THE STAR WARS PREQUELS RUINED JEDI (Sam's Views)

Sam discusses his views on moral ambiguity in the Star Wars universe, both the originals and prequels, and expresses his concerns with bringing back the Jedi in the Force Awakens based on what we learned of the light side and the dark side in the prequels i.e Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. For once it's not about special edition changes..or Spider-Man..or Force Awakens or The Last Jedi trailer. Will past treatment of these characters have an impact on Kylo Ren? What if Finn is an anti-hero? Will Daisy Ridley get a lightsabre? Apologies if any sound issues are heard, I had trouble with the mic this time round. 'Episode VIII: The Last Jedi'. It's time for the Jedi to end apparently. Could this be Sam's wish coming true? Thanks Star Wars Celebration for releasing the trailer review reaction.
THIS IS A VIDEO REVIEW FOR CRITICAL, ANALYTICAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS PROTECTED UNDER ARTICLE 17 AND 107 IN THE UNITED STATES FAIR USE CODE. THIS VIDEO IS NOT AN INFRINGEMENT ON COPYRIGHT.
Sam's Channel is for people who love film. Those that often watch other movie-themed channels such as Jeremy Jahns, Chris Stuckmann, Grace Randolph, What The Flick, Schmoes Know, IGN, Mark Kermode, Screen Junkies, Clevver Movies, Your Movie Sucks (YMS), Mr Sunday Movies, Oliver Harper and Moviebob should enjoy as well. You guys seen the new Batman V Superman trailer yet?
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[@DrMadd]

My fanon is that the Jedi got really paranoid about people turning to the dark side thanks to their emotions and after the emperor killed them all Yoda realized the error of his ways and taught Luke differently. I know fan made material doesn't make up for a film's shortcomings but it's how I personally justify it.

[@chartcompass71]

+DrMaddWorld Actually, in the OG Expanded Universe (books, comics, etc.) that was almost exactly the reason writers came up with for the contradictions and nonsensical ideas introduced in the prequels.

[@DrMadd]

CheesyN4chos Wow. Hopefully they'll implement it in the new EU.

[@Naruto85RasenShurike]

+DrMaddWorld While I defend the philosophies of the Jedi in the prequels, the Expanded Universe did indeed come up with a stupid reason as for why Jedi are not allowed to fall in love. Get this. Apparently, an ancient Jedi master trained two padwans who were not only twins, but also had a strong bond from birth that made them similar in almost every aspect. As such, when one of them fell in love with a woman, the other grew jealous for being rejected as he was exactly the same as his brother, and therefore, caused a conflict between the two padwans that created so much hatred and conflict that their battle literally resulted in an entire planet blowing up! ... I am seriously not making any of that up... that was the actual backstory they came up with... If you don't believe me, just go watch Linkara's review of it in his COMIC BOOK QUICKIES #1 video. There are not enough words to describe how stupid that is. While I can understand the fear of losing personal attachments as a reason for forbidding love, as that's an idea with some credence and depth, the idea that love is forbidden because it can turn you into a horny and jealous a**hole that's capable of blowing up entire planets is just dumb on astronomical levels!

[@chartcompass71]

DrMaddWorld At the moment, it's pretty much assumed that is the reason in the New EU, as most explanations for the contradictions created by the prequels are at the moment. The only thing we have to do is wait for the new EU to have it in writing.

[@DrMadd]

CheesyN4chos Has the new EU touched the subject of the prequels yet?

[@dntm123]

2 things: 1. The deep characters thing wasn't really introduced until Empire, and Awakens seems to be the New Hope of this trilogy. 2. In that episode of Rebels, Ezra was using his anger and hatred to control the beast, hence the inquisitor's encouragement of it when approaching him. The only other time I've seen Ezra near the Dark Side is when he remarks to Seventh Sister how he's becoming more powerful every day.

[@nicholasmaslennikov2128]

"What do you see?" "Light. Darkness. The Balance." "It's so much bigger!" Interesting

[@DeepEye1994]

I'm not trying to defend the prequels, but in Episode V Yoda did say: *"A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the serious mind. This one long time have I watched. All his life he looked away... To the future. To the horizon. Never his mind on where he was, what he was doing! Hmph! Adventure! Hmph! Excitement! Hmph! A Jedi craves not these things, you are reckless!"* So this is what I think Lucas had in mind with the prequels, he wanted to kind of show that the Jedis used to be a bit extreme on their own (notice how Obi-Wan and Yoda both believe that Vader cannot be saved while Luke believed otherwise) and Luke is the first grey area Jedi who found the balance and didn't have to repress his emotions like Anakin had to. But it's all a matter of execution and the execution made Jedis look like emotionless douches.

[@1krani]

+DeepEye1994 Finally, someone who gets it. Drives me nuts seeing all these people thinking the Jedi as the good guys just because we associate them with the characters of the previous trilogy and because the main characters of the prequels (one of whom we KNOW turns bad at some point) are Jedi themselves.

[@SSaruman]

Don't forget to understand that these movies act as a progession of the understanding and the evolution of the force. There's a reason why in the prequels the Jedi were so black and white in their understanding of the force, and why after Yoda's defeat and his exodus to exile. He was visited by Qui-Gon and learned to reassess his understanding of the force which Is why he trained Luke the way he did. These sequels should, if I surmise it correctly, be an evolution of the understanding of the force through the conflicts that will ensue that will pretty much guarantee that the humanity of these characters that were in the original trilogy will be in full play once again. If you look at the movies that way, it may help to understand the characters motives between the two trilogies.

