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Re: I still think the bringing balance refers to what happens AFTER ROTJ dacole Send a noteboard - 11/06/2012 04:49:06 PM
I don't get how anyone could honestly say: There were too many Jedi, they had to go, so things were even? That's not how I see it it all.

Anakin brought balance by helping his son defeat the emperor, paying for his horrible deeds 20 years earlier and therefore wiping out the Sith. A balance (here) does not mean that there are equally many figures on each side of the scale, but that the world is at peace.


Exactly, and it's Lucas own explanation in interviews: Anakin brought balance back to the Force by his self-sacrifice and finishing off Sidious. He did it for Luke (and through him, for Padmé and Leia), and because Luke chose to die rather than embrace the dark side, wouldn't do it to save those he loved. Luke reminded Anakin again what selfless love really was.

The concept is eastern (but not taoist, which isn't about good and evil, it's rather mostly Zoroastrian where evil is like a virus that humans musn't make grow by avoiding evil/sins. In the face of evil humans must act like "antibodies". That taoist aspect in Star Wars is limited to Luke and Leia/Padmé and Anakin). Balance means cosmic harmony, it has no relation to the western imagery of balance scales, or with numbers. Evil exists, but it must be rejected, and thus are the behaviors leading to evil, like greed and possession.

The rise of users of the dark side to take control of the galaxy threw off cosmic harmony complelety. Anakin rejected the dark side and sacrificed himself to destroy Sidious, thus no Sith remained and the Force returned to its cosmic harmony.

The death of the Jedi have nothing to do with it, their selfless use of the Force and rejection of the dark side doesn't break cosmic harmony. It's the Sith philosophy and use of the dark side that breaks balance. The Jedi died because they failed to stop Palpatine before the dark side was so strong only Anakin could still destroy him... and decided instead to join him. The Jedi Order became collateral damages of the destruction of balance in the Force.



Hmm that is not my understanding of the YinYang which to my mind does represent good and evil in a sort of balance with good inside evil and evil inside good. Now I am going off the liberal arts education I received in University years ago so I could be wrong but the people that taught these courses did study this stuff. As I mentioned elsewhere I have never thought of Zoroastrianism as eastern but as a prelude to Christianity which is certainly not a western religion. The definition of balance and harmony you are using here is definitely different than I how I have always used the words.

To you have a link to interviews with Lucas including what you mention as I haven't seen any interviews where he discusses this topic.
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"..the one to bring balance to the force" - 08/06/2012 08:42:49 PM 1382 Views
I was under the impression it was widely accepted that Anakin brought balance to the force... - 08/06/2012 09:36:55 PM 1055 Views
Actually, the most recent book revealed a solid answer to the prophecy. - 08/06/2012 10:48:43 PM 1115 Views
Is that really as canon as the movies? - 09/06/2012 01:29:49 AM 1022 Views
As canon as Han saying the Death Star was too big to be a space station... - 09/06/2012 03:21:12 PM 888 Views
Re: As canon as Han saying the Death Star was too big to be a space station... - 10/06/2012 06:24:16 AM 889 Views
The books are entirely canon. - 11/06/2012 06:46:23 AM 941 Views
Re: The books are entirely canon. - 11/06/2012 04:43:47 PM 959 Views
I figured he did it by clearing the deck - 08/06/2012 11:33:03 PM 867 Views
If things are going well, then balance is the last thing you want - 09/06/2012 04:46:37 AM 841 Views
Are you saying there are plot holes in Star Wars? Never! *NM* - 09/06/2012 06:09:59 AM 575 Views
I still think the bringing balance refers to what happens AFTER ROTJ - 09/06/2012 10:19:01 AM 938 Views
Re: I still think the bringing balance refers to what happens AFTER ROTJ - 09/06/2012 11:42:32 AM 947 Views
Re: I still think the bringing balance refers to what happens AFTER ROTJ - 11/06/2012 04:49:06 PM 843 Views
This will sound offensive, sorry, but that sounds incredibly dumb. - 09/06/2012 03:09:20 PM 964 Views
I don't see how it's dumb - 09/06/2012 04:26:43 PM 937 Views
Re: I don't see how it's dumb - 09/06/2012 06:18:17 PM 846 Views
I don't like your analogy - organisation vs nationality - 09/06/2012 07:06:44 PM 864 Views
What you seem to be overlooking... - 09/06/2012 08:50:30 PM 987 Views
Precisely *NM* - 09/06/2012 10:17:18 PM 465 Views
Also... - 10/06/2012 12:18:11 AM 931 Views
Another thing. - 09/06/2012 03:13:43 PM 822 Views
The concept of evil in SW (like in WOT) is Zoroastrian, not Taoist - 09/06/2012 12:26:20 PM 878 Views
*Like* *NM* - 09/06/2012 02:13:15 PM 464 Views
I always saw it as... - 16/06/2012 04:40:00 AM 1055 Views

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