Unhappiness leads to the Dark Side

Rating: 10/10 (24 June 2005)

Believe it or not, I cried at the end of the film. Episode III is the hardest and most cruel movie I've ever seen. At the soundless finale I had the feeling I was in that coffin. There are many cruel films but none creates such sense of suffering as this one.
In all five episodes till this one the Jedi are represented as idealists, as guardians of piece and justice, as guarantees of good and democracy. But is this true?
 The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inward, only about themselves.  And the Jedi don't?  The Jedi are selfless... they only care about others.  Or so you've been trained to believe.
A Jedi-Knight receives orders from the Council and executes it. The question why is not allowed. The compassion for a fellow is not allowed. In the very beginning of Episode III a fight fellow of Anakin's and Obi-Wan's is attacked by vulture droids. Anakin wants to help him. Obi-Wan: Leave him, Anakin. Fulfill the mission. The biggest problem in the universe is no one helps each other. These are words of the 9-year-old Anakin, the future emanation of evil in the Empire.
But the Jedi Council does not help little Anakin. Qui-Gon redeems of slave boy because of the power of Force in it.
The Jedi order is Bene-Geserit in Lucas's world. With the only difference that Bene-Geserit does not play hypocrite phraseology of good-evil.
It seems a Jedi must be senseless to be a real and good Jedi.
Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.
 Premonitions, premonitions. Hmmmm, these visions you have...  They are of pain, suffering, death...  Yourself you speak of, or someone you know?  Someone...  close to you?  Yes.  Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.  I won't let these visions come true, Master Yoda.  Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is.  What must I do, Master Yoda?  Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.
Are you allowed to love? I thought that was forbidden for a Jedi.
Anakin is everything else but senseless. And he does love.
Exhausting training, crippling missions andno place in the Galaxy where he could be himself, relax, be happy. No matter how good and powerful the Jedi-Knight Anakin is, the person Anakin is deeply unhappy. The only moments he feels happy are the ones with Padmé. But even those moments are forbidden. Their love is forbidden. The fruit in her womb is forbidden.
Not fear and anger lead to the Dark Side. But the unhappiness.
In this moment the only one gives him a hand, who gives him hope, who tells him something different than forget, is the Emperor. And Anakin accepts. No matter that this hand is the Dark Side.
In Episode IV he is just a shadow. In Episode VI we see him suffering again  this time because of his son.
The script, according to which Darth Vader is Luke's father, has been kept in a deepest secret. Even David Prowse, the man in Vader's mask, never knew this. During principal photography Vader tells Luke: Obi-wan killed your father. Who has seen Episode III, knows this is the truth.
Not Darth Vader destroys Anakin Skywalker