Planet Waves | May 16, 2005 First, good news -- Eric arrived safely in New York yesterday. Read his note about scheduling on the post below this one. Then on to the topic of the day -- Star Wars. I remember when I saw the first episode in a tiny, crowded theatre in Davis, California -- that was 1977, and a dear friend and I sat enthralled. At the end she turned to me and said, "That was pure Sagittarius!" Since I am one, and she has Venus in Sag, we were on a contact high for several days [years, maybe.] The Big Theme -- good v. evil -- has not lost its magic in the succeeding generations. My Sagittarian grandson and I finished a phone conversation recently -- "I love you, Wyatt," I said. "I love you too, Grammie," he said with all the sincerity a five-year-old can muster. "May the Force be with you." The Big Theme. We're chewing that over today, aren't we? What is "good" -- what is "evil" -- which "side" will we choose? Not much nuance in that. It's a black or white question. Or is it? Lucas has produced a dark and violent ending for his third prequel episode, Star Wars: Episode III -- The Revenge of the Sith. This is the first Star Wars movie with a PG13 advisory. Seems to me he had no choice, he had to set the stage for the original -- how did Luke and Leia become separated, why were the Jedi decimated, why did Anakin go to the dark side and become Darth, why are so many planets in the twisted grip of the Empire? The straightforward Sagittarian energy of the original Star Wars MUST take a backseat to the complex back-story. The Big Theme is reflected in the Lucas offerings -- as it's reflected in our world today. According to the reviews, Lucas handles the evil prototype ... Darth ... with compassion. We see why he went dark, we understand his choice [while hopefully remembering his redemption in The Return of the Jedi.] A big dose of nuance there, you will note. Lucas asks us for maturity as he moves us toward the context for the original premiss -- in a galaxy, far far away, there is a political situation that calls for a powerful renewal of spiritual dynamic. Remind you of anywhere else? From A. O. Scotts opinion piece [link below]: At one point, Darth Vader, already deep in the thrall of the dark side and echoing the words of George W. Bush, hisses at Obi-Wan, "If you're not with me, you're my enemy." Obi-Wan's response is likely to surface as a bumper sticker during the next election campaign: "Only a Sith thinks in absolutes." This final episode of Star Wars is being well received by critics, although its tone is sorrowful and disturbing -- best to remember that it's only 3 of 6. The whole notion of prequel only works if we remember what happens "next" [or ... in 1977.] The circumstance for a renewal of the Force had come together ... the vacuum of hopelessness demanded that it's opposite appear. Joseph Campbell tells us that "The dark night of the soul comes just before revelation." Along with the high adventure and diversion of the Star Wars tales, we've been given a good deal of wisdom. It's our job to pick through all the blood and angst to find it ... to discern correctly, as Obi-Wan and Yoda advise. Is it soap opera? Sure ... life is soap opera. And we make choices every day about what it means. Kahlil Gibran sums it up this way: Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children. "What month is it, Grammie?" Wyatt asked a few weeks back. "It's April, honey," I said. His eyes lit up. "It's almost May 19th!" While his parents may not allow him to see this newest installment [akin to trying to stand in front of a moving train] the kid is infected with the mythology of heroism. Our world is full of young Jedi who will write the next chapters of this allegorical tale. We are responsible for their spiritual growth and the messages they hear. We're obligated to teach them compassion and nuance while we are buoyed by their courage and optimism. Real hero's aren't simply point 'n shoot patriots -- they are those who are dedicated to the concept of doing no harm. We need to teach them that the most powerful Force within them is Love. "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." ~ Master Yoda Peace ~ Jude Some Surprises in That Galaxy Far, Far Away http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/16/movies/16star.html? Why the Force is still with him http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0513/p12s02-almo.html Eric Francis is on holiday. Jude, the editor of Political Waves, is standing in for his daily blog this week. You can subscribe to Political Waves (our all-politics news distribution list) for free at the link below. You'll receive between five and 10 news articles each day. You may write to Jude with your responses to her commentaries at moderator@planetwaves.net. Political Waves list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/political_waves/