WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS
"You were deceived." -Darth Malgus (Star Wars: The Old Republic)
Disney deceived many fans. They had people believe that the Star Wars Expanded Universe or Legends as it is now called was obsolete and no longer part of their story making process. The news of Disney essentially eradicating the relevance of EU was a blow to die hard fans that is best summarized in Obi-Wan's words, "I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of
"The Force Awakens" has awoken us to the truth that what die hard fans cherished in the repositories of books, and video games will at last be realized and those who have been ignorant of the names of Mara Jade, Dash Rendar, Kyle Katan, Jacen Solo (Darth Cadeus), Jaina Solo, Anakin Solo, Ben Skywalker, and more will at last get to meet them on screen in albeit slightly changed form. When I first saw the trailers for "The Force Awakens" and got my glimpse of the antagonist Kylo Ren, I immediately knew Abrams and the writers had borrowed from the Expanded Uinverse. Kylo Ren's mask and outfit is an almost absolute copy of the beloved Darth Revan from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox, PC, iPhone, iPad). Because of this I became convinced that Abrams and Disney would be dabbling in Expanded Universe material for inspiration.
"That boy is our only hope." (Obi-Wan Kenobi). "No, there is another." (Yoda)
The Force Awakens in many ways is a direct 'clone' of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. The planet that is a Super Death Star called "Star Killer" (a homage to the original last name of Skywalkers, George Lucas changed it after the first draft from Starkiller to Skywalker, and a homage to the character in The Force Unleashed who is the apprentice of Darth Vader). The entire tone of The Force Awakens feels like a resurgence and return to the classic days of the Rebellion versus the Empire, only this time it is The Resistance versus the First Order. The story is not horrible, a remnant empire and the return of Jedi and Sith in the ranks of the Republic and New Order pays homage to the long line of wars in Expanded Universe: The Great Hyperspace War, The Sith War, The Mandalorian Wars, The Sith Empire, and more. You get the feeling by end of the Force Awakens that the villans are finally realizing a giant space station or planet that can deal death on a magnitude of the Halos rings is not working out and that now the Sith need to focus on fostering the Dark Side of Force in potential students to make war on the Republic.
I must confess I was hesitant to see "The Force Awakens" for many reasons. The first was the commercialism and marketing. You couldn't even by Coffeemate creamer without Chewie on the cover. The second reason was the potential negative spiritual overtones of the Dark Side. Under the helm and guidance of Disney, I feared the Dark Side would be unleashed and its more Satanic, Black Magic, and Luciferian characteristics would be exposed (see Book of Sith). The third reason was that I knew the entire film was to milk the franchise and make money. Nothing about the trailers gave me the impression that this would be the Star Wars to match and rival the Original Trilogy (Classic Trilogy). In fact, the sequels of today from Jurassic World to The Force Awakens have a flashy and Apple product feel that does not convey the wonder of the originals, but rather a shadow of the former greatness with the goal of selling tickets and getting fans desperate for nostalgia to pay high dividends.
In fact, it is nostalgia that is J.J. Abrams' saber. He brings back original cast members from the originals to draw the older fans who want to see Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) again. It is genius, but a faulty Force Power that cannot sustain a series. Nostalgia lasts fifteen seconds, then you must have something new, something unique that makes the stories people have cherished more interesting and enticing. It is on this side of the Force Abrams fails. Seeing the Storm Troopers, Tie Fighters, X-Wings, Tatooinesque planet like Jakku, Anakin's Lightsaber, and the original cast of characters did not move me as I had hoped. Rather I felt they were the strings that had drawn me in to see another Star Wars. The new arrivals such as Finn and Rye (Daisy Ridley) I did enjoy watching, they brought more to the film than the original cast and if the next two installments pivot their focus on them and a new generation of characters, then success is within the Empire-Disney's grasp.
