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Post by tonyg on Apr 18, 2021 16:00:30 GMT
These should be of course Han, Luke, Anakin and Obi Wan but I obviously reached the maximum number of symbols in the title.  This is an attempt of kinda archetypal analysis of the main male characters in the Lucas Saga. While archetype maybe is exaggerated word here, the 4 main male characters indeed represent several type of, let's say it, known type of film and cultural characters, so I will use this term. The characters in the movies, of course passed through a significant development and change, although I think they still kept some main archetypal characteristics in them and I think this is the main reason that the general audiences like them less or more. And of course, Lucas created unique and very real characters, but here I want to emphasize on their more "universal" characteristics: through them the audience recognizes the archetype and connects or not to the character. I will begin with Han as consider him as the most archetypal character of the mentioned above. Han is for me the essence of the cool cowboy or we can call him also the gunslinger. He is introduced as gunslinger: in the bar when he shoots without hesitation one of bad guys (no matter that Han shoot first or not, he did it in a very Western-like way). He is dressed as gunslinger (with some variations but the similarities are obvious). He is a fast driver and he is making his money by accepting 'not so legal' offers (smuggling cargos or people). Link to the most popular Han frame (Han the gunslinger). lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/images/han-solo-main_a4c8ff79.jpeg?region=0%2C0%2C1920%2C960Also, he considers himself as liked by women for two main reasons: he likes them also and for his image of the cool sympathetic scoundrel who has his own moral code (very elastic, but still it exists somewhere). While is Han so cool and liked by both men and women: he is independent, he decides for himself, he makes his living for his skills, he is from the common folk: he is not polished or educated but has a wisdom based on his life experience, he is not particularly smart (I mean in the nerd kind of way) but still he has his practical wisdom that helps him to take fast decisions and to think about things. Is not that he is stupid, not at all, is more like he doesn't count on his intelligence but more on his intuition, practical wisdom and fast decisions. He is not the type who will think about the meaning of life and the sophisticated family connections and rules. Han prefers to act: typical example is his first encounter with Vader in TESB: when he began to shoot while the others stood in shock. (It was useless but it was the Han's way to deal with things). But behind all this there is another Han: the little boy who also dreamed to became a knight and then he grew up and decided that smuggling would bring him more gain than fighting for the damsels in distress (metaphorically speaking). The other Han shows himself in crucial moments when he came back for Luke, when he explained to Chewbacca why he should step back in TESB and when he decided to let Leia choose the guy that suits her more (or at least is what he thought). So, the golden heart won against the scruffiness of the nerf harder, if I can say so and Han walked his path paradoxically coming back to his most essential characteristics. I will call him the essence of the American hero: we see similar characters in practically every Western movie, in the Die Hard movies, in Lethal Weapon and so on. I think this is the reason why Han is more liked even than Luke among the OT-only fans and to a degree why they consider TESB as the darkest SW movie: Luke looses his hand and is shocked to find who Vader really is but hey, Han is practically put in a coma and tortured before that for no evident reason. The second part of TESB is Han lowest point and in the same time is kind of his movie: most crucial moments in the movie depend on Han's choices and acts: Han saves Luke of Hoth, Han saves Leia of Hoth, Han is sacrificed for Luke but in the end Leia is saved in Bespin and so on. In ANH and ROTJ Han is more like the sidekick of the main protagonists but his role in TESB is bigger and also more active. In ROTJ Han is kind of restrained: his most important choices and acts are when he should step back (not going against the Ewoks, giving up to the Empire to save Leia till Chewbacca came with the Walker, stepping back from Leia when he decided that she had chosen Luke). I must say that in the end of the Saga Han is changed more to a knight type than to the cowboy type but still the audience like more Han the gunslinger. I will continue with the others later as this post is already too long. |
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Post by Alexrd on Apr 20, 2021 10:15:57 GMT
I must say that in the end of the Saga Han is changed more to a knight type than to the cowboy type but still the audience like more Han the gunslinger. The "knight" qualities do shine through by the end of the saga, which is a result of the journey the character goes through and the discovery of some maturity, a more meaningful purpose and altruistic service. |
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Post by tonyg on Apr 20, 2021 21:54:53 GMT
I must say that in the end of the Saga Han is changed more to a knight type than to the cowboy type but still the audience like more Han the gunslinger. The "knight" qualities do shine through by the end of the saga, which is a result of the journey the character goes through and the discovery of some maturity, a more meaningful purpose and altruistic service. Indeed for that reason I dislike his development in ST: is kind of regression, as Han goes back to his gunslinger scoundrel persona and in ROTJ he obviously and deliberately walked far away from this. |