[@benjaminfenty8745]

+Gil Roland I honestly never thought of it that way

[@pippo17173]

+Gil Roland I just really wish someone else other then lucus directed because he got the idea but not the talent for it.

[@efrenyalung1348]

Wow, how the prequels portray the jedi would make really good villains, just emotionless killing machines that believe they are the force of good.

[@liamlinson7563]

that was the point

[@AnthonyReviews]

Now I really can't wait for our year of movies review so we can talk about Star Wars. I'm freaking out!

[@LeopoldLitchenstein]

This is kind of why my favorite version of Link from The Legend of Zelda is the Link from Twilight Princess, in a sense. While we know he's the hero and will do what's right in the end, the game isn't scared to hint that he could still go to the dark side, by having the recurring theme of power in the hands of near any mortal leading to possible corruption, as well as continually making him a compelling character through his emotions and facial expressions without being over the top/insincere like some other incarnations of him are.

[@iKhanKing]

I think there is a difference between what the prequels SAY the Jedi are, and how they are actually portrayed. If you compare Anakin in the prequels to either Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan, you see that they all have feelings and emotions, but Anakin's emotions take complete control of him. He obsesses over his mother, he obsesses over Padme, and he obsesses over their unborn child. Qui-Gon empathizes with Anakin as a brilliant boy who is trapped in a terrible slave economy. Obi-Wan grows to love Anakin as a friend, and is crushed when he turns to the dark side. BUT When push comes to shove, both of these characters control their emotions. Even Yoda is shown to have some sort of emotion in the prequels. He cedes to Qui-Gon to train Anakin, he clearly fears the oncoming clone war, and he clearly fears the Jedi purge when he leaves for Dagobah. I believe that the approach Force Awakens takes is one even more distant from the light and dark dichotomy. It would make sense if Luke becomes Jedi master of the new Jedi order, but as we see in the films, Luke never fully controls his emotions, and he is ultimately saved by an emotional outburst from Vader. Rather Luke's Jedi order will have a far grayer line, with the key being to use emotions at the RIGHT time.

[@OldPervertedHerbert]

I think less lightsabers is good for the time being. The prequels waved them around every chance they got and completely ruined the novelty. I think J.J. Abrams took notice of this and wants to savor the lightsabers for one or two really awesome scenes.

[@Naruto85RasenShurike]

Personally, I feel that the philosophies of the Jedi are actually pretty intriguing and deep depending on how you interpret them. Now I'm not saying that Sam's opinion or views about the Jedi or the force are wrong, but rather that there are multiple ways they can be perceived or interpreted, and not everyone has to subscribe to a single interpretation. In my perspective of the Jedi, I always saw influences of Buddist monks, Catholic Priests, Japanese samurai, and Medieval knight errands. The Buddhist influences obviously are presented through the force, as its a spiritual medium that the Jedi are constantly in tune with and shepard, similar to how Buddhists are in tune with nature and the world around them. Also, the Buddhist saying, "Life is Suffering, and the cause of suffering is desire," could easily apply to the Jedi's forbiddment of love, which is not necessarily dehumanizing them, as Anakin stated that Jedi are encouraged to love unconditionally (meaning that they love all life equally). In actuality, what they forbid is not love, but attachments and personal bonds as because Jedi are so in tune with the force (whose power heavily works on emotion), there is a greater risk for them to be susceptible to the Dark Side if they were to lose the person that they love. While some have interpreted this to mean that the Jedi forbid emotions entirely, the way I interpreted it was that the Jedi were more focused on the spiritual side of life rather than the material, and therefore, tried to distance themselves from the latter as it produces imperfection. This philosophy actually exists in real life as well, as Catholic priests are forbidden to get married or have sexual relations with others. They do this because they understand that lust easily accompanies love, and since lust is a sin against God, they avoid it entirely as they are focused on teaching the Lord's will to others. And in real life, we don't see Catholic priests as inhuman because they avoid romantic attractions, but we understand that it is part of their culture and a leaning towards spiritualism rather than materialism, which I feel can be easily applied to the Jedi as well based on what we know about them. The final influences of Samurai and Knight Errands also play a key role in molding the philosophies of the Jedi in my opinion. While the influence of medieval knights is more obvious in the Jedi being guardians of peace and justice, I felt that the prequel trilogy took a greater influences towards the teachings of Japanese Samurai. Not only were the Samurai peace keepers for the Feudal Lords of Japan, but they also held a strict sense of honor and duty that created a very thin line between honorable and dishonorable actions. As such, the Samurai had a very black and white perspective the world, as dishonor was considered to be a fate worse than death, and therefore, they did everything in their power to avoid making decisons that could be considered even slightly dishonorable. This is why I feel that there's such a thin line between the Jedi and Sith, the light and dark sides of the force, good and evil in the Star Wars universe. The Jedi's way of life is also focused on maintaining honor in a sense, as they are determined to achieve spiritual enlightenment through the light side of the force, which preserves the peace and order they are sworn to protect. Because of this, they attempt to avoid all contact with elements that can potentially draw them to the dark side as it would "dishonor" them in the eyes of the force and the peace they dedicate themselves to. While I agree that the world is not black and white, and that there are moral grays to every situation, not every culture is going to share that worldview, and as such, I find it fascinating to see that different perspective and how it molds the lives and beliefs of others. Overall, what I'm trying to get across here is that while one could argue that the prequel's interpretation of the Jedi makes them emotionless robots, others can provide a good counterargument or different interpretation as well. All fictional media is subjective, and no one interpretation is the definitive one. While some see the Jedi's detachment from emotional relations as dehumanizing and uninteresting, I personally see it as a form of transcendence and spiritual enlightenment that takes influence from various cultures and beliefs. This doesn't mean that Sam's perspective or my own is either right or wrong. It simply means that we have different opinions and perspectives towards the same thing. And there's nothing wrong with that at all!

