SPOILERS AHEAD
Some Quick Housekeeping
I took an extended break from this blog following the Summer of 2015. I realized I had come out of the gate so fast and written so many articles that I was getting a little burned out. Additionally, I was beginning to question the direction I was taking the blog in. I was spending too much time reporting news rather than focusing on the blog’s original intent; sharing my observations and analysis about the Star Wars saga, its themes, and its cultural impact. I felt the quality of writing was suffering due to this lack of focus, and the blog was evolving into just so much Star Wars static. So I decided to take an extended break… then life got in the way.
A few months later I planned a triumphant return following the release of The Force Awakens, and then some really silly and annoying things began bubbling to the surface of Star Wars fandom which threatened to sap my passion for Star Wars (that will be the subject of another blog entry). I wasn’t sure how I was going to address the large Bantha in the room, so I sat back… and observed. I sat back for well over five years; watched some terrific Star Wars movies and TV projects; read some good and not-so-good books and comics, and then shook my head in disbelief as Star Wars fandom ate itself alive, or at least gave an all too eager series of click-bait entertainment “news” websites that impression (again more on that later).
The Spark That Will Light the Fire…
But then something happened in 2019… a series of announcements in April at Star Wars Celebration in Chicago piqued my curiosity. Specifically, the upcoming series, The Mandalorian, produced by Hollywood heavyweight filmmaker Jon Faverau, and co-produced by Lucas disciple, Dave Filoni was going to be airing on the new Disney+ streaming service that was coming in late 2019. The trailer, and quick sneak peek panel hit all the right geek buttons for me. I found myself getting invested again, and I was finding myself eagerly resuming the various comic series I had abandoned, and finished off a couple of books I had left half-read. Then something even more amazing happened… Dave Filoni announced that The Clone Wars animated series would be returning. My fandom was reignited and was in full bloom. Between The Mandalorian, Rogue One, Solo, a family trip to Galaxy’s Edge, and the final season of Clone Wars I was able to put aside my disappointment in the Sequel Trilogy and just enjoy Star Wars, warts and all.
Again I had planned another return, then a series of major life events put my plans on hold. My wife suffered some major medical setbacks while I was also reinventing myself by returning to college and pursuing a degree in Theology. All that while trying to manage a household I was now taking care of on my own to a degree, and helping to raise a grandson while my daughter worked; I was swamped.
Now life is slowing down a bit; I’ve been able to enjoy the weekly adventures of The Mandalorian, Boba Fett, and The Bad Batch with my family, and have watched how my grandson’s appreciation for and understanding of Star Wars is growing. It has been a terrific ride, and I’ve felt a desire to share those observations again.
”Life isn’t all sunshine and roses…”
Having said that, there are still some festering aspects within fandom that are frankly, alarming. A desire for social media influence and Youtube hits, much of it driven by political agendas that seem to be the forces motivating these disparate wings of fandom. But let’s be clear, much of this nonsense is simply motivated by monetization; the more outrage generated by social media battles, the more folks are driven to Youtube, and the more advertisement can be sold. Just a cursory glance of Star Wars Twitter, or various Facebook groups will show the toxic back and forth between these camps who appear to be trying to demonstrate that THEY are the true keepers of the Star Wars fandom flame.
In the midst of this fandom morass Disney continues to churn out product on Disney+, and Lucasfilm Ltd works with publishers to continue the Star Wars book and comic lines. As soon as any of this product hits the shelves or airways there seems to be no lack of opinion blogs and videos posted to the internet (Yes, I’m more than aware of the irony here writing this opinion piece). However, as is often the case when someone gives their snapshot opinion, there’s not sufficient time to ruminate over what they’ve seen or read, and judgements are assigned before the proverbial pen is put to paper.
Enter this week’s episode of The Book of Boba Fett, and specifically the moment when Luke presents his young student Grogu with a gift of chainmail from Din Djarin, The Mandalorian. Luke places the chainmail in front of the toddler and then offers the young, potential Padawan a small lightsaber which he explains to the youngling belonged to his former master, Yoda. Luke explains, to the obviously torn child, that he needs to choose between his profound attachment to his friend, The Mandalorian, or forego this attachment and choose the way of the Jedi and continue his training with Luke at his new training temple. The episode ends with a slow push in on Grogu’s face as he weighs this important decision
Immediately the opinion pieces dropped online. This was horrible, how could Luke do this to a child? Did Luke learn nothing about attachments, after all his love for his father is an attachment, and he used that attachment to save the galaxy? Filoni doesn’t get it!
