Star Wars and the Force:
The Use of its Myth and Spiritual Guidance
by Priya Chhaya
01/08/00
Just imagine a son who marries his mother. Just imagine a great flood which wipes out a planet. Just imagine a king who tries desperately to reach his kingdom after winning a war going through a giant, a whirlpool, and the underworld. Just imagine .… A person might wonder what these great myths and spiritual stories have in common. In 1977, George Lucas started a journey in a galaxy far, far away when he released the first film of his epic trilogy, Star Wars: A New Hope. In the years to follow, Lucas released The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. With these films, and the most recent Lucas film, Episode One - The Phantom Menace, Lucas incorporates many ideas used in great literature. Though many of Lucas's critics claim the Star Wars saga lacks literary knowledge useful to society, it is representative of students' studies in mythology and spirituality and should be made required viewing in English and religious classrooms. Just as students read and learn about Oedipus Rex, Noah and the Great Flood, and Odysseus, the Star Wars trilogy's use of various motifs and themes related to spirituality and mythology is consistent with that which is taught in English and religious classes.
The Star Wars saga contains evidence of non-denominational spirituality, and should be used as an example in religious classrooms. The Star Wars trilogy and the new film, The Phantom Menace, each portray key elements of theology. For example, the new villain in the Phantom Menace, Darth Maul, symbolizes the devil because his face has red and black streaks. When asked by Bill Moyers of Time magazine, "Does your use of red suggest the flames of hell?" Lucas replies, "Yes, it is a motif that I've been using with the Emperor and the Emperor's minions. I mean, red is an aggressive color. Evil is aggressive." (90) Lucas also uses red in the clothing of the Emperor's royal guards in Return of the Jedi. The Emperor symbolizes evil in the three films of the trilogy, which is why his guards wear the color red, and he wears black. Additionally, each movie contains settings that represent hell. For example, on the surface, Cloud City appears to be a heavenly city in the clouds of the planet Bespin. On the other hand, inside in its deep hidden levels it proves to be a hell, because of its reddish lights as Han is placed into carbonite or "eternal sleep." Later, Han is resurrected and saved from yet another evil in the caves and darkness of Jabba the Hutt's headquarters. Resurrection and "eternal sleep" are both common themes in religion with Jesus Christ and other gods. Another example of how spirituality has been portrayed in the four films is in the use of the mystical energy field, the Force. According to Lucas in the Time interview, he "put the Force in to awaken a certain kind of spirituality in young people." (92) Lucas wants to help young people to begin to ask questions and examine the place of God and religion in their lives. The whole point of the Force is to re-introduce religion into the younger generation in a general way. Moyers also asks Lucas if the Force represents a "vast reservoir of energy that is the ground of all our being."(Time 92) Moyers specifically wants to know if the Force is derived from Buddhism. In fact Lucas used the Force as a general tool that was obtained from various different religions, but not a specific one. Again, Lucas shows how spirituality is intertwined in his films by saying that he "wanted to try to explain in a different way the religions that have already existed, I wanted to express it all." (Time 92) Lucas tries to find a common belief that has been held by society to use as the belief in his films. He incorporates many religions such as Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and others to create this common belief. Additionally, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda are spiritual guides, or messengers of the Force, to teach Luke to "trust his feelings,"(Star Wars: A New Hope) just as some sects in the Christian religion have their followers trust in the Holy Spirit. While others may claim that the Force and the other spiritual qualities of the movies are just some figment of imagination, their symbolic meanings are in accordance to modern religion. Not only does the Star Wars saga represent the spirituality of the world, which should be used as an example in religious classrooms, but also the films incorporate much of the mythology taught in English classrooms.
The Star Wars trilogy should be made a requirement in English classrooms for its extensive usage of mythological symbols and motifs. The trilogy and The Phantom Menace present the main motifs of mythology: the hero's journey, good versus evil, and the theme of transformation throughout their stories. The hero's journey is, according to Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousand Faces, made up of three main parts. The first is the Departure and then Initiation and finally Return. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke Skywalker lives with his uncle and aunt on Tatooine, a remote desert planet on the outer rim of the galaxy. He experiences the first major step in Departure with the call to adventure. This call presents itself with the appearance of a herald, "a person or animal who literally carries a message that causes the journey to begin." (Henderson 22) In A New Hope this is R2-D2, a droid (robot) who carries within him a message that leads Luke to seek out the person who will aid in the continuance of the journey. Another herald is C-3PO, who in his first conversation with Luke asks if there was any way to help Luke in his quest to leave Tatooine; Luke responds by saying "Not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest, or teleport me off this rock!"(Star Wars: A New Hope) This makes See-Threepio an unwitting catalyst in that "it will indeed be the appearance of the droids that precipitates Luke's journey, catapulting him into a starship on his way to other planets." (Henderson 29. Another step in Departure is the appearance of a mystical guide and a magic talisman, in this case Obi-wan Kenobi and the lightsaber who throughout the trilogy will help Luke in his realization of his true being. According to Joseph Campbell the mystical guide is "a little fellow of the wood, some wizard, hermit, shepherd, or smith, who appears, to supply the amulets and advice that the hero will require." (Campbell 72) Obi-Wan gives Luke the lightsaber, which provides Luke the power to fight the dark side physically as well as mentally.