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Post by tonyg on Sept 12, 2021 18:26:51 GMT
I have to continue this as I stopped it in the middle. It comes to the farmboy, i.e. Luke Skywalker (of Lucas Saga). Somehow the character of Luke is considered the most clichéd as is closer to the described one of Campbell in the monomyth of the hero. While I disagree with this, mostly because of the ROTJ story arc of Luke, is obvious that he shares common traits with many heroes of the folklore of many nations: the humble boy who grows up in some remote corner of the world, who looks too ordinary to have an extraordinary destiny but who in the end saves the day for everyone. One of my favorite fairytales of the folklore of my country (the Golden apple) has its own Luke: the younger of 3 brothers who is the epitome of the looser, who wins against the monster and becomes a hero. The most important quality in both characters is not that they are the strongest men in the world or the fastest but they are inherently good people at heart and they want to help to others no matter that this bring them some advantages or not; moreover, often this bring them disadvantages and loss. Luke is such inherently good person, it doesn't mean he doesn't have flaws, all the opposite, but he is good and he believe in the good of the others. This for me defines Luke as who he is: good kind and loyal, which overcomes all his flaws ( that he is pick headed, impatient and sometimes hesitant about some important decisions). This is why he becomes a hero in the beginning: his talent to feel the Force is awaken later when Luke proves that he is capable to do some good for the others. Luke is also the antipode of the strong macho type: he is the esquire who becomes a knight showing his internal nobleness ( and not because is the strongest warrior, actually).
Speaking of legendary characters, if Anakin is Lancelot of the lake, Luke is Galahad, the pure hearted knight. Also Luke gains his main victories through suffering and loss and mainly by sacrifice and not by pure primitive victory, which again make him the epitome of the real hero.
Why I consider the story arc of Luke in ROTJ a little different from the usual arc of the hero’s path: because Luke wins in the end but he loses a lot. Metaphorically said he doesn’t fly into the sunset and he doesn’t have the girl. Yes, he finds a sister but loses a father, he wins against the Emperor but sacrificing too much. Luke’s melancholy in the end scene of ROTJ is the proof of this: he is happy for the others: friends, sister, the alliance but in a way, not for him. Is true that this is enough for Luke, but I speak here about hero's destiny, that in the traditional story is little different. Luke have changed through all his losses and suffering, however, inside he is still the farmboy of Tattoine: a little matured, a little changed, but still the good, kind hearted boy. His mechanical hand is the symbol of his loss but his heart is unchanged. |
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Post by tonyg on Mar 11, 2022 21:54:22 GMT
I was waiting for long time for this, but I think with the teaser of the new mini-series released is good moment to finish it.
The mentor comes next, or Obi Wan Kenobi. Honestly speaking, in the beginning Obi Wan was not a character that I was interested with. In A New Hope he was not only archetypal but even a little bit a cliché of the wise mentor, Yoda was more interesting, far from ordinary mentor. That's why Obi Wan along with Han Solo was the one of the less interesting characters in SW for me (is sacrilegious, I know). But I think in the prequels Lucas did solidify the character of Obi Wan showing how the inexperienced young apprentice became the old wise Jedi (here comes the archetypal part) but also adding something unusual: how Obi Wan mistakes as mentor made him the wise teacher in later life. The connection between master and apprentice is crucial to Lucas Saga. For me its peak paradoxically comes in AOTC where is shown as a cadence between generations of masters and apprentices in different occasions but in the case of Obi Wan there is something unique: he is the only one we see both as master an as apprentice and this is the uniqueness of Obi Wan character, I think. We see him grow, make mistakes, fail then rise again in the same field where he fell: the mastership. To become the ideal mentor as he was with Luke, Obi Wan first became the failed mentor and paradoxically he failed because he followed the rules literally. And the secret of the good advisor/mentor/ teacher is not to follow the rules literally but to help the student learn how to follow the real code behind them. Obi Wan succeeded with Luke because he LEARNED from his mistakes with Anakin. And the real mastership indeed begins when the master learns from his apprentice: something that is very archetypal but in the same time rarely shown in movies nowadays. Here some would say: Anakin had chosen his path, it was not Obi Wan to blame. Anakin indeed had chosen it, that is undisputable but it doesn’t mean that Obi Wan did it right as his mentor. If he did and he considered he did, he would make the same with Luke (and having in mind that Luke is not Anakin, applying the same mentoring approach, would be effective). But Obi Wan did it differently. And it was the right thing to do.