However, this is a profound misunderstanding about Lucas’ messages in the Prequel and Original trilogies regarding the issue of attachments and love, and is a misreading what is happening here in this episode of The Book of Boba Fett.
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
In the 1983 Tina Turner posed the question, ”What’s Love Go to Do With It?” in her hit song, and the answer in the Star Wars universe, like the real world, is “everything.” But we have to understand what is meant by love. Is it the romantic kind shared by lovers, a brotherly love shared by close friends, or a familial love shared by relatives? What exactly is Lucas talking about here, because in these examples there is an attraction, or attachment shared between parties? The answer to this question is found in a scene from Attack of the Clones when Anakin is talking to Padme about the Jedi tenets of love and attachment.
Padme: Are you allowed to love? I thought that was forbidden for a Jedi?
Anakin: Attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is essential to a Jedi’s life. So you might say, that we are encouraged to love.
The irony of the scene is that Anakin himself is missing the point entirely, he’s using the dialogue of attachment, and the Jedi loving unconditionally, as a pick up line, a means to woo Padme. It’s clear he doesn’t understand what’s being asked of the Jedi.
The point isn’t that a Jedi can’t have any connections at all, the point is that unhealthy attachments to things and people lead to bad consequences. Through Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith it is clear Anakin has unhealthy attachments to Padme, he loves her, but mainly in the sense of romantic love. More importantly he fears she is going to die. In reality he wants to possess her, and fears losing her which is evidenced when he tells his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, “You will not take her from me!” That’s a statement of ownership, not one of an unconditional love that is willing to let go of the very thing they love. He needed to be able to let go of his fear of Padme dying and his drive to possess her and he simply could not, just as he was unable to let go of the memory and guilt of his mother’s death.
“[Anakin] turns into Darth Vader because he gets attached to things. He can’t let go of his mother; he can’t let go of his girlfriend. He can’t let go of things. It makes you greedy. And when you’re greedy, you’re on the path to the dark side.” – George Lucas
Fast forward to the Original Trilogy, Luke’s love for his father saves the day. But wait love is attachment, right, Luke loves his father in the familial sense, right? No, Luke’s love for his father is an unconditional one. Despite his father’s sins he truly believes he can be saved, even over the protestations of his mentors and his sister. In the end he’s willing to let go of all things, the Rebellion, his friends, his sister, and even his own life, to save his father. When Luke tosses his saber away rather than striking the killing blow against his father he is telling the Emperor, “I would rather die than hurt my father.”
“The core issue, ultimately, is greed, possessiveness- the inability to let go. Not only to hold on to material things, but to hold on to life, to the people you love – to not accept the reality of life’s passages and changes.” – George Lucas
“The Greatest of these is love…“
Star Wars creator George Lucas has self described himself as a Methodist-Buddhist. He was raised in the Methodist tradition in his youth and by all accounts his family regularly attended church. Later on he explored Buddhism in college, but the influences of his Christian upbringing are seen peppered throughout the Star Wars saga and he definitely would have read or at least heard 1 Corinthians 13: 4-6:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
That’s pretty much the intent of the Jedi code and its example of selflessness and compassion. Ultimately the Jedi should be able to let go of all things in this life, and live in the freedom of true love. Not a possessive love, but the love described in the Gospels; agape. A totally selfless love that does not seek to possess or gain advantage of another; rather it is a love that benefits and is shared in service to the other. That’s not attachment, that is total freedom; freedom from fear and worry; a freedom to live.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13
So back to Grogu, and the choice Master Skywalker places before him. Isn’t Luke just repeating the mistakes of the past? No, Grogu has been away from the Jedi Order for decades, and he has developed a deep bond with Din Djarin. Both Ahsoka and Luke recognize that Grogu is attached to Mando, and it may be an unhealthy attachment. Remember this is the same kid who used the Force to try to choke Cara Dune (clearly a friend) to death during her arm wrestling match with Mando because he believed she was hurting his friend. The kid has some big attachment issues and has shown hints that he is more than willing to tap into the Dark Side to protect the Mandolorian. He is not living the freedom of an unconditional love, and is at a crossroads with two paths laid out before him.
“Jedi do not grow attachments, because attachment is a path to the dark side. You can love people, but you can’t want to possess them. [..]If you’re set up for fear of loss, you will do anything to keep that loss from happening, you’re going to end up in the dark side.” – George Lucas
One Saga - An Exploration of the Star Wars Saga 