same with Batman. It's similar to the history behind the A bomb. It was a Jewish scientist who figured out how to build the 1st nuclear weapon. Meanwhile these 2 countries hated Jews and drove them out. But the point behind the Hero's Cross is to demonstrate that villains don't commit acts of evil for the sake of evil. They do it because they think it's right.

[@gooddaygene8355]

Another perspective is that we tend to hate / fight / resist externally what we haven't resolved internally. If one aspect is resolved, the other will follow. Balance. Goes back to the "Hero's Journey." Yin/Yang. Jungian Analytical Typology and the types / archetypes. Universal energies, etc. Lucas found the "innate "interconnectivity of things in our reality and Star Wars was his way of explaining that Force.

[@sauerkrautjr]

@@pentelegomenon1175 I think he's saying Superman = Übermensch, Man of Steel = Stalin. Still doesn't make sense to me though

[@anecnhoj572]

A lot of fans I know refer to Luke as "the Catalyst," I think that's a pretty good descriptor of how he prevails the world around him. He gave the rebellion a chance for a future, and he gave his father a chance at redemption.

[@Bryan-dr5qy]

And he gave the galaxy a chance at salvation after relighting the spark of hope

[@olympusgolemoflight7198]

I am just now realizing, your first video was primarily about TPM. Your second AotC. Third RotS, and so on. Well played, and very civilized.

[@KazekunForever]

Watched your Anti-Trilogy video and then watched every single other video by you in less than a day. Incredible insights, Incredible editing, Incredible channel. And you've definitely helped me appreciate aspects of SW on a deeper level than I did before. Keep up the Incredible work!

[@ryanbarth6691]

What did you think of the anti trilogy video

[@keiichimorisato98]

That scene where Luke rejects killing his father is such a powerful moment.

[@MeyaRoseGirl]

8:38 "The conflict facing Luke is no longer out there, but in here." THAT. That right there is why Return of the Jedi is my favorite Star Wars. Sure, this internal conflict has galactic consequences, but strip all that way, and it's internal. It's simply one person trying to come to terms with who he and his father are. That's something we all go through.

[@shawnthompson2303]

Literal chills.

[@r4_in_space]

The drama in a good story doesn't lie on the uncertainty between good or evil, which realistically isn't there. It lies on the character choosing between the two and the ultimate outcome of that.

[@bilalkhares4932]

The ending of this video brings me so much joy

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

Luke is pretty much Anakin in ROTS but with the good ending. As much as I love Anakin/Vader's story, Luke is also incredibly interesting.

[@totallyanonymousbish9599]

Exactly, which is why I hate what TLJ did to him so much

[@randomguyontheinternet422]

@@totallyanonymousbish9599 i always thought his dead was pretty cool in tlj

[@totallyanonymousbish9599]

@@randomguyontheinternet422 the dude force projected himself instead of going there himself

[@FeHearts]

No Anakin has the same role in Sith as he does in Jedi. The role reversal is between Luke and the Emperor, and Windu with Palpatine. In Return of the Jedi Vader saves the Jedi from the Sith while in Revenge of the Sith Anakin saves the Sith from the Jedi. At the end of the Sith he loses a son that he regains at the end of Jedi. Vader is also born and destroyed in flames.

[@ArkenTheAmerikan]

@@totallyanonymousbish9599 Actually no, what TLJ did with him made perfect sense. His entire struggle is fighting his inner darkness, and it's not like you overcome it once and suddenly you don't have it. For all of that film's flaws, Luke wasn't one of them.

[@frankvizen5480]

Luke Skywalkwe is my favorite fictional hero ever. His story arch in the original trilogy was perfect. His character was flawed but genuine and his growth as a character was totally earned from film to film

[@flyinryan1459]

Unlike Rey who is little miss perfect pissant

[@atkstat4540]

It's interesting to consider that, had Luke been trained from birth as a Jedi he almost definitely would have become another Sith. Because he and Anakin share the same traits, and that's exactly what happened.

[@jeremyallen5974]

The difference being Anakin was forced to keep his emotions bottled up by the Jedi which led to him exploding the way he did

[@gonzo6489]

"If he can become a Jedi like his father, his father can become a Jedi like him." Damn, that line gave me goosebumps. This is why we love Star Wars and it means so much to us.

[@overlex]

“Because If Luke can become a Jedi like his father; then his father, can become a jedi like him.” This is a very powerful remark 😢 especially that Vader’s force ghost at the end of Ep.6 is Anakin reborn into his young self, as a redeemed Jedi in master garbs 😢

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

wow, was it master garbs? Yoda's force ghost: ur mission is finally complete, we grant you the rank of master lol

[@awandererfromys1680]

I've always preferred Sebastian Shaw tbh. He looks like a dad and I really like that. Oh well.

[@TheMisterGuy]

@@awandererfromys1680 "I've always preferred Sebastian Shaw" We all do.

[@justafan9399]

@@TheMisterGuy Who’s this “all” you refer to? I guess I don’t exist then, if I’m not part of this “all.”

[@astarteswillum5259]

@@awandererfromys1680 Any of us who watched the trilogy before the remasters of them do.

[@nolanjoseph1553]

So this is how So Uncivillized returns. With a thunderous applause!

[@danielvelascocampos1900]

The final got me im not gonna lie, the statement about the car makes so much sense to me that I got a little bit of water on the eyes. a statement to keep forever with me. Im a nostalgia merchant always trying to re live good moments, never happens idk why, now it all makes sense

[@sleepysteev2735]

That speech about pleasure and joy at the end nearly brought a tear to my eye.

[@Palpameme66]

So Uncivilized: *posts a new video* Everyone: *THE RETURN OF THE KING*

[@soundwave252]

More like *RETURN OF THE JEDI*

[@lukeskywalkerjediknight2125]

@@soundwave252 He didn't call me a hero, I am the first dislike on this video

[@lukeskywalkerjediknight2125]

@Galactic Echowolf I have only 2 alt accounts.

[@logicaldude3611]

He's got a very keen understanding of Star Wars. I love watching this channel.

[@lukeskywalkerjediknight2125]

@Galactic Echowolf No.... I had 1 account, but then I got the "Update Required You must update to continue.". So I made one for my second ipad....

[@VaderTyrannus]

Great video! I've always loved Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader more,, but I don't think Luke's conflict between light and dark should be overshadowed. He's a great character too. Let's not forget that Vader killed Luke's mentor, best friend, tortured his other friends, cut off his hand, and you could even argue he's sort of at fault for the death of his aunt and uncle, and yet Luke still choose to love him. It's inspirational. That's why Return of the Jedi is really quite special to me. Luke's choice to love instead of hate, which Vader also makes once his son proves to him that its not too late, is powerful.