[@Movie-comparisons]

Naruto85RasenShuriken actually every human on Earth feels emotions. That is why it's wrong for the Jedi to forbid their members from feeling emotions. It's literally the first line in the Jedi code "there is no emotion there is peace". Also romantic relationships or sex is not an inherently bad thing so it's wrong for the Jedi to outright not allow it's members to love

[@Movie-comparisons]

Also in regards to aniken the scene where he is brought before the Jedi council shows the flaws in the Jedi. This 9 year old kid is publicly critisized and shamed for loving and missing his mother. Here is a simple fact the love between a parent and a child is completely natural and healthy which is why it's is wrong for the Jedi to demonize the love between a parent and a child by separating Jedi from their biological parents forever

[@faroffgrace5490]

I hope Luke doesn't go bad, it would ruin the entire example you made of him.

[@SamsChanneI]

+Ghost Boy Preach, my friend.

[@Name-gp8xf]

If he turns, I riot.

[@JoeTufanoTheMovieGuy]

Ghost Boy Well thank God they didn't go that direction!

[@Da1Dez]

Oh boy.... 2017 hadn't arrived for you yet!

[@faroffgrace5490]

@@Da1Dez Why are you replying to my seven year old comment? FYI I like the sequel trilogy a lot.

[@BigA207]

Man, Knights of the Old Republic did a REALLY good job at showing how ridiculous these beliefs are.

[@AngryGoats555]

Too bad it isn't canon (RIP Revan)

[@BigA207]

***** I think it's everything AFTER the original trilogy that isn't canon anymore. So we still get Revan, but sadly no more Kyle Katarn.

[@AngryGoats555]

+Paintamaster2000 nah old republic shenanigans are no longer canon. Look up the new Disney Star Wars canon timeline

[@BigA207]

***** Oh, you're right. My point still stands.

[@IbeTali]

+Paintamaster2000 sure, we get Revan... in a casket.

[@BaldEagleProductionsYT]

I agree with everything you said Sam. I really hope that these newer films will remember what made the original trilogy such a success and use the same ideas or even explain on those ideas to make them more rich and better. So far, I have heard very positive reviews about The Force Awakens so thats a relief

[@KevinJonesReviews]

I have a feeling the concept of the area in between good and evil is what this film is focusing on as it seems having to chose whose right and wrong is Finn's arc for this movie. Also let's not forget, J.J. is a lot better at fleshing out characters than George Lucas

[@1krani]

+Kevin Jones Reviews You mean like the uninteresting action movie archetypes that he created for Star Trek out of previously nuanced and semi-complex characters? Forgive me if I don't agree with your sentiment, sir.

[@bobo577]

+Ikrani You do realise Abrams didn't write the Star Trek Movies? Orci, Kurtzman and Lindelof wrote them and even then, They have had better work elsewhere.

[@1krani]

bobo577 Abrams is a director. Directors approve of the scripts they work with. If he didn't like it, he could've demanded a rewrite. But he didn't. He went ahead with the scripts we ended up with.

[@bobo577]

+Ikrani If that's the case, he really should of stepped in.

[@1krani]

bobo577 He should've quit filmmaking, because the editing made my stomach turn and the sound design made my head hurt something fierce.

[@realdashrendar]

So after seeing the film, do you think your concerns were handled well?

[@simounobrien4132]

Which trailer or TV spot made you believe Rey would be using the lightsaber?

[@latviandragon2718]

i wonder, do you still have this opinion after tros

[@OrangeMonke14]

He's just trying to cope.

[@JaredGriffiths2000]

Good points! Yeah I do think the prequels ruined the jedis. I think in the original trilogy the jedis were meant to be like samurais, not like monks like in the prequels.

[@Spar10Leonidas]

There's something else to what you said about how the prequels seem to view emotion that I've never heard anyone else bring up: Why are the "problems" related to emotion exclusive to the Jedi? I mean, most of the non-Jedi characters probably have emotions and even act on them all the time, and there could easily be people who are Force-sensitive who aren't well-trained in the Jedi arts, so why aren't they a threat to what the Jedi stand for? Why don't they go down the path to the Dark Side? It doesn't make any sense.

[@brandonhenry877]

i'd love to see a scene where in the heat of battle luke uses force lightning and later tells that he has found basically enlightenment with the force and that there is not light or dark side there is just... the force and it is what you do with the force that decides whether you are a "jedi" or a "sith"

[@hawthorn_stone6998]

That's a pretty cool idea, I would love to see if they did something similar to that

[@pippo17173]

+Brandon Henry I hope the movies do that. After all these are gonna be the last movies in the main series.