The second stage of the Hero's Journey is the Initiation, in which the hero obtains his "hero partners," loses his guide, and finally encounters various trials that would lead him to the end of his journey. Just as Odysseus had to encounter various obstacles on his voyage to Ithaca, Luke experiences life-altering events. In order to leave Tatooine, Luke and Obi-Wan must obtain a pilot. There they enter the Mos Eisley Spaceport where Obi-wan tells Luke he "will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."(Star Wars: A New Hope) Much like the Underworld, the spaceport is where Luke meets his first partner, Captain Han Solo, who helps the travelers to escape. While traveling to their destination, Luke is taught the ways of the Force, a "mystical energy field that surrounds us and binds the galaxy together." (Star Wars: A New Hope). This is part of Luke's training to become a hero. When arriving at their destination, the group travels into the next stage of the hero's journey, the labyrinth. Here, unlike the maze, which held the Minatour in Greek Mythology, the labyrinth is the massive, planet destroying battlestation: the Death Star. This Labyrinth holds the next of Luke's partners, Princess Leia. Once again relying on his feelings, Luke and his friends save the Princess and escape the Labyrinth. Unfortunately, this Labyrinth marks the beginning of Luke's tests and the end of Initiation. First, in his first encounter with the dark side, Luke loses his guide to the dark and evil of Darth Vader the antithesis of the Force. Although Luke loses Obi-Wan physically, his spirit continues to aid and lead the growing hero to another guide, Yoda. Together, Yoda and Obi-Wan teach and guide Luke in the ways of the Force, warning him that "anger, fear, aggression" (The Empire Strikes Back) lead to the dark side and that "If [he chooses] the quick and easy path, forever will [the dark side] dominate [his] destiny." (The Empire Strikes Back) This advice is much like the rules of a hero that Hercules is given during his training. In The Empire Strikes Back Luke begins to walk down the path of trials. On this road he will experience how
"Again and again, monsters must be slain and barriers must be passed. At this midpoint in the journey… the pattern of capture rescue and escape becomes relentless and oppressive, until finally rescue and escape become impossible." (Henderson 60)
During these trials, Luke is sent to the first Death Star to destroy it, the den of a Wampa Ice Creature who wishes to eat him, and to a city in the clouds where his first test of darkness is presented. Here Luke will struggle with the knowledge that his father is the dark man, Darth Vader, barely escaping with his life. This encounter at the end of The Empire Strikes Back represents the final trial in Luke's Initiation as he experiences the fall from innocence that all heroes must face.
The final step in the hero's journey is the Return. This is the stage where the hero returns to many aspects of his journey from previous tests. In order to save Han (who has been placed into a mythical sleep-like state) from Jabba the Hutt, Luke must return to his home world of Tatooine. Here he succeeds in his rescue and emerges with his Hero Partners once again. Luke continues on the path to where he returns to Dagobah, his training world, and appears before Yoda to complete his training. This is where Luke loses his second guide, Yoda, only to find that Leia, the princess, is his sister and that in order to truly be a hero he must fully face the forces of darkness. Much like his own father's failure of combating this force, Luke, in Return of the Jedi, must enter the second Death Star and destroy the Emperor as well as Vader. The Return of Evil, symbolized by the Death Star, is where Luke will redeem his father and obtain his full status as a hero. When Odysseus returns home to Ithaca he must prove his worth by shooting arrows through the holes of axes, similarly Luke must destroy the Emperor and vanquish the forces of evil from his heart. According to Star Wars: The Magic of Myth the "only person who can penetrate the dark castle with the spark of divine fire is the hero whose heart and spirit have become whole and integrated."(101) This completes Luke's role as the hero, and introduces his father as one who is redeemed and has been resurrected from the pit of darkness.
Another aspect of mythology found throughout the four movies is that of good versus evil as well as transformation. In Episode One - The Phantom Menace the evil is the Dark Lords of the Sith who collectively wish to bring down the Jedi as well as order. Eventually, they will lead to the rise of Darth Vader and his master the Emperor who, as a Sith, vies only for power and control. In the following films Leia and Vader are unwittingly placed together, Leia in her white robes and Vader in his black. Leia represents Vader's "angelic opposite in every respect … the leader of the living, organic Rebellion against a mechanistic, sterile system."(Henderson 53) The symbolic meaning is also presented in Luke and Leia, as Vader's children. One possible example is portrayed by Mary Henderson, in which she describes how
"Luke … is a solar hero, the bringer of light, symbolizing goodness and truth. Leia too is a figure of light who remains feminine and mysterious. In Western mythologies, the Sun is often male while the Moon is female. Since Luke and Leia are Vader's children, one metaphorical interpretation might see Vader as the all encompassing darkness out of which Luke shines as the Sun and Leia as the Moon." (116)
All of the films also represent transition and transformation. The Phantom Menace has young Anakin Skywalker proceeding from a young slave to a Jedi apprentice where he will eventually transform in to the hulking evil Vader. Likewise, his son, Luke starts out naïve and innocent, but through trials and tests he become a mature leader. Leia goes from the fresh senator of the Old Republic to a leader of democracy and light. Another character, Han Solo, proceeds from a self indulged smuggler to a respected general. One additional motif is that of divine twins, like Romulas and Remus and the Gemini twins, Luke and Leia are classic examples of twins in mythology. Together they destroy dark and discover the true meaning of the Force.
