Star Words: Episode III, Part 12
Jul. 12th, 2018 01:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matrilSo I just wanted to thank any readers who might still be following along with this very long series. I enjoy writing a little post every week and I see no reason to stop, not even a lack of readers, but if you're still here, thank you! And comments are always, always appreciated. I'm toying with the idea of turning this into a video series because there could be a bigger audience on Youtube, but my strength is definitely in writing, not vlogging, so I'm not sure. Anyway, here's the next installment.
The power-struggle between the Council and Palpatine has put Anakin in a highly unpleasant position, no question of that. But Obi-Wan's position isn't much better. He has always been loyal to the Order, obeying their mandates and following their requests. Their current request, unfortunately, is to inform Anakin of his off-the-record assignment. This is not going to go well.
Obi-Wan does his best to soothe Anakin's wounded ego as he storms out of the Council meeting, reminding him that being on the Council at his age is a great honor. That doesn't help much. Anakin only bristles more when Obi-Wan intimates that his closeness to the Chancellor is a cause for concern. Now they are approaching the main issue, and Obi-Wan knows that Anakin's reaction will be explosive. Before he reveals the whole truth, Obi-Wan want to assert that he doesn't like it; that he disagrees with the choice to put Anakin in this "situation." So:
"Anakin, I am on your side."
He wants Anakin to see him as an ally. But can that even be possible, once he tells him what the Council wants?
They expect Anakin to be their spy. It's the only reason he was allowed on the Council at all. As if the denial of the rank of Master wasn't insult enough, now Anakin discovers that he's just a means to an end for them. A conveniently placed informant. Little better than a pawn.
Obi-Wan stands in the middle, trying to justify the Council's decision while distancing himself from responsibility. I am on your side. He's not asking this of Anakin, The Council is asking you. Well, okay. We see his sympathy. But how can he be on Anakin's side while also supporting this ethically dubious assignment? It's a mess no matter which way you look at it.
Much of the conflict in Episode III arises from a question of loyalties. Who is really on whose side? As the Jedi see it, Anakin betrays the Order, switches sides and becomes evil. But Anakin/Vader might claim that he's the one who remains loyal to the Republic and its leader against the Jedi traitors.
Obi-Wan and Anakin's confrontation on Mustafar begins with a vicious argument about loyalties. Anakin claims that Padmé has been swayed from Anakin's side to join Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan says it's the other way around, and maintains that he has remained true to the cause of the Republic and democracy. Whichever way you interpret it, they are certainly no longer on the same side. And we are left to wonder how much they were ever on the same side.
Next, Padmé offers some wise but unheeded advice...
The power-struggle between the Council and Palpatine has put Anakin in a highly unpleasant position, no question of that. But Obi-Wan's position isn't much better. He has always been loyal to the Order, obeying their mandates and following their requests. Their current request, unfortunately, is to inform Anakin of his off-the-record assignment. This is not going to go well.
Obi-Wan does his best to soothe Anakin's wounded ego as he storms out of the Council meeting, reminding him that being on the Council at his age is a great honor. That doesn't help much. Anakin only bristles more when Obi-Wan intimates that his closeness to the Chancellor is a cause for concern. Now they are approaching the main issue, and Obi-Wan knows that Anakin's reaction will be explosive. Before he reveals the whole truth, Obi-Wan want to assert that he doesn't like it; that he disagrees with the choice to put Anakin in this "situation." So:
"Anakin, I am on your side."
He wants Anakin to see him as an ally. But can that even be possible, once he tells him what the Council wants?
They expect Anakin to be their spy. It's the only reason he was allowed on the Council at all. As if the denial of the rank of Master wasn't insult enough, now Anakin discovers that he's just a means to an end for them. A conveniently placed informant. Little better than a pawn.
Obi-Wan stands in the middle, trying to justify the Council's decision while distancing himself from responsibility. I am on your side. He's not asking this of Anakin, The Council is asking you. Well, okay. We see his sympathy. But how can he be on Anakin's side while also supporting this ethically dubious assignment? It's a mess no matter which way you look at it.
Much of the conflict in Episode III arises from a question of loyalties. Who is really on whose side? As the Jedi see it, Anakin betrays the Order, switches sides and becomes evil. But Anakin/Vader might claim that he's the one who remains loyal to the Republic and its leader against the Jedi traitors.
Obi-Wan and Anakin's confrontation on Mustafar begins with a vicious argument about loyalties. Anakin claims that Padmé has been swayed from Anakin's side to join Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan says it's the other way around, and maintains that he has remained true to the cause of the Republic and democracy. Whichever way you interpret it, they are certainly no longer on the same side. And we are left to wonder how much they were ever on the same side.
Next, Padmé offers some wise but unheeded advice...
no subject
Date: 2018-07-14 01:14 am (UTC)I've been hesitant to bring this up because I do wonder if you already know this, but so far as "comments" go, when I was still cross-posting to my old Livejournal and getting some comments there, I would run "Import Content" every so often on Dreamwidth, which would simply add the new Livejournal comments to my posts here.
Anyway, as for the actual line being discussed I've been inclined to focus on Anakin seeming to fixate more on "loyalty to the Republic's leader" to the possible neglect of "the Republic" that existed before that leader. By the time he's turned to the Dark Side, though, I am sort of tempted to wonder about it all amounting to a justification to keep up appearances and convenient excuse... (I do wonder if this aligns with my personal theory that the conversation between Vader and the Emperor in The Empire Strikes Back amounts to an apprentice challenging his master with "one of us isn't going to be here after young Skywalker is turned to the Dark Side," and both of them understand this so perfectly they don't need to bring it up.)
no subject
Date: 2018-07-14 01:44 am (UTC)I'm pretty sure during his initial descent to the Dark Side, Anakin had to push himself through a lot of logical contortions to convince himself he was doing the right thing. But once he'd been under its corrupting influence long enough, his qualms would have been silenced.