"Once you start down the dark path, forever it will dominate your destiny." (Yoda)
Star Wars has always had a share of iconic villains. The most notable being Darth Vader, who now dominates lunch boxes, iPad covers, sweaters, Santa caps, and every surface you can imagine. Vader was the ultimate villain. He had a imposing and insidious presence on screen that could unnerve audiences who knew he could go from carrying on conversation one moment to choking someone with the Force the next. Darth Vader was the genius of George Lucas who brought together the inspiration of a Samurai warrior and the voice of the brilliant James Earl Jones to create a iconic character that embodies Star Wars to the point that in other countries if you merely show his mask or say Darth Vader, they know you are taking about Star Wars. Other villains have gained fame both on screen and off, The Emperor Palpatine became the puppet master Sith Lord who has yet to be surpassed. Darth Maul the red and black tattooed Sith Apprentice has a cult following that was strong enough to resurrect him in the Star Wars: The Clones Wars television series. Count Dooku or Darth Tyranus gave fans a glimpse at a more regal, reserved, and political Dark Sider. From the edge of the Expanded Universe Darth Revan captured the hearts of fans who witnessed a Jedi Prodigal who does not die like Darth Vader, but lives to become a powerful force for the Light Side. Exar-Kun gave us insight into the first Dark Jedi, while Naga Sadow taught us that the Sith were a race on a planet and that he became Dark Lord of Sith, and thus Sith Lord is a title of conqueror of the Sith, not the equivalent of the Jedi. Yes, the Dark Side has been strong on and off screen, but the latest Sith or aspiring Darksiders have left a lot to be desired. Kylo Ren is a major disappointment. He is copycat of Darth Vader, but does not embody the evil and imposing nature of his grandfather. Kylo Ren looks like Revan, but his voice is more akin to Anakin in Episode II screaming "It's not fair!" and "It's all Obi-Wan's fault!" The fact that Kylo Ren is really Ben Solo, son of Han Solo and Liea Organa proves that Disney and Abrams copied the Expanded Universe. Kylo Ren/Ben Solo is based on Jacen Solo who turn against his family and becomes Darth Cadeus. All Abrams did was take Ben from Luke's son, Ben Skywalker and use it instead of Jacen; otherwise Kylo Ren is Jacen Solo. On one hand I liked that Kylo Ren/Ben Solo is insecure, geeky, and timid when his mask is off. It is refreshing that he is not an exact clone of Vader, but his successor struggling with choosing the Dark Side when he feels the call of the Light. Kylo Ren/Ben Solo has been seduced by Supreme Leader Snoke (Emperor Palpatine II, and possibly Darth Plaguis). But Kylo is not convinced fully, he has to repent in one scene to Darth Vader's Mask, "Forgive me, I feel the call of the Light" and in a later in confrontation with his father Han Solo says, "I want to be free of this pain, will you help me?" Yes, Kylo is a different Dark Sider, he is already battling with the "conflict within" and has to convince himself to be a Sith. While Anakin when he turned into Vader was fully committed and was capable of great acts of evil without remorse, Kylo is having to speak to himself all the time like those self help tapes that say, "you are a powerful person, you can do this!" Kylo's conflict and lack of confidence makes him stand out, but the fact he can't fully commit to Dark Side makes him less terrifying than Vader and the Emperor, and instead makes you feel sorry for him like fans we suppose to but never did for Anakin in Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of Sith. In fact, the actor who plays the tender Kylo Ren/Ben Solo would have been a better choice than Hayden Christen, because he captures the divided heart of wanting to gain the power of Dark Side, but feeling call of the Light and who he once was.
"Is the Dark Side stronger?" (Luke) "No, quicker, more seductive." (Yoda)
Having talked about the Dark Side, let us look to the light. The Jedi represent many different things to different people. To Christians such as myself they embody the Christian walk of being "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9): "We are peacemakers not soldiers" (Mace Windu), full of compassion and love for others, "love one another," (John 13:34-25), self sacrificing, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for his friends," (John 15:13) and more. The Jedi as my mother likes to say are "JEDI: Jesus' Empowered Disciples Intergalactic." It is true you can take a very Biblical look at Star Wars and see the Jedi as Disciples of Christ who is the Light (John 8:12) and the Sith who are disciples of Darkness which is Devil and the Word (John 15:19, 2 Corinthians 6:14). Perhaps the most moving part of The Force Awakens is when the Light Side of Force is awoken in Rye and she is able to resist and defy Kylo Ren to point of defeating him in combat. For first time since Return of Jedi audiences get to see on screen the power of Light over the Dark. This all culminates in the chilling last scene when Rye, the next generation of Jedi, goes to water planet with islands that look like Ireland and seeks out and finds Luke Skywalker who is to become the next mentor, the next Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda to teach her the narrow path of the Light. The Light Side's greatest adherents have been Kenobi, Yoda, and more; but Luke Skywalker has always embodied the Light Side most. He in Return of Jedi after realizing he has danced with Dark Side while cutting down his Father Darth Vader in rage, decides to cast his lightsaber aside when Emperor bids him congratulations. Luke says in defiance to the Darkness, "You have failed your highness, I am Jedi like my father before me." The passing on of the torch in the Jedi and Sith is very similar to passing on of the faith in Christ and the darkness of generational sin and Satanic powers. Each of us must decide, will we choose to side with Jesus Christ and be filled with his light, love, and life? Or will be pawns of the prince of darkness and let our emotions, our fears, anger, hatred, bitterness, jealousies, envy, lust, and passions become tools for the darkness to spread in our lives and in others?