[@redraptorwrites6778]

Commentary on the Jedi and pretty much on all of your views was actually done really well in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, a game that came out 12 years ago! The Jedi acted the same as in the prequels and this is looked down upon. The character Jolee represents the gray area between light and dark (even though he believes in using the force for good). Jolee quit the Jedi order and wasn't a Sith. And he tells how stupid the Jedi are for not allowing love and asking people to hide their emotions. It's not love or passion that leads to the dark side, it's hatred. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!! If you choose to have a romance with Bastilla in the game then it is clear that she doesn't want to love because it's forbidden but in the end it's one of the only things that can save her from staying a Sith and ultimately her death. So KOTOR knocked this topic right on the head and is one of the best things in all of Star Wars history. As awesome of a game as The Empire Strikes Back was a movie.

[@kauswekazilimani3736]

the monotoness is the point... they were flawed had become misguided, thats why luke us taught differently...

[@SamsChanneI]

+Kauswe Kazilimani That may very well be the intention, but as I said in the video; if that was meant to be a criticism of their way of life, it's no where near fully formed enough to register. Plus the prequels' heroic portrayal of the Jedi would seem to contradict that viewpoint.

[@solsingularity106]

+Sams ChanneI It was crux of the whole "chosen one" shtick. Did you not get that? Also George Lucas disagrees: the Jedi - Hell, Star Wars - was never portrayed anywhere near his vision until 1999. Try looking at it this way: JJ has made all the right technical choices so far and that was half the prequels' problem - stilted acting and audience disconnect due to blue screen overdose. Even if the movie is ultimately heartless it likely won't step to hard in the $h!T the first two prequels left lying around.

[@xanderm6090]

Sams ChanneI Well maybe that is why Luke was denied training by Yoda at first. Probably thinking he shouldn't train him to be an emotionless killer like he was doing for Anikan and the rest of the Jedi.

[@surpassed558]

why does it say "Anticipating the Return of the Jedi", shouldn't it say " Anticipating the force awakens?"

[@MichaelMcCallister097]

He means the actual return of jedi, not the movie. The video was about how they'll handle the jedi returning. (Yea, it's kind of unclear.)

[@charlesmoore8495]

The way I see it is that the primary reason behind the Jedi's rejection of emotions is because the expression of emotions can cloud an individuals judgement and cause them to make a mistake. History has shown that a emotional person can be a very dangerous thing. Everyone is vulnerable to the dark side, some more than others. Since it is impossible to know how vulnerable someone actually is, its safer just to block out all emotion entirely. Maybe this way of thinking is wrong, but then again, perhaps that's the point. The Jedi's strict, impossible to meet code is one of the many things that drove Vader to the dark side in the first place. From Vader's view, the Jedi are uncaring hypocrites that want nothing but control. In a way, he's right. When Palpatine told the senate the Jedi were trying to take over, he wasn't lying. What he didn't tell them was the fact that they wished to take over in order to stop a galactic empire from rising. That is the real irony of the situation. The emotionless and at times creepy monks have more humanity than a highly charismatic chancellor who is secretly a Sith. Even in the original trilogy, Yoda and Obi-wan make some pretty questionable statements. The most notable is when Yoda straight-up tells Luke that the dark side will forever determine his destiny if he were to give in for even a moment; which he did in ROTJ. But in the end, it didn't dominate his destiny. He rejected the dark side, and Yoda was wrong, and that; like giving the Jedi Knights ill-determined beliefs; was done purposely. It shows that the Jedi Order; like all organizations, are not perfect. The Jedi of old were judgmental know-it-alls that were extremely paranoid; but that doesn't change the fact that they were also self-less warriors that were willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. The lesson that was told from their history is that just because you are wrong about something, doesn't in anyway mean that you are a bad person. (Luke actually took this lesson to heart in the old EU. He allowed his pupils to express emotion, get married, and live normal lives while also being a Jedi).

[@bobo577]

This video pretty much speaks for itself. I am looking forward to seeing this movie, but at the same time, I am being cautious not to be over hyped.

[@RedWolf316sega]

I think it will be very good. What it has going for it are three films that weren't very good to learn from and then three great films to learn from. Either way, it's hard not to be excited especially just by how it looks and who is directing it. It might not be better than the original trilogy, but it sure has hell could beat the prequels.

[@Pooh396]

what happen to your force awaken review?

[@CthedrulWtr164]

Very interesting point, but i would kind of argue that Lawrence Kasdan (who again wrote those well done characteristics and awesome character dilemmas for Empire and Jedi,) wouldn't let that happen. Even J.J, who was recently interview by 60 minutes overtime, that a lot of scenes with some characters that were put as cookie cutter or simple good is good and evil is evil was not needed from Kasban because the context or basic outlines didn't need to be apart of the film because it doesn't need to be that simplistic. Anyways my point is, i would doubt Kasdan would let those character parts not be apart of the film and even for Episode VIII or IX, but if im wrong then......huh lol.

