Luke, I Am Your Father...Now, Help me Overthrow the Galaxy or The Importance of relationships in the Star Wars Galaxy by Kiernyn Orne-Adams

LUKE, I AM YOUR FATHER…… NOW HELP ME OVERTHROW THE GALAXY.

The importance of relationships in the Star Wars galaxy

“The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi”. “If he could be turned, he would be a powerful ally”. “Yes….Can it be done?” “He will join us or die, my master”. The preceding dialogue between the Emperor and Darth Vader is a perfect example of the way that various relationships drive the story of Star Wars. Luke poses a threat to the Empire because he is Darth Vader’s son, and therefore he has a high amount of the Force within him. If Luke had been the son of a simple farmer, the story wouldn’t have developed as it did. As a result of his relationship with his father, Luke is able to become the hero of the galaxy, and at the same time Darth Vader can fulfill his destiny as the Chosen One by defeating the Emperor. Throughout the Star Wars saga, the different relationships between characters allow the plot to progress. Three main types of relationships recur throughout Star Wars: the friend or ally, the romance, and the mentor or parent. These main relationship types recur through all stories, but Star Wars is unique because it uses relationships to explain concepts and further the story.

The friend or ally relationship is one that is nearly universal; everybody knows what it’s like to have a friend, or at least someone with the same goals. To many heroes, friends are particularly valuable because they are often the only emotional support for the protagonist as they face their obstacles, and Luke Skywalker is no exception. In Return of the Jedi, the Emperor tells Luke that his faith in his friends is his weakness. Looking back through the movies, it’s clear to see that for once, the Emperor knew what he was talking about. Luke is constantly at risk because of his devotion to his friends, and at times, he even risks the entire rebellion to save his loved ones. In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke abandons his training because he perceives that his friends are in danger. By going to rescue them, Luke inadvertently walks into a trap and nearly dies. Nevertheless, it’s this loyalty that allows Luke to tap his inner strength and become a hero. It’s also important to mention the role of allies in Star Wars. Even though the allies might not be close friends, they do have a certain bond because of their passion for a common goal. The Empire may have been overthrown by Luke, but he would never have succeeded if not for the rebels who worked tirelessly for success. Each ally used their unique talents to create an army with more power than any homogenous organization like the storm troopers could hope to achieve. The friendships and allegiances in Star Wars allow for victory to be achieved.

The romantic relationship is a simpler component, but still essential to the movie. Han and Leia have the only truly romantic relationship in the films. The nature of their characters causes a simple courtship to become a pivotal story point. Both characters are stubborn and set in their ways, with no desire to fall in love. Yet when they’re brought together, Han and Leia begin to exhibit new traits. Han begins to actually care for others, and as a result he decides to stick around and aid the rebellion. Leia also opens her emotions, which in turn causes her to become a more proactive character. Even though she is a proactive character from the beginning, her love affair with Han leads her to take important risks, such as sneaking into Jabba’s palace to rescue Han. Later on, Leia and Han fight for the resistance side by side, and their feelings for each other motivate them to work as a team. Their combined skills bring victory to the rebellion, demonstrating that the power of love is indeed capable of creating superhumans out of ordinary schmucks.

The mentor or parent relationship is an important role in any adventure story. Without the mentor, no character would be able to grow and learn. Obi Wan-Kenobi and Yoda are prime examples because they literally mentor Luke through the important obstacles that he faces. If it wasn’t for Obi-Wan, Luke would never have known how to use the Force and begin his journey, and without Yoda, Luke couldn’t have truly become a Jedi. Darth Vader and the Emperor have a similar relationship; without the Emperor’s urging, Darth Vader would never have become so villainous and in touch with the Dark Side, and it was these qualities that made Darth Vader the prime antagonist. The sole parent-child relationship in Star Wars is also the driving force of the story. Starting at the end of The Empire Strikes Back, Luke struggles with inner conflict over his father. He feels that it’s his destiny to overthrow the Empire, but he doesn’t want to face the idea of killing his own father. Luke also feels trapped in the shadow of Vader’s reputation because he knows that he has the same potential for power and destruction. However, the most important component of the parent child relationship is Luke’s belief that Vader still has some good in him. Luke fills the role of a child who believes wholeheartedly in their parent, in spite of any contrary evidence. In this case, Luke’s childlike faith drives the conclusion because Darth Vader finds his inner goodness and destroys the Emperor only after reconnecting with his son. The mentor and parent roles in Star Wars are some of the most important because they give the heroes the wisdom and courage they need to achieve their goals, and at the same time the characters gain a better understanding of themselves through the parental and mentoring influences.

Star Wars is first and foremost an adventure story, and as such it requires certain elements to make the saga continue. The different relationships influence each character to take certain paths which in turn create the course of the adventure. Whether finding their inner strength by rescuing their friends, helping others to be with the one they love, or gaining a greater knowledge from both their teachers and the children, the characters in Star Wars undertake all choices and actions as a result of their relationships. It’s safe to say that without the different relationships, it wouldn’t be Star Wars, but rather…. Star people fighting each other in a disconnected way and going nowhere. It’s the relationships that transform Star Wars from an ordinary battle story into a unique and fascinating adventure with friends and family that might not be all that different from your own.