Michael D. Miller
Blog Prompt Week 3
The Empire Strike Back
Temptations
of the Dark Side
The attraction of the Dark Side is simply freedom.
The freedom to follow one’s dreams without violating any sort of code of
conduct or moral compass to do what one desires without fear of any
consequences. Being free to do what one wants, when one wants, and on the terms
he or she desires, selfishness. Conversely, if one has chosen to fight for good
then he or she has to follow a certain moral code. One with a moral code would
practice a system of righteous conduct by doing the right thing when concerning
others and the betterment of the humankind, selflessness.
Luke
Skywalker is tempted by the Dark Side with the offer to rule the galaxy from
Darth Vader. At the end of the Empire Strikes back, in the light saber faceoff scene
between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker on the platform in the ventilation shaft
Darth Vader tells Luke that he is his father and tells him that they could rule
the galaxy together. Luke Skywalker is injured and appalled at the idea. As the
ultimate gesture to fight against the temptation to go to the Dark Side, Luke
throws himself off of the platform down the ventilation shaft in his attempt to
commit suicide only to be sucked into a trash chute and is dispelled out of the
shaft onto an antenna.
In
the Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker is again tempted to the Dark Side by
Emperor Palpatine in the scene when Han, Leia, C3PO, R2D2, and rebel forces are
on the planet trying to disable the shield that is protecting the Death Star. The
Emperor explains that there are additional Imperial forces waiting to trap the Han,
Leia, and the rebels as they try to disable the shield. The Emperor, Vader, and
Luke are watching the star battle between rebel and Imperial fighters. The
Emperor feels that Luke wants to grab his light saber and strike down the
Emperor in order to save his friends. The Emperor tells Luke that if he gives
into his emotions he will cross over to the Dark Side. Luke suppresses his
feelings and refuses to grab the light saber. Luke refuses to become a slave to
the Dark Side as he would become the Emperor’s apprentice.
A
short time later in the same scene, Luke and Darth Vader square off in another
duel. Vader senses Luke’s feelings for his sister, Leia, and threatens to turn
Leia over to the Dark Side. At which time, Luke attacks Vader with great vengeance
and quickly severs Vader’s right hand. Vader falls to the ground and is unable
to continue the fight. The Emperor orders Luke to finish Vader off and by doing
so, he will take his place. Luke sees that Vader’s severed right hand I very much
like his own and realizes that his fate will be the same as Vader’s if he kills
Vader. Luke is then tortured by the Emperor with Force Lightening until Luke
pleads with his father, Darth Vader, to help him. Vader throws the Emperor off
of the platform into the ventilation shaft and he is believed to have died.
Luke tries to save his father and eventually Vader atones for his evil doings
and then he dies. Luke sought to see the good that was still in Darth Vader and
believed that he could turn Vader back to the Good Side. If Luke had killed
Vader, again, he would meet the same fate as Vader.
First off I would like to say that your article was a very interesting take on on the Dark Side of the Force. In your first paragraph you make the argument that the attraction to the Dark Side is freedom, but this is only perceived. A Storm Trooper is literally a clone that is bread to follow orders. There is no freedom in that. Sure there is no moral code on the Dark Side, but it too has its rules and regulations. Darth Vader has to consulate a consul and the Emperor before he makes any type of decisions.
ReplyDeleteLuke's insecurity of the Dark Side is often misinterpreted as fear. Luke wants to do what's right but from the beginning of the films the "light side" has seem to feed him lies. Uncle Owen and Obi-wan both tell him that his father was a great man, Obi-Wan even going as far as to say he was a great Jedi. Yoda holds the information from him that he has a sister(Leia) and he loses faith in Han when he leaves seemingly not to come back. Sure, Luke knows the atrocities of the Dark Side (blowing up Alderaan, killing his family) but he expects these things from them because they are evil. The pain is amplified when the ones close to you hurt you.