In AOTC where Obi Wan was still teaching Anakin we see how he is trying to control him, to make him constantly to do the right thing. Obi Wan if he could, would never let Anakin go and make the mistake himself so he can learn also from his own experience (combined with the advice of Obi Wan of course) because he sees this potential mistake as his own failure as master: a very common mistake in young and inexperienced teachers in the real world also. The inexperienced teacher doesn’t trust in his/her students thinking that they are still incapable to do the task, a difference form the experienced teacher who knows the strong and weak characteristics of his/her students and he let them do the task in a way he/she knows that they can do it or at least they have the chance to do it, because he/she knows them better than they know themselves. Teaching is advising and helping, not controlling. That’s why Obi Wan has his moments with Anakin, while Qui Gon had only one (their conflict about Anakin’s future) and this was arranged in the wisest way later.
In the same time the teacher shouldn’t require what he couldn’t do in the place of the student, that’s why Obi Wan in AOTC is constantly pushed to do it Anakin’s way: while he required self –control, he suddenly jumped through the window like a madman (something that, honestly speaking, Anakin would do) and ironically, it worked; later he was forced to fight Jango Fett almost without lightsaber as he ‘lost” it during the battle and so on. While in TPM Obi Wan is the padawan that had to learn still, in AOTC Obi Wan is the master that had to learn even more. In a New hope Obi Wan already “learned” what he has to do and that’s why he only advised Luke to come with him but didn’t make him. While Luke hesitated, even in happier circumstances I think he would go in the end, because Obi Wan already had the patience for his apprentice: to wait him to make the decision alone. In this way Luke trusted him and accepted him unconditionally as master, that’s why Obi Wan’s death had such impact on him. However Obi Wan’s work with Luke wasn’t finished till ROTJ: he had to tell him about his failure. To admit the failures as master is the ultimate mastership in the end and Obi Wan did it. So, in way he continued to teach Luke even then. And no matter that Obi Wan was wrong about Anakin (he gave up on him) he was right about Luke and trusted him, i.e. his succeeded as master.
In ROTS Obi Wan said during the duel: I have failed you, Anakin. This is not a filler in Lucas “wooden dialogue” as some would say. This is the first step of Obi Wan change as mentor. A little too late for Anakin but at least he did it with his son an in the end it saved Anakin so Obi Wan succeeded (through very long and painful away but still he did it). If I can say this was his ultimate victory, not his sacrifice in the Death Star.
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Post by tonyg on Mar 18, 2022 18:07:50 GMT
I left Anakin's description to come last but not as importance. Some would ask why of all Anakin's defining characteristics (there is such thread in this forum too) I have chosen indeed "the nerd" part of him, at least for this topic. First, it is maybe the most neglected yet defining characteristic of who Anakin really is (and what he wants to be actually). Second because it is, paradoxically what brings him even close to Padme (while half of the audience still cannot believe how such a weirdo won the heart of the beautiful queen/senator). And third, it is the characteristic that while is defining for Anakin, it is practically non-existent in Vader. His good heart is the other and most important, of course, but in a very paradoxical way, the split of Anakin/Vader personality comes to life in the moment when Anakin loses his nerd-ness and transforms in the "cool" villain (at least, in the eyes of the general audience, as in within the story is not exactly that). So it is important to analyze this aspect of Anakin's personality exactly because it is important in the context who really Anakin is and why he does what he does.