With the destruction of the Empire came the end of a saga that pieced together the ideals of a democratic society. The Star Wars Saga should be made required viewing based on its incorporation of mythological and spiritual elements. Spiritually, the saga presents the younger generations with ideals of trusting in one's feelings and believing in a higher power to motivate them to stay within the light. Mythological, the Star Wars Saga provides adequate examples of classic motifs and themes such as transformation and divine twins; as well as the classic motif of the Hero's Journey. With these aspects the teachers of religion and English classes would be able to provide examples of their course through items the students could relate to. Additionally, these films address in a non-aggressive manner the ideas of staying pure and doing every life task with a good heart. The influence of the saga is already well known, with its name being adapted for the arms buildup in the eighties and many religions adapting its religious values. The saga is a representation of ideals that need to be spread, and by using the mystical storyline of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, a child will be able to believe in the Force as well as understanding the symbols in classic myths such as The Odyssey and Oedipus Rex.
Annotated Works Cited
Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1973.
In this book, Joseph Campbell examines the various aspects of the modern myth as well as the facets of a hero. He provides the several facets of a hero's journey and traces the path of the hero from obscurity to fame. As he follows the hero, Campbell provides adequate mythological examples that allows for a parallel to the Star Wars films to be drawn. While not specifically mentioning them, Campbell's steps allow for a reader to draw the conclusion themselves. His language is understandable for even those least likely to pursue the topic, and he explains all examples with extreme accuracy.
Henderson, Mary. Star Wars: The Magic of Myth. New York: Bantam Spectra Trade Paperback. 1997.
Starting with the classic phrase "A long time ago …", Star Wars: The Magic of Myth contains an extensive analysis of the symbols and ideals carried by the Star Wars films. Mary Henderson is also the curator of the exhibition at the Smithsonian and her credibility is very good. This book takes a reader step by step through each event in the films, placing them into context and comprehensively proving each point. Filled with examples from Greek, Roman and ancient texts, the proper parallels are easily drawn. This book is remarkable in its literary value, as well as its photography which becomes an additional aid in understanding The Magic of Myth.
Moyers, Bill. "Of Myth and Men: A conversation between Bill Moyers and George Lucas on the meaning of the Force an the true theology of Star Wars". Time. 26 April 1999: 90.
As part of larger coverage on the new Star Wars film, The Phantom Menace , this article provides its reader with new insight into the thoughts and ideas behind the films. Bill Moyers has previously done articles on the Saga as well as spoken with Lucas on the previous films. Its length is comfortable, long enough to truly understand the interview's purpose , and short enough to keep the reader at ease. Moyers' analysis of the rumors, and spiritual aspects behind the symbols of the movies is comprehensive and enjoyable. The article aids in explaining the roots of the Force as well as including the new symbols from the new film. In question and answer form the article provides the reader with a feeling of accuracy, as each answer appears complete.
Star Wars: A New Hope. dir. George Lucas. With Mark Hamill. Lucasfilm Ltd., 1995.
A film that changed many views on society in 1977, when it was first released, Star Wars: A New Hope, represents society in that decade. With the Cold War increasing in tension this movie provided a look towards shunning the dark and letting in the light. The movie portrays a society of people struggling against oppression and hoping for a miracle, through faith in the Force. The quotes from this movie allows a look at the want for spirituality and the ever present need of man to rebel against the darkness of unfairness.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. dir. Irvin Kershner. With Mark Hamill. Lucasfilm Ltd., 1995.
The second in a trilogy that changed the views of many, The Empire Strikes Back looks at the increasing darkness and power of tyranny against its opposition. This movie incorporates much of the symbolism from the first one but has many aspects unique to its story line. Each quote from this film represents the need to never give up, but at the same time willing to sacrifice in order to achieve goodness. The language used in this film represents a mix of ethnicity and integrates various people in its themes. The topic's credibility is one of equal proportion to the credibility of imagination, and expanding horizons.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. dir. Richard Marquand. With Mark Hamill. Lucasfilm Ltd., 1995.
The last in three films that created a whole new universe of thinking, Return of the Jedi encompasses all three films ideals and ties up their goals. Each quote from this film allows the viewer to utilize their imagination and embrace ideas that they normally would dismiss. It speaks of temptation for evil and the will of humans to be redeemed from evil. This film also speaks of patriotism and the will to break away from tyranny. Its length is one of constant meaning and provides its viewers with a necessary break from reality, while at the same time instilling the idea that good eventually conquers all.
(Praya Chhaya has been interested in Star Wars since seventh grade. Now a senior in high school, she likes reading and history as well as just hanging out with her friends.)