Wednesday, July 22, 2015

The Theme of Bondage in Star Wars

Did you realize how much slavery there is in Star Wars? There is literal slavery and there is servitude and there is bondage so weighty that it becomes equal to slavery. Let's start with the literal slavery.

In the original trilogy, of course, there is Leia's slavery under Jabba the Hutt. It's temporary and all part of the plan to free Han Solo, but still: she's powerless there for a moment. Yet Leia chooses the (strong) possibility of being put in this situation in order to free Han, and then there is that wonderful moment when she kills Jabba with the very chains he used to enslave her. Talk about powerful symbolism; now that's triumphant.

Then in the prequel trilogy we have the slavery on Tatooine. It is because Anakin and his mother are slaves on this far off planet that the Jedi don't find him sooner, as they generally find children in the Republic who are sensitive to the Force. And it is because he left his mother on a dangerous planet that Anakin remains haunted by his worry for her (although she is in fact no longer a slave when she dies). I don't know if there is anything triumphant here. Yes, Anakin proves himself to Qui-Gon and Qui-Gon manages to free him and bring him to the Jedi, but there's still enough sorrow (and doom, you might say) attached to this action that it kind of ruins any jubilance over becoming free from slavery. That and the fact that there are still so many slaves left on Tatooine, including Shmi; Anakin's dream of returning and freeing all the slaves never comes true.

Now let's move on to servitude, willing and non-willing. I'm mostly thinking of the droids here: they're constantly following along their owners without being asked what they think of what's going on, though they seem to feel fear and doubt. C-3PO's the more reluctant one, constantly wishing he didn't have to go up into space or out into battle scenes; he just wants to sit quietly and act as a butler in a nice house, it seems, but he hardly ever gets his way. R2-D2, though, seems to love the action and being a little hero: he's like a dog who is only to happy to serve his master and really relishes his role. For all the able masters the droids have over the years, they all seem to need help from their servants the droids.

There are also other servants who, like R2, perform their roles willingly (and who also have the option of leaving if they choose). Padme's handmaidens, for instance, are her inner circle, and certain of them also act as her decoy at the risk of death--just because they believe in her and want to help her. This isn't so much choosing slavery as choosing to serve something you deem worthy, and that's admirable.

Then there is the Jedi Order. It's funny because, while the Jedi choose to remain in the Order, they're also raised within it from infancy, greatly decreasing the likelihood that anyone will choose to leave the only thing they have ever known. It isn't slavery because they can leave, but it is complete servitude that encompasses every aspect of their lives. The Jedi, though, like Padme's handmaidens, believe in their cause and are willing follow its guidelines--except, of course, for Anakin.

Which brings us to an interesting point. Anakin begins as a slave on Tatooine, the property of Watto. Qui-Gob frees him only to introduce him to the Jedi Order, where Anakin willingly accepts servitude as Obi-Wan's apprentice and then as a Jedi under the Order. So he's kind of still a slave--from a certain point of view. He still can't do what he wants: he can't return home to free his mother or check up on her and he can't (according to the rules) act on his love for Padme.

But Anakin breaks the rules. And then what does he do? He switches from the Jedi to the Sith, from obeying the Jedi Council to obeying the Emperor. What? You mean Qui-Gon freed the slave boy just so he could go and throw his life away to obey Darth Sidious? So he could become a slave again? Except this time Anakin willingly chooses his bondage--and it isn't the noble choice of serving under something you believe in. This is bondage to the Dark Side; this is letting himself be controlled by forces that destroy everything that once was good in his life. He loses Padme, he loses his friendship with Obi-Wan, and he loses his ability to help other people that was once so strong (stronger than his willingness to obey orders). Anakin becomes more a slave than ever he was before.

It is only his son who can convince him to break free of his bonds, leaving behind the Dark Side and killing Sidious; it is his son, who also had a bit of a taste of slavery (of a very mild sort) when his uncle kept him at the farm year after year and also when he saw how much power the Empire had over people, no matter how "unimportant." Perhaps that's why Luke is so unwilling to fall prey to the same bondage that took in his father: he knows that even if he lets go his lightsaber and becomes completely vulnerable to the Emperor (let's him throw deadly bolts of lightning at him, for instance), that will not be worse than if he were to let him have power over his self.

Bondage can mean lots of things, but it would seem that the worst kind is the kind that does not allow you to be who you know it is right to be. And so slavery can be self-imposed--which is all the more tragic given that there are people who are unwillingly enslaved and there you are, willingly putting bonds on yourself.

No comments:

Post a Comment