Melinda’s Brew : The Path Less Travelled

Have you ever gone for a leisurely stroll on a warm summer’s day (which sounds heavenly right about now!), and as you’re striding along, you let your mind wander as the sun kisses your skin? No earbuds relaying your favorite tunes to your ears. No ever-lengthening “to do” list encumbering your brainwaves. Just you, the birds and the open road – the one in front of you down which your feet will take you, and the one inside your head down which your thoughts can meander.

I like to do just this whenever I have the time … and when I do, it isn’t long before I start thinking about Star Wars. (It isn’t as if Star Wars consumes my life. It doesn’t. But there are so many correlations between the Star Wars Saga and real life that the major themes pop up – naturally.)

As I was strolling along one particular morning a few years ago, I started contemplating Anakin and whether he truly was “The Chosen One”. Qui-Gon Jinn comes upon this 9-year-old waif, recognizes that he has a propensity for the Force, requests a midi-chlorian count be conducted, and when the reading indicates Anakin’s count is “off the chart,” he is dubbed “The Chosen One”. Qui-Gon convinces the Jedi Council Anakin must be The One the prophesy foretold would bring balance to the Force.

But is he really? Really? When mulling over the answer to this query, I cannot get one particular exchange out of my mind. To lay the foundation for my different point of view, I cite the conversation about the supposed Chosen One between Obi-Wan, Mace Windu and Yoda aboard the transport in “Revenge of the Sith”:

Obi-Wan: “…Master, is he not the Chosen One? Is he not to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force?”

Mace: “So the prophecy says.”

Yoda: “A prophecy…that misread could have been.”

Examine the scene. Look at the facial features of Yoda and Mace Windu, in particular. The looks on both of their faces say more than their words – they have their doubts regarding their interpretation of the prophecy, including whether it really is Anakin who truly is The One. Yoda’s pensive visage, too, connotes the danger of falling into the trap of drawing conclusions on limited criteria, implying that a mistake may have occurred.

I offer an alternative way of thinking – it is not Anakin who is destined to bring balance to the Force, but rather his son, Luke, who truly is The Chosen One.

Blasphemy? An outrage? Where is my head? Going down a path less travelled, I know, but please hear me out.

Luke is the Chosen One. Luke is the one who saves Anakin. Luke is the one who exemplifies what it means to be a Jedi. It is Luke’s actions that bring balance to the Force. He forces the issue by sacrificing himself to the Emperor’s wrath.

We all know what happens next – Darth Vader rises after being beaten by his much stronger son, and keeps the Emperor from letting loose the last bolts of Force lightning that surely will kill Luke. Yes, Anakin comes back to the Light. Yes, he is redeemed (at least to a certain extent). That does not mean he is The Chosen One.

When it comes to the Skywalker Clan and being a Jedi, it is Luke who knows what it means to be a Jedi. Sure, a Jedi can wield all kinds of special powers, but that isn’t what it really means to be a Jedi. It means to be selfless, willing to lay down one’s life for the good of others, stand for right and justice no matter what, to control one’s emotions so one can carry out one’s mission. Anakin never could grasp that. Like I said in my last blog here at CWK, as a youngster and young man, I believe Anakin was, for the most part, altruistic, but he never could get past his anger and selfishness – to see the bigger picture. Where father failed, the son succeeded. That is why I am of the opinion that it was Luke who ultimately is The Chosen One. I can’t say – definitively – that George Lucas ever intended Luke to be the Chosen One. I’m just proposing that, through writings and rewritings and reworkings of the entire story over the course of many years – without consciously knowing – George Lucas was setting up Luke to be the Chosen One. Through his love for his father, Luke was able to save Anakin – and it was that act that finally brought balance to the Force.

I know I’m in the minority in this line of thinking. However, I know I am not alone. Earlier this month, the www.starwars.com Top Ten Jedi was posted, and in that list, Luke garnered top honors as the most powerful Jedi, that his self-sacrificing act at the end of “Return of the Jedi” is what ultimately brings balance to the Force. (You may or may not agree with the website’s Top 10 Jedi list. I do … and it isn’t because I’m a Luke junkie. 😉 ) After so many years of standing alone, it is pretty nice to have others voice an opinion much like my own.

I’m not trying to convince anyone around to my way of thinking. I’d like to think that I at least got your mind swirling around a different way of looking at the Saga. As a very wise Jedi once said: “…many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” In the end, it’s just a matter of interpretation. I thought it would be fun to share with you my interpretation so you could consider strolling down that path less travelled. Leave me a comment or drop me a message at melindaw@coffeewithkenobi.com. I’d love to hear what you have to say on the subject.

As always, MTFBWY 🙂

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