[@Evildood89]

alghou I agree with what you said, I came to the realization that the jedis of the prequels might be flawed on purpose, since that riggedness is what bring´em down, even if it is not that well portrait in the moviea, one can make the argument that it is supose to be like that, after all luke did save the galaxy not only defying the emperor but both yoda and obiwan... also remenber that kannan is somewhat of a oldschool jedi himself that´s how he see the fact that ezra gets emotional with the force. Also take in mind that luke, was not a true jedi, he is strong with the force and uses a lightsaber, but he dind´t finish the trainning, since maybe and just maybe was the yoda way of saying, the old jedi order is dead, now you go and make the new order as you can.

[@spentlizard353]

Regarding the lightsabers alone, I think there'll only be three in the film, and those would be Kylo Ren's lightsaber, Luke Skywalker's second lightsaber, and Anakin's second lightsaber. If I recall, the original Star Wars only had three, too, and those were the lightsabers of Obi-Wan, Luke, and Vader. The lightsaber that Finn uses (Anakin's second, Luke's first) will probably change hands multiple times in the film.

[@YousufKhanPR]

+Spent Lizard Too bad the EU Universe is non canon, but my favourite EU characters that are non canon are Galen Marek AKA Star Killer.

[@BardicLiving]

I think the idea that Jedi shouldn't be emotional makes sense, since Jedi are modeled after Buddhists (or at least an understanding of Buddhism). That's why actual Jedi shouldn't actually have too much screen time: they aren't the most interesting characters. Obi-Wan and Yoda both die, and the original trilogy ends after Luke becomes a true Jedi. It just makes sense.

[@JoshMartin123]

I think the moral ambiguity thing is going to be addressed through John Boyega's character Finn in Force Awakens.

[@1krani]

Have you considered that the Jedi Order were written to be wrong about their outlook on emotions and that Yoda's outlook in Empire comes from a combination of: -Losing his lightsaber and therefore forced to survive on an unfamiliar alien world with only the Force to defend himself -The utter catastrophe that was Anakin's fall to the dark side resulting in the destruction of the Jedi Order -Hindsight being 20/20 providing him an answer as to why he didn't see Anakin's fall coming like everyone in the audience did Because all of that seems to fall neatly into place with how Yoda behaves in Empire vs. how he acts like any other non-leading Jedi in the prequels. And if the traditional Jedi outlook was supposed to be in the right, why were they destroyed in the prequels, clearly indicating that their way of thinking is flawed as it's what allowed Palpatine to manipulate Anakin? And why was Luke rewarded for his unorthodox efforts to bring Darth Vader back to good? Mind you, when I say "The Jedi Order", I mean the side characters. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin were all far from the "model" Jedi with Obi-Wan being the closest in how he seemed more ready to side with the Order's teachings and the Council's decisions than Qui-Gon or Anakin ever were. Those three were far more empathetic and human than the rest of the Jedi, which is why they're the real heroes and the Jedi Order is just sorta there as a military ally. That's really all they act as in the prequels.

[@1krani]

And, yeah, the Jedi should have emotions. A license to kill is also a license not to kill. So, again, ever consider that the only three Jedi with actual emotions are the good guys, one of them falling to evil not because of the fact that he has emotions at all but because the only guy he can turn to for emotional support is also the puppetmaster behind it all? Remember, the prequels are meant to compliment the original trilogy. It makes sense to me that the Jedi would take an opposing view to the hero of the trilogy and suffer for it.

[@pelgervampireduck]

also the jedis went from an ancient misterious thing to something that existed just 20 years ago by the time of the original trilogy. I mean, in the original trilogy they talk about it as if it happened centuries ago and darth vader, yoda and obi wan were an anomaly, the last of their kind, as if general population had forgotten jedis existed. in the precuels they made it a normal thing. they lost the mistery

[@TwinTowersForever]

Give us your thoughts on Star Wars as soon as you see it! It was better then I hoped!

[@071cy6]

You could go search the reaction tweets of the premiere or wait till tomorrow's critic reviews, seems promising!

[@TorridPrime217]

Have you considered giving your thoughts on the Jar Jar Theory?

[@cartmanfan4life1]

+TorridPrime217 that's already gotten more attention than it deserves

[@cartmanfan4life1]

I don't know if this was George's intent or if it was just something that was retroactively decided by the fans later on to fix the damage done by the prequels but there's an idea among some star wars fans that the Jedi are SUPPOSED to be way too cold and off putting. There's SUPPOSED to be an issue with their mindset in the prequels. The idea is that Jedi purge emotion way too much and Sith embrace emotion way too much. They're at either end of an extreme and both are wrong so when Darth Vader "bring's balance to the force" he gets rid of all the jedi, and all of the sith, and he leaves luke on his own to start an order that kind of combines the ideologies of the Jedi and the Sith. I don't know if that was George's intent but either way, it makes the off putting jedi more tolerable if you ever bother watching the prequels.

[@1krani]

+Blake Walker I felt that way when I watched Phantom Menace as a kid. Yeah, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were very likable and sympathetic, but the rest of the Jedi never once struck me as good guys. But that bit about what "Bring balance to the Force" actually meant? I thought that just meant at the end of Sith there are two Sith and two Jedi of more or less equal power.

