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.
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.
"..the one to bring balance to the force"
08/06/2012 08:42:49 PM
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I was under the impression it was widely accepted that Anakin brought balance to the force...
08/06/2012 09:36:55 PM
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Actually, the most recent book revealed a solid answer to the prophecy.
08/06/2012 10:48:43 PM
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Is that really as canon as the movies?
09/06/2012 01:29:49 AM
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As canon as Han saying the Death Star was too big to be a space station...
09/06/2012 03:21:12 PM
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Re: As canon as Han saying the Death Star was too big to be a space station...
10/06/2012 06:24:16 AM
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The books are entirely canon.
11/06/2012 06:46:23 AM
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Re: The books are entirely canon.
11/06/2012 04:43:47 PM
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There are certainly some inconsistencies, but very few outright contradictions.
11/06/2012 07:47:25 PM
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"Balance to the Force" is a numbers game. The key is in a comment by Yoda at the end of Ep. 1.
08/06/2012 11:04:03 PM
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Re: "Balance to the Force" is a numbers game. The key is in a comment by Yoda at the end of Ep. 1.
09/06/2012 06:04:39 AM
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But Obi Wan said Anakin was prophecied to destroy the Sith "not join them!" And he did. Eventually. *NM*
11/06/2012 04:38:42 PM
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Technically, going strictly by the films, that could have been supposition rather than quotation. *NM*
11/06/2012 10:01:16 PM
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If things are going well, then balance is the last thing you want
09/06/2012 04:46:37 AM
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Re: If things are going well, then balance is the last thing you want
09/06/2012 06:17:44 AM
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I still think the bringing balance refers to what happens AFTER ROTJ
09/06/2012 10:19:01 AM
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Re: I still think the bringing balance refers to what happens AFTER ROTJ
09/06/2012 11:42:32 AM
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Re: I still think the bringing balance refers to what happens AFTER ROTJ
11/06/2012 04:49:06 PM
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This will sound offensive, sorry, but that sounds incredibly dumb.
09/06/2012 03:09:20 PM
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I don't see how it's dumb
09/06/2012 04:26:43 PM
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Re: I don't see how it's dumb
09/06/2012 06:18:17 PM
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I don't like your analogy - organisation vs nationality
09/06/2012 07:06:44 PM
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What if I had said Christians instead of Americans? Then you'd have the comparison you favor. *NM*
09/06/2012 08:44:21 PM
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No I wouldn't, I'm frankly confused as to why you think I would favour that more
09/06/2012 09:03:28 PM
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Not ideal maybe, but more an organization of people than a nation of people.
10/06/2012 12:11:51 AM
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What you seem to be overlooking...
09/06/2012 08:50:30 PM
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I'm not overlooking it. I just don't view the moment as one of "balance achievement".
10/06/2012 12:09:45 AM
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Your other posts don't sound as if you see what I'm getting at here...
10/06/2012 12:22:02 AM
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No, I do. You probably read my tangent about my disagreement with Lucas about Vader's redemption.
10/06/2012 12:41:36 AM
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The concept of evil in SW (like in WOT) is Zoroastrian, not Taoist
09/06/2012 12:26:20 PM
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Re: The concept of evil in SW (like in WOT) is Zoroastrian, not Taoist
11/06/2012 05:05:31 PM
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The problem with Star Wars is that smart people analyze it, but... it's pretty simplistic
10/06/2012 03:34:13 AM
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Re: The problem with Star Wars is that smart people analyze it, but... it's pretty simplistic
11/06/2012 05:06:54 PM
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