There’s actually a nice short comic story from the Dark Horse series Star Wars Tales that has the stormtroopers bringing Threepio to Vader after the arrest of Han and the others. Vader recognizes him, has a little flashback to when he started to build him. His mother tells him (as all parents tell their children when they drag a new pet home with that “can I keep him?” look) that he has to take responsibility for Threepio, and be sure to finish what he starts, otherwise he doesn’t deserve the droid. So Vader tells the confused trooper to bring the parts back to the Wookiee. The trooper asks, “You’re giving the droid back to the Wookiee?” to which Vader snaps, “I am giving the Wookiee what he deserves.” It’s played as the beginning of Vader’s reawakening to the light side, and it does answer the question of why they let Chewie hang on to Threepio in prison.
Two sides to this: First, I don’t think Lucas ever actually considered the idea of “light side/dark side” tricks outside of evil guys shooting lightning. Second, this can be seen as an indication that Luke’s version of the “Jedi Code” is a more intent-based morality than a strict unyielding set of hard rules. Vader chokes to hurt, instill terror, and take revenge. Luke uses the choke to save his friends and free his home planet from a ruthless oppressor. Part of the idea there to me is that Luke will recreate the Jedi in a form that is less about archaic rules and more about situational awareness, which the Jedi Order of the prequels sorely lacks.
He uses it to essentially assassinate one of the galaxy’s biggest crime lords and raze his HQ to the ground to save his friend. Sure, it’s a rescue op, but Luke puts friends first, which is verboten for Jedi and led to lots of problems.
Part of the idea there to me is that Luke will recreate the Jedi in a form that is less about archaic rules and more about situational awareness, which the Jedi Order of the prequels sorely lacks.
Exactly. Less light side group deliberation and restraint and more dark side inner guidance and ass whooping. True balance from within, with only like-minded Jedi brought forth thereafter: balance forever.
Yes, but it’s interesting to note that it wasn’t the attachment that really caused Anakin’s downfall, it was his attachment existing in an environment that forbid attachment. If those rules weren’t in place, maybe Anakin would have been more forthcoming about his problems, and wouldn’t have felt the need to confide so closely in Palpatine (obviously he knew about the marriage).
Exactly. Less light side group deliberation and restraint and more dark side inner guidance and ass whooping. True balance from within, with only like-minded Jedi brought forth thereafter: balance forever.
Agreed, which is one of the numerous things that makes the post-film EU so goddamned terrible.
That was the only thing our our 7-year-old’s list this year. Thanks to a 20% off sale from Lego and lots of relatives, he’s getting it. Fortunately, we have a large playroom in the basement.
You don’t think that’s a little bit advanced for a 7 year old, Or are you looking forward to helping* him/her put it together?
He didn’t force choke Jabba though. He force choked a couple of weenies who weren’t threatening him at the time, and weren’t really a threat to him anyways.
Doesn’t lose anything for Luke, which is the point. The scene doesn’t lose anything, it just changes the source of the tension. Instead of it being a big shock scene, now it’s the big revelation scene where Luke learns what we’ve known all along. The guy he considers the epitome of evil in the universe, who killed the only link to his father he had, who almost killed him in the Death Star battle, actually is his father.
There’s a lot of sentimental attachment on the part of our generation to the surprise of Vader being Luke’s father, but I don’t think it’s vital to the success of ESB or even that scene. Having the familial relationship in place and known from the beginning makes the events of the original trilogy seem even more fucked up and tragic.
Holy shit, you had the legendary Auto Chassis expert builder set?
Goddamn did I want that thing when I was a kid. Hell, I’d pay a couple hundred right now for a set with no missing pieces in marginal condition for it.
For a normal 7yo, absolutely. For him, no. He’s incredibly advanced in spacial ability and visualization among other things. He got through about 2/3 of it on his own with only one or two bits of help from me where he needed a couple of extra hands (e.g., attaching the giant panels for the flat surfaces). His problem was his little buddies who came over periodically and busted off parts of his work. Repairing stuff you did 40-100 steps earlier is hard. He’s currently disassembling it and planning on making another assault on it this summer in a location other than the playroom where his friends can’t knock it apart periodically.
