Star Words: Episode VI, Part 9
Jan. 21st, 2021 01:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matrilThe sequence leading up to the sarlaac pit battle is rife with delightful exchanges. Han takes note of his blurry returning vision, with Luke's comment on the barren landscape of his homeworld and Han replying that it'll conveniently serve as his death place as well...then Han's skepticism in the face of Luke's cool confidence...Artoo's matter-of-fact reply that he's serving drinks when Threepio asks what he's doing on the sail barge...Jabba's declaration, via Threepio's translation, that he'll be glad to hear his victims beg for mercy. Oh, and Han's marvelous appellation - that slimy piece of worm-ridden filth. But for this entry, I'm going with Luke's very simple, unflinching response.
"Jabba. This your last chance. Free us, or die."
I try to find ways to fit this ultimatum into the most mundane of circumstances. It's just a bit over the top when, say, calling the kids to dinner. Anyway.
So Luke has deliberately escalated his negotiations with Jabba from cordial to stern to outright threatening. It is the way of a true Jedi -- diplomat first, fighter last. Keeper of the peace. He's given Jabba every chance to back down peaceably. This is the last one. Jabba rejects it. Whoops. Here comes Luke's lightsaber! Now, Jabba had every reason to laugh at Luke's threat. He's unarmed, surrounded by guards. His friends are all captive. He claims to be a Jedi, but they were all wiped out, weren't they? He must be bluffing. There's no way Jabba has cause to be wary.
He has no idea that Artoo is hiding the saber, ready to deploy. He didn't know that Luke has a friend amongst Jabba's supposedly loyal guards. And he could never have suspected that the long-dormant Jedi order is about to be reborn, led by the unassuming, unarmed, quietly confident man standing on the gangplank.
Next, life debts and whatnot....
"Jabba. This your last chance. Free us, or die."
I try to find ways to fit this ultimatum into the most mundane of circumstances. It's just a bit over the top when, say, calling the kids to dinner. Anyway.
So Luke has deliberately escalated his negotiations with Jabba from cordial to stern to outright threatening. It is the way of a true Jedi -- diplomat first, fighter last. Keeper of the peace. He's given Jabba every chance to back down peaceably. This is the last one. Jabba rejects it. Whoops. Here comes Luke's lightsaber! Now, Jabba had every reason to laugh at Luke's threat. He's unarmed, surrounded by guards. His friends are all captive. He claims to be a Jedi, but they were all wiped out, weren't they? He must be bluffing. There's no way Jabba has cause to be wary.
He has no idea that Artoo is hiding the saber, ready to deploy. He didn't know that Luke has a friend amongst Jabba's supposedly loyal guards. And he could never have suspected that the long-dormant Jedi order is about to be reborn, led by the unassuming, unarmed, quietly confident man standing on the gangplank.
Next, life debts and whatnot....
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Date: 2021-01-23 01:38 am (UTC)As I don't know how much "line by line analysis" can fit into this action scene, I'm wondering about whether I can bring up here a sort of "wordless character arc closing" for Boba Fett once Attack of the Clones is factored in. Maybe I should only bring it up and not ramble on developing it uninvited.