Obi-Wan KeGandalf by Katherine Meagher

Obi-Wan KeGandalf

Comparing and Contrasting the Two Famous Works of our Time

By Katherine Meagher

There are two great works in our modern time that stand out above all the rest; The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien and the Star Wars trilogy, created by film-maker George Lucas. Such works have gone down in history as well known and timeless, known by a high percentage of people all around the world. Being very famous pieces of literature and art, both series have large fan bases that span across the world. At first glance, these two series look very different and, in truth, they are. But if one strips away the complex details that cause the differences, the basic features of the story are still the same. These things are the character personalities, the events in the plotline, and the experiences that the corresponding characters experience.

The basic roles of characters such as Frodo Baggins and Luke Skywalker, Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Aragorn and Han Solo, and other such characters are closely related even in such different stores set in different eras. The plots still hold the same pathways that the characters take and the basic values are the same. From the green, magical plains of Middle Earth to the vast reaches of deep space, the tales that are woven are wondrous ones that are, though different, basically the same.

First off, one has to have the background and knowledge of each subject is useful for comparison. The basic story of Lord of the Rings is the basic story of good verses evil and the triumph of light over dark. It starts with a ring, a ring that has a mind of its own. Truly evil, it corrupts the heart of whoever holds it. One day, it falls into the hand of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who then passes it down to his nephew, Frodo Baggins. Frodo is then charged with carrying the evil ring by Gandalf the Grey and sets off with his companions Sam, Pippin, and Merry in order to save the world from total destruction. In their journey, the four hobbits travel to many different realms of Middle Earth and meet many great and powerful characters that are either allies or enemies.

In the story of Star Wars, the galaxy has fallen to the rule of an evil Empire that threatens the freedom of the intergalactic people. The responsibility of freeing the people is thrust in front of a young man named Luke Skywalker, a resident of the desert planet Tatooine. Only at the age of nineteen, Luke sets off on a journey to learn the ways of the Force and defeat the Empire, taking the Dark Side of the Force with it.

When one strips down these plot lines and their characters, one can find that they are very similar. The characters and their basic roles are closely related as well as the basic plot, themes, and even the drive of the characters.

The hero is a very important element in the adventure story. The hero is the main character who goes on a life-changing journey for the better of man-kind. The hero is constantly plagued with enemies, rabid monsters, and even the terror of temptation. The two heroes of the two different series are the characters Frodo Baggins and Luke Skywalker.

Both heroes start off in humble up-bringings; Frodo in the Shire and Luke on Tatooine. Their adventures start at the absence of a parental figure that either disappears or dies. Frodo’s uncle Bilbo leaves the Shire at his 111^th birthday, longing for adventure. He leaves the ring behind due to Gandalf’s orders, leaving it in Frodo’s possession. Luke, retrieving the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 from the old Obi-Wan Kenobi, is absent when the Empire’s troops storm into his house and kill his uncle and aunt, Owen and Beru Lars. In this, the two character’s lives have already been drastically changed and they are left with an opening, an opening that signifies that they can move on and do what they wish. This opening leaves opportunity to leave and start a quest to save the world. Their adventures begin in a matter of seconds.

They are then met by their mentors, whom they have either been introduced to before. The mentor then takes them to the threshold point, where the hero steps into a land different than the one they are from. For Frodo, Gandalf instructs him and his company to go to the Prancing Pony tavern, where they meet Aragorn. Luke and Obi-Wan go to Mos Eiseley, entering the Cantina and getting transportation from Han Solo and his co-pilot Chewbacca. Afterwards, the hero goes farther along their journey. The hero then strikes at their enemy, making it clear that there is someone, somewhere that is not happy and will do anything to stop the opposing force.

The hero is often tested by the enemy, tempted to switch sides in their battle. Frodo, carrying the ring, is constantly tempted by the ring’s power. Near the end, he decides to keep the ring and is then stopped by Gollum, who also is obsessed with the seductive trinket. He is then saved from temptation when the ring is finally destroyed and Gollum with it. With Sam’s help, Frodo regains his sanity and makes his way back home.

Luke, at the end of Return of the Jedi, is tempted to kill the Emperor and join the Dark Side. Many times, he resists while fighting with his father, Darth Vader. At the last minute, he almost turns until he realizes that he will become just like his father if he does not change his ways. Having a near death experience, like Frodo, Luke is saved by his father, who sacrifices his life to save his only son.

There are many people who accompany the hero on their journey. This includes the rugged traveler who is tougher and sometimes more focused than the hero. In both stories, this character would include Aragorn and Han Solo. Both characters come from similar upbringings; both were put in a place where they knew no one and were raised alone and on their own for survival. Both meet up with the hero in shady places, becoming guides and providing transportation to an important destination.

They, however, have their differences. Aragorn is more serious while Han has the tendency to joke around. Most of the time, Han seems to have difficulties in placing where his responsibilities lie while Aragorn knows exactly what he is doing. Their position at the end of each series are different as well; Aragorn takes his rightful place as king while Han gets the girl and becomes a General for the Rebel Alliance. Aside from those differences, the characters of Aragorn and Han are very much alike.

Another important character in the hero story is the mentor. The mentor guides the hero, helping him or her grow until it is time for the bird to leave the nest. These characters are the wizard Gandalf and the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Gandalf puts Frodo on the path to save Middle Earth, guiding him all the while. He helps Frodo and guides him until they reach the mines of Moriah, where he battles with the fiery and satanic Balrog and perishes.

Obi-Wan trains Luke to become a Jedi and help defeat the Empire. Obi-Wan helps the group through the Death Star and keeps Vader’s gaze off of them when they need to escape. To help them escape, Obi-Wan lets Vader kill him, sacrificing himself for the good of the group.

Both mentors are old and wise, both holding more potential than what is expected. They both have points where they die, sacrificing themselves for the good of the group of heroes they are leading, and then they come back to life to keep guiding the heroes, either coming back in a human form or in a spiritual, ghost-like form. This absence helps the hero grow, letting them leave the nest, so to speak. The hero can then depend more on themselves, giving them the power to have confidence to stand on their own. The power and wisdom of the mentor help push the hero and the plot-line along, helping both things grow.

In conclusion, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are more alike than one would originally think. Their characters and plot-lines are strikingly similar, despite a few obvious differences. So why is this? Does it possibly have anything to do with how we humans operate? There are at least a handful of stories that have a lot of the same principles and events that are shared between Tolkien and Lucas’ masterpieces. Both movies are majestic and powerful, made of beautiful concepts and even morals that can be unearthed through deep analysis. Maybe it is so because we humans have a sense of what we want a good story to be like and what the characters in that story are like. These things create something that appeals to all of mankind and maybe it is due to this collective taste.

Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are truly great works of art that will go down in history. Many masterpieces are remembered forever and maybe one day, these things will be recognized as great things such as works like Shakespeare’s plays or Jane Austen’s novels. Such great works will live on forever, known forever as some of the greatest works of the 20^th century. They are already on their way there and in the future, they will live on as works of genius.

End