[@ithinkabout4369]

Sam, you are overlooking that the Jedi in the original trilogy (represented by Obi Wan and Yoda) also had moments where their motivations where questionable. For example, not telling Luke that Vader is his father (Obi Wan outright lies to him about this). Why did they do it? Who knows. And also, as some other comments suggested: It just shows how flawed and broken the old Jedi order was. The Jedi were trapped in their old ways, unable to see past their own arrogance. Thats why they couldn´t prevent Anakins fall to the dark side. And take a look again at Mace Windu. His portrayal wasn´t really that positive. He really fails in the critical fight with Palpatine, not the physical fighting, but the fight for Anakin. He does´t trust him (proofing to Anakin that Palpatine was at least in part right about the Jedi), and he fails to convince him that he is the good guy and that Palpatine is the traitor - because in some ways, he really isn´t the good guy. He really is not portrayed as "hero like" as you suggest. In the expanded universe (I know, you said it, not important - but still it shows a possible outcome of this story-point), the point of the new Jedi order that was built after the fall of the Empire is that it is different from the old order - people are allowed to marry, love wasn´t forbidden anymore. I don´t know how the Force Awakens will treat this topic, but I hope they will go for a similar direction, as this really good in showing what was wrong with the old order.

[@OneAndOnlyYesMan]

New Sam video! GET THE POPCORN!!!

[@khetanisultan94]

You made some pretty good points about the Jedi and the dumb emotionless rule they have.

[@gregcarter18]

I completely agree Sam! Great video! :)

[@bAd12cheZ]

These are the problems with the Jedi order, this is why some people simpathize with the sith. The movies tried to give a perspective of both Obi Wan and Anakin views on the jedi order. Yoda taught Luke differently because of the meditation on Dagobah. "From my point of view, the Jedi are evil." It makes sense when you overlook the sand that is the problems with the prequels. They are course and rough and they get everywhere.

[@gingeralex4009]

The scene where Ben uses his lightsaber to cut off the alien's arm in the bar fight from New Hope undermines the use of the lightsaber from the get-go to be honest.

[@Dagarar]

Interesting analysis, but I have my own theory. I think this new trilogy will going to be about transfering. Transfering the money from your pocket and put it into theirs.

[@motor4X4kombat]

tell that to trasformers, hipocrite

[@Dagarar]

Man, this comment aged like wine XD. Now everyone has a clear vision over this new Star Wars atrocities

[@michaelmorrison1314]

Really perceptive. I liked all your reviews of the six Star Wars films, but here I think you've dug into the core reason the prequels, even (for me) the last one, are just not engaging. As the key arc of the prequels is Anakin's devolution into Darth Vader, making the treatment of emotional so simplistic eliminates the possibility of him Chang in some interesting way over the course of the three films. I think The. force Awakens, which I found far more enjoyable, shows signs of returning to a more interesting and nuanced treatment of the force and of character in general. Thanks for the insights.

[@TwinTowersForever]

I wouldn't worry. JJ being a big fan of the originals is going to capture there essence as much as possible

[@SamaritanPrime]

You do bring up a good point, and I will say that of my top 3 Star Wars characters (R2-D2, Padme Amidala, Luke Skywalker), none of them are a Jedi in the normal sense. The reason why is that I don't really like the Jedi all that much. They're really just a cult with weapons of mass destruction, superpowers, and diplomatic authority. Seriously, think about it: Small group of people? Check. Isolated from society? Check. A strong sense of spirituality? Check. Strict codes and rules (and harsh penalties for breaking those codes and rules)? Check. Yep, the Jedi are a cult. The Sith are actually less of a cult because there's usually only two official Sith and a handful of acolytes at any given time. Thus, THAT was where Anakin Skywalker ran into trouble. He'd spent his entire life (up to the age of nine) as a slave. He didn't have much that he could actually call "his", and what he did have, he would fight tooth-and-nail for. Then, Qui-Gon Jinn frees him. Anakin, undoubtedly, wanted to go out and explore (he'd been prevented from doing so because of a GPS bomb implanted somewhere in his body) and push his boundaries. Sadly, though, he made the mistake of joining the Jedi Cult. In the process, he traded one master for thirteen. And these guys were hung up on a millennium-old prophecy that predicted that a Chosen One would rise up, kill the Sith, and restore balance to the Force. Which, as it turned out, involved destroying the Jedi Cult. For this reason (and a host of others), I never did find myself liking any Jedi outside of Qui-Gon (sort of) and Ahsoka Tano. Everyone else was just plain unlikeable.

[@PatrickWardActor]

Agree with everything you said :) but the Light Saber is not as sacred of a weapon as you claim it to be. It is only a tool. Remember Luke Busting it out when taking down an Assault Walker? Busting it out to kill a whole bunch of people in the Jaba the Hutt scene? And to take down a speeder bike? It's not as sacred as you make it out to be, it's only a tool. Just saying.

[@T0MBRA1D3RR]

Sam, you deserve more subscribers.

[@Adamatronamus]

Dark side propaganda. I will have none of it.

[@khetanisultan94]

Can't wait till this movie come out:)

[@timy9197]

I kind of felt like TFA is guilty of this as well. Sure Kylo Ren is implied to be tempted by the light (whatever the hell that is supposed to mean) but Finn and Rey seem to have no real motivation outside of "it's the right thing to do." It's not because of Star Wars, it's because JJ has no sentimental childhood memories outside of Star Wars and can't create characters how have feelings we are supposed to recognize.