Star Wars have been a tool to explain simply that in this life there really is Light Side and Dark Side. There is Jesus Christ the Light and Satan the Dark. Unfortunately, the ability to use this as a parable has been polluted by Hindu, Taoist, and Buddhist concepts of Yin and Yang, where light and dark are equals in need of balance. Zoroastrians of old believed there was good god and evil god, and both were equal in power and you had to choose who to serve. The truth however is that we Christians serve the Almighty God, who it says, "is greater in us than he (satan) who is in the world," (1 John 4:4), and "Submit to God, resist the devil and the devil will flee." (James 4:7). The darkness is not equal to the light, but rather it shall be destroyed forever, for the devil and all who serve his darkness will be sent to hell fire and Lake of fire where they will be tormented for eternity (Revelation 20:10). Jesus Christ utterly defeated the devil on the cross when he destroyed the power of death, sin, and the devil over mankind. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and confess Him as Lord and Son of God you shall be saved (Romans 10:9, cross ref John 3:16). Through Christ we are "more than conquerors" (Romans 8:31-39) and "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13). The darkness as Yoda so eloquently said, is not stronger, but rather "quicker and more seductive." It is easier for man to desire power, wealth, position, lust, and desire to dominate (control) all things. All of these are corruptions of God's gifts, for we were made to procreate and subdue (govern, put to order the earth), but not by force of arms and spell craft, but rather through the Holy Spirit and loving arms. The Jedi know as we Jesus Followers know that compassion, love, charity, virtue, self sacrifice, and helping others is the path to true power in Christ and from Him comes life abundantly (John 10:10). The Sith and the Dark Side, Satan worshippers and Worldly people destroy and kill to gain power, they leave desolation in their wake and feed their greed and lusts. As I once said in a college paper, Luke Skywalker is more powerful than the Emperor, because Luke exercises the power of Self Control, which is a fruit of Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the Emperor not able to control Luke, uses brut force in form of Force Lightning. The Sith cannot control their passions, once they can't sway and get what they want from rhetoric and mind control, they attack like a cobra, but Luke and Jedi know that the greater strength and power is not to unleash amazing feats of dominance and destruction, but rather to control the desires that create more death inside a person and in the wider world. The Jedi have discovered the secret, strength and power comes from loving God, loving others, and controlling the baser passions that destroy; because at end of the day the Jedi have family in their Temple and outside it, while Sith trust no one, have no family, and even kill one another for power.
There are great parables and allegories to be gleamed from Star Wars Universe. But we must be careful not blend the Science Fiction with the true Supernatural in this world. On one hand, the Force and Star Wars help us explain more easily the Spiritual War going on in this world between God (Trinity) and the Devil and his forces of darkness. On the other hand we risk people becoming desensitized by the fantasy and unable to embrace the reality that Spiritual Forces are real, that Jesus is the Light and Satan is the Dark, and we are in war. In addition, The Force has become less Good and Evil, God vs the Devil, and more New Age and Buddhist with this concept of balancing good and evil; not letting one be stronger than the other. This is a false teaching, for we as Christians know that Christ is the Almighty and One with The Father and Holy Spirit and that Devil will be destroyed and darkness overcome at the Last Day. Our goal is to spread the message (gospel) that the Apostles taught and the Light of Christ Jesus according Holy Bible (NKJV, NIV, NLT). We are at war against the devil, darkness, and world with weapons of warfare (Ephesians 6:12-15) and not ever give into the darkness, for "You have come out of darkness into Christ's glorious Light." (1 Peter 2:9).
The Force Awakens may awaken people to the truth of the Spiritual War in this world. It is a fantasy that actually is close to what is going on between the Kingdom of Heaven (God) and Kingdom of Darkness. But viewers must beware of the New Age, Buddhist, Hindu, and Zoroastrian beliefs that corrupt The Force in the Star Wars franchise. Make no mistake, The Star Wars franchise is not a direct analogy of the Spiritual War and the battle we face in the armies of Christ, it is a shadow that is similar. My recommendation is that you tred into "A Galaxy, far far, away.." with caution. Enjoy it, but do not become too engrossed and lost in it. For while it has much that could encourage us in our walk with Emmanuel, there are little evils that can lead you astray into false religions and beliefs.
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