Sunday, October 10, 2004

Star Wars; The Unreconstructed Strikes Back

Just to make sure we’re all on the same page I’ll briefly summarize what occurs:
A galaxy is host to a Republic comprised of many, but not all, star systems contained within. The Republic is at least 1,000 years old. The star systems are represented in the senate. A group of star systems becomes unhappy with the ineptitude & corruption in the Republic & attempt to split off. The senate temporarily abrogates its power to the Supreme Chancellor, who brings the secessionist systems in line through force. The Chancellor then becomes an emperor. He eventually disbands the Senate. A rebellion is formed by a group that seeks to restore the Republic. The emperor is eventually defeated by this rebellion.
Now that’s the brief political view of the Star Wars films. Here it is with a little more substance:
A young Jedi called Anakin Skywalker is seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He aligns himself with a Sith master called Dart Sidious. Sidious is also Palpatine, who rises from Senator to Chancellor to Emperor. Palpatine claims he longs for order in the Republic instead of the petty bureaucracy of the Senate & he launches a very elaborate plan involving the Jedi & the secessionists to gain more power to achieve his alleged ends. An alliance is formed to counter Palpatine’s moves towards empire. Part of that alliance is a young Jedi named Luke Skywalker. He’s the son of Anakin. Anakin helped Palpatine hunt down the Jedi & so Luke remains one of the last of that order. Through several battles & many years the rebel alliance defeats the emperor but not without paying a great price.
Now what does this have to do with the usual content of Publicola? Everything.