[@nicholasmaslennikov2128]

Um, that certainly wasn't Finn's motivation. The first scene between him and Poe is proof of that. Finn actually said it word for word and then Poe called him out on it, showing what he actually wants: to just get the hell out of there and save himself.

[@motor4X4kombat]

"no sentimental childhood memories outside of star wars" ...sure and geroge lucas is the lord of creativity....cof copy paste a lot of shot of a lot of unknow kurosawas/war movies that most nerd don't know because they only live for star wars and nothing else cof

[@mw7741]

I would say the old monk-like ways of the Jedi are gone now, those methods made them dumb, blind and weak, and ultimately killed them. Yoda and Obi were failures in exile because they subscribed to beliefs that hadnt evolved in centuries. Luke didn't embrace the old ways and started his own path. I think we'll see a new type of Jedi in the new films.

[@1krani]

+Michael Wasik Exactly. Old Jedi bad, new Jedi good. Even as a kid I picked up on that. Why does everyone else have such a hard time wrapping their brain around the concept that *belonging to a faction does not automatically make you a good guy.*

[@sanyadek]

I think theyare meant to be like this, and so we can see and understand that this plays a huge part in their downfall. They grew more distant, they acted all high and mighty, so they shattered their own inner relations with the beeings they swore to protect. Jedi were ment to be the heroes, but they also do nothing of note to achive that - in ep1 they stop on a literal slavery paradise, yet do nothing to liberate more than one slave. After they fell, they broke, see the error of their way- well, kinda -, and set up Luke, the new, pure blood to go out there, and learn how to become a jedi, but also, teach them what it truly means to be a jedi. (Also, I know you are not into EU that much, but the coolest jedi are there, after Luke rebuilds the academy - but before the prequels came out, from that on, they tried to shape his academy, to kinda mirror the old one. Luke even marries a women, and not teaching anybody not to accept feelings. He even says the best line in the EU. "The Force may not have a Light or Dark Side-but we do… and we must choose."

[@willfulmattergonefr]

While this might end up being a load of bullshit, I heard a rumour a while back that Kylo Ren's character ark will be akin to that of Prince Zuko from Avatar, in that he'll act as an antihero that will, in time, redeem himself. Hopefully this will allow for a more nuanced and thought-provoking discussion on the moral ambiguity surrounding the force? :P

[@pippo17173]

You know that might of been the point of the prequels. The jedi are just as bad as the sith in a different way and in the end its who is the most unstable to control the galaxy and we know how that went. But ya the movies still kinda sucks do to how its writing and acting is. Shame as it has a lot of good ideas that really needed some polish.

[@enthomorf]

I agree. The prequels fucked with the meaning of the Jedis. And what is really mean be a Jedi

[@GeekOwtLowd]

Sam. I think you might be pleased by the Force Awakens. Rumor is that Luke might tap into the dark side, without turning to the dark side. Kinda like when he force choked Jabbas guards in Return of the Jedi.

[@justoutofframemoviereviews656]

A Jedi must have the deepest commitment--the most serious mind....

[@LiquidArmProduction]

Everyone should check out this video called, "Are the Prequals Brilliant" No it's not gonna convince you the prequals are brilliant, or good, or honeslty any better or worse than you originally thought. But it will shed some nice light on what I think Lucas was going for, and does make the idea of having the jedi be really shitty in the prequals actually really smart and interesting. It still dosen't help the movies overall, but still helps you understand maybe what Lucas was thinking, and the idea I like from the prequals the most. The Jedi's are shitty emotionless weirdos.

[@mrmackellar3337]

That's the whole reason the fell because they didn't use there emotions that's why yoda taught Luke differently from all the other Jedi because he realised not using you're emotions is bad the reason anikan fell to the darkside was because yoda didn't help him properly with his visions of Padme dying if yoda used his emotions he would have succeeded in helping anikan with his vision and anikan wouldn't have turned to the darkside.

[@creamithmanning2632]

Well, considering the fact that one of the protagonists (John Boyega) was formerly a freakin' Stormtrooper, I'd say there's definitely gonna be a dash of moral ambiguity present within the film.

[@dalekswartz2092]

I thought he was pulling an Episode 4 where he just stole the armour.

[@creamithmanning2632]

Dalek Swartz If that were the case, the line he said in the trailer about having "nothing left to fight for" wouldn't make any sense. Unless he WAS a Resistance memeber but then lost faith in the movement over the course of the movie or something.

[@isaacjames384]

The lightsaber wasn't always handled that great in the original trilogy either. Ben using to chop off Ponda Baba's arm, Luke using it to take down a walker, or using it to chop a speeder bike in half. Not really that intimate, more of a convenience.

[@MarMotorbiker]

+Isaac James Oh god, another one who thinks movies are videogames...

[@enthomorf]

Obi Wan Kenobi (oldman version) was not a lair. Look the film, he explains to Luke why.

[@enthomorf]

The history about Anakin turning into Dark Side was so very bad writed!!! That looks like Anakins always was a psycopat, or always has the inclination to be one.

[@jeffreyharper446]

I think the whole point of making the Jedi into a cult of emotionless, sterile monks was to make us give a damn about Anakin and Padame's forbidden romance, but nobody gave a shit about that anyway so it was all for naught.