Some would argue that Anakin is not a nerd at all, but I dare say that they are mistaken. Anakin is practically archetypal in this aspect: when we see him as a child he is genius with the machines (he has even machine friend, C3P) that he build by himself), he is very intelligent and fast thinking and curious and he dreams about going in distant worlds (for adventure). Some would say that Anakin is basically Luke, who did it wrong in the end but is not that. While they have some common traits, they are also very different from each other. Luke dreams for leaving Tattoine, but he is more practical, he dreams for the “career path” of his father and while he is very capable pilot, Luke is not fascinated by the machines. Anakin on the other side is all the opposite, we see how in Ep.2 he could repair what Watto was unsuccessfully trying even without using instruments (and that’s why Watto recognized him, after all). The relation between Anakin and the machines is pivotal for his story (as he lived half of his life trapped to a machine) but in the beginning this is a nerd-type relation: if Anakin lived in the real world, I bet he would be some computer genius.
Anakin is also the typical sympathetic outsider: he is first a slave boy, then a padawan who stands in the shadow of great Jedi master, and while he has his Star moment as the poster boy of the Clone Wars, he is immediately drawn in a plot where he feels lost and outsider: especially in the Council where he stands without a voice (rank of Master) an practically being some other’s voice.
Also he is outsider in the Jedi Order: yes, he maybe is the chosen one but that doesn’t give him some advantages not even between the members of the Jedi Council, his training is also an “exception”, so in a way he is an outsider even where he wants to belong (and that is one of the reasons that he relatively easily accepted his first deviation from Jedi rules: his marriage).
Anakin also has no social manners: the conversations with Padme in AOTC prove that, he is also so straight to the point that he constantly produces situations that are uncomfortable and inappropriate for the sophisticated etiquette of the high Republic society. No matter that he is intelligent, this nerd-ness and openness put him in some very embarrassing situations in public (especially when he is younger and inexperienced as in AOTC); again very typical for nerds like him is that he is at ease in more intimate conversation (with his mentor, friends and beloved ones) where he is very eloquent, even poetic at times.
While as I said this nerdness is his ultimate charm that even attracted Padme more to him, it is something that makes him imperfect, perhaps even in his own eyes: he wants to overcome this, he wants to be the hero, not the outsider who will wait till his time would come (yes, it has to with the fact that he is impatient but also all this that make him not the guy from around the corner also causes him troubles).
He is also the antipode of the cool guy: he is gentle in his feelings, vulnerable and unsecure. Many people forget that deep in his soul Anakin is shy and this is something that comes out exactly with Padme but not only with her. He is arrogant when he tries to overcome this shyness in areas where he thinks he is good (as pilot, duelist, etc.) but he is not the person who generally would shine as the cool guy.
In the same time his emotions are intense and the most important thing is that he even doesn’t try to mask it (with very few exceptions). Anakin is the one Jedi who always goes with without hood: when he began to cover his face, Darth Vader arrived on the scene, this is the non-verbal proof of what happened in Anakin soul.
I think one underrated aspect of Anakin character’s building is the voice: many people forget that if Lucas thinks the voice doesn’t match with the character, he chooses different voice actor. This happened to Vader, to Darth Maul, etc. Lucas had chosen to leave the mild, somehow weird voice of Hayden to represent Anakin I think also to show this aspect of his character.
In the end, indeed Vader destroyed this part if Anakin’s personality: no more insecurities , vulnerability and internal conflict. He is still intelligent, of course but the nerd part is gone. When Anakin rises again, it is because the conflict in his soul emerged again: am I doing the right thing? What if I’m wrong? What if … Luke sensed that and called his father to the light side and while his father didn’t come back for that, entering in this internal conflict was the first step to come back to his true self.
The general audience cheers for Vader because he is cool, he just takes what he wants and radically dismiss those who stand in his path. Anakin on the other side make the public feel uncomfortable because being the nerd he is, he reminds them of themselves: they are those who are the insecure Anakins that dream to become Han Solo or even Vader. I think this is the real secret why they reject the PT Anakin while they rationalize it other way.
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