This George Lucas Quote Proves We've Been Misunderstanding One Star Wars Movie For 25 Years

One fascinating quote about Star Wars creator George Lucas proves that Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace has been misunderstood for 25 years. The Phantom Menace is the first movie in the Skywalker Saga, although in terms of the chronology of Star Wars movies and TV shows, it was released after the original trilogy. This meant that not only would the movie explore a brand-new era of the Star Wars timeline, but also, it would provide additional context for various concepts within those movies.

One key area The Phantom Menace explored was the Jedi/the Jedi Order. Although the Jedi were introduced in the original trilogy, they were limited to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Master Yoda, and Luke Skywalker, and the history of the Jedi remained largely a mystery. However, The Phantom Menace revealed so much more, with countless new Jedi introduced and the Jedi way explained. One aspect of the Jedi that was especially highlighted throughout the prequels was the rule against attachments, but one interview revealed that rule is misunderstood.

George Lucas Believed Love Could Light The Darkness

In an interview with StarWars.com, Jar Jar Binks and Jedi Master Kelleran Beq actor Ahmed Best revealed that love is actually at the heart of the light side of the Force, thereby reframing the understanding of the Jedi and their views on love and attachments. Best explained:

“George always talks about how everybody wants to be a Sith Lord and how the dark side is cool…But George’s thing was always about how the dark side is easy, the dark side is accessible. The Sith shoot lightning out of their fingers and people ask, ‘How come the Jedi don’t do that?’ It’s not that they can’t do it, but that they learn the control
not
to do it. Control is hard. Choosing the side of life, light, and harmony is a daily challenge, especially when you have great power. But when you come from this idea of love, then you will forever be on the light side. When love is not the impetus for your action, then that’s when you’re on the dark side. That’s what
The Phantom Menace
is really about: if you come from this place of love, you can overcome ‘the phantom menace.’”

This incredible insight provided by Best and, by extension, by George Lucas, sheds incredible new light upon the nature of the Force, the Jedi way as it pertains to love and attachments, and The Phantom Menace.

Throughout the prequel trilogy and, later, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV show, the Jedi were very worried about attachments, which often seemed to implicate love as well. This began in The Phantom Menace when the Jedi Council, Yoda and Mace Windu in particular, questioned Anakin Skywalker about his feelings about his mother. As Anakin had been raised outside the Jedi Order, he had grown up with a conventional relationship with his mom and therefore loved her deeply.

However, the Jedi had concerns about that, as they thought it could cause Anakin to fear her death, which could lead to anger, hate, and the dark side. In fact, this was the very reason for the Jedi being taken to the Temple as infants and toddlers; they were brought into the Order before they had time to form these attachments. As such attachments reflected family bonds, it seemed love in particular was of concern to the Jedi.

This worsened in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, when Anakin and Padmé developed a deep romantic connection, representing yet another bond of love for Anakin. At first, the prequel trilogy also seemed to suggest that Anakin was the only one struggling with these feelings of love. Interestingly, though, The Clone Wars proved that many Jedi shared in those struggles, Obi-Wan Kenobi included.

Star Wars Was About The Dangers Of Attachment… Not Love

Despite the Star Wars prequel trilogy seemingly suggesting that love was an issue for light side Force-users, Ahmed Best’s revelation about George Lucas’ perspective proves that isn’t the case. Rather, love is at the center of the light side of the Force, distinguishing the Sith from the Jedi. This makes quite a bit more sense, as the compassion and selflessness expected of the Jedi are intrinsically linked to love.

Interestingly, Anakin Skywalker himself pointed this out in Attack of the Clones. Although it may have at first seemed like a convenient way to explain away the Jedi rule against attachments so he could flirt with Padmé, Anakin explained that the Jedi are “encouraged to love.” This came after Padmé asked whether the Jedi were allowed to love, as she had thought that was forbidden. Anakin then specifically distinguished love from attachment, saying attachment and possession are forbidden, while love “is central to a Jedi’s life.”

Unfortunately, this distinction perfectly explains Anakin’s fall to the dark side. While he may have had a firm grasp on the differences between attachment and love when he explained them to Padmé, he evidently let his emotions get the better of him, as he was not able to avoid the pitfalls of possession and attachment. Indeed, his marriage to Padmé was one of the defining moments in Anakin’s fall to the dark side. Arguably, though, this had less to do with the issues of attachment or love and more to do with Anakin’s specific flaws and trauma.

How Does Love Differ From Attachment?

It’s unclear whether romantic love falls into this category of the type of love that Jedi were encouraged to embrace and that Ahmed Best identified as central to the light side of the Force. While Anakin was correct that compassion is a form of that love, romance lends itself too easily to possession and jealousy. After all, this is precisely why Anakin was willing to turn to the dark side. He was so desperate to save Padmé’s life—an obsession that became a clear sign of unhealthy attachment and possessiveness—he was willing to compromise his morals and betray everything he believed.

However, there are nevertheless distinctions between even romantic love and attachment. Attachment is fundamentally the desire to own and control something; that is where possessiveness comes in. Even if the romantic relationship itself is not a controlling one, Anakin’s behavior in Revenge of the Sith makes it clear that a fear of loss leads to a desire to control the outcome of a situation. It is that sort of control and fear that leads to a tragedy like Anakin and Padmé’s.

Love, as Best described it, is different. Unlike attachment, in which a person feels ownership over someone else, love is about the motivation behind one’s actions. It is the compassion Anakin referenced in Attack of the Clones. And, as Best makes clear, if that love is the driving force behind a Jedi’s every action, they will never be on the dark side. Although it took 25 years, this interview with Ahmed Best about the importance of love in Star Wars finally reveals what Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace truly meant to say about love and attachments.

Source: StarWars.com

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

The beginning of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace sees young Anakin Skywalker put on his path to discovering his ability to influence the Force. While attempting to thwart the nefarious Trade Federation in their plans for the planet of Naboo, two Jedi discover an exceptionally-gifted slave with the ability to wield the Force. Little do they know, rescuing him is just the beginning of a saga that will span generations of the Skywalker family.  

Release Date

May 19, 1999

Distributor(s)

20th Century

Cast

Ewan McGregor , Liam Neeson , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ahmed Best , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August , Frank Oz , Ray Park , Samuel L. Jackson

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