[@CarefulCharlie]

There's probably an interesting comparison to be made between the Jedi of the prequels and the Time Lords of Doctor Who. An old and elite group who sit around and preach non-intervention and repression of emotion...

[@batfan5172]

Luke proved the council wrong by using the dark side of the force and being tempted by it but doesn't.and Vader becoming a good guy.proved that just because you have feelings doesn't mean your destined to be villains.so in a way the end of ROTJ addressed it.

[@1krani]

+bat fan Right. So the Jedi were wrong from the start. That's why they all died.

[@elijahblechman8633]

i would like a sith army at some point

[@redraptorwrites6778]

Do the stormtroopers count. I know none of them were Sith but they were ruled by two of them.

[@elijahblechman8633]

TheChickeninspector army of sith

[@MetalMadness_00]

I have faith in this series

[@unsolvedmystery1000]

I wish The Last Jedi addressed these issues, but the movie didn't... The Last Jedi isn't a bad movie, but it has MASSIVE wasted potential.

[@MikeVernonProd]

Agreed.

[@MrEffectfilms]

Yeahhhh........you REALLY need to read some EU stuff man. I know you said you were just talking about the movies themselves, but literally EVERYTHING you mentioned here as a problem is answered there, and unlike something like Marvel or DC where the movies have to stand completely on their own because they are only inspired by the comics and not directly tied to them, the Star Wars movies ARE directly tied to their universe,

[@mrmackellar3337]

Sam there is a grey area to the force dark jedi/grey Jedi while dark Jedi are more bounty hunters who use to be Jedi while grey Jedi are Jedi who left the order and use there emotions and they use grey lightsabers so you can identify there grey Jedi mace windu and qui gonn are arguably grey Jedi as well mace channels his hate and rage to boost him when in a duel but it doesn't turn him to the darkside because his people were naturally resistant to it and qui gonn uses his emotions to guide him in his decisions like a grey Jedi.

[@dalektienan801]

Time for the Jedi to.... end

[@MichaelMcCallister097]

The expanded universe was retconned when marvel took over so your pretty much in the clear with that now. There aren't too many comics to keep up with at this point.

[@MichaelMcCallister097]

I mean when Disney took over, but marvel covers the comics so I wasn't off by much.

[@AnthonyAvon]

I think JJ really believes that the prequels are bad and that they ruin the force and the jedi and the sith and everything... He'll fix it.

[@1krani]

Also, at what point in the movie did Qui-Gon Jinn come off as cold, emotionless or completely lacking in dimension? Because I just watched Phantom Menace the other day and I never once got that vibe from him. I got a warm, sympathetic guy who's always looking to make the best of a situation for everyone, massive plot-derailing plan to get off Tatooine aside. Your closing sentiment pretty much sums up your issue: "The Jedi are meant to be cool, dammit." Well, no. No they're not. The virtue of being a Jedi does not automatically make one cool. Obi-Wan was a big fat liar in the original trilogy. Is that cool? You seem to have the same idealistic outlook on the Jedi as Anakin did in Episode 1, except unlike Anakin who had a rude awakening when he met the council, you still cling to the original trilogy's ideas of what Jedi are. And when you get down to it, Yoda and Obi-Wan were still kind of detached and messed up. They want Luke to kill Vader and the Emperor, never mind the good Luke senses within him. That seems pretty cold if you ask me, the kind of detached logic that seems at home with HAL-9000.

[@jman2856]

+Ikrani The issue with Qui-Gon is more of a taste thing in acting and coming off as a believable character and Sam just couldn't see it and I don't think I see it either.

[@1krani]

J Man It's not taste. It's just subtle. One of my favorite examples of it is when his talk with Watto fails and, for a split second, a "Well, shit..." expression appears on Qui-Gon's face before he smiles insincerely and then walks away. Poorly-acted characters don't do stuff like that.

[@jman2856]

Ikrani It is taste, people have different interpretations of good acting and poor acting.

[@1krani]

J Man Well, if you don't "see" it, his acting, how exactly are you supposed to make the conclusion that he's acting poorly?

[@jman2856]

Ikrani Well, that's just my opinion.

[@danielcastaneda4975]

that WASN'T the point of the prequels ? to show how the jedi in that time were just so shitty ? thats why anakin killed them all after all. It's so focused to show it that it's simple to understand it

[@tibne2412]

I think this trilogy will focus on the reunification of the sith and jedi into a more understanding organisation, maybe

[@seventytwo.7288]

Hell yeah💯💯

[@BrontoSmilodon1]

well truth be told i think the prequels can sorta get away with this contradictory philosophy since they are prequels and they take place before their main series counterparts

[@motor4X4kombat]

that dosn't help prometheus flaws

[@cooldude10149804]

Lol and there ended up being no more lighstabers than in any of the original trilogy movies

[@Dagarar]

"Clap, clap, clap"... You can say whatever you want about the prequels and George, but at least the man knew his saga and had a bloody plan. And most importantly, didn't make Adam Driver record last minute key lines for Kylo in the closet of his own fricking house... one month before the movie hit theaters!!!. This soulless trilogy just broke Star Wars beyond imagination. I hope you broke JJ/Bob Iger spirit as well as you broke George's with your People vs George documentaries and shit. May the Money be with the Mouse, and make sure to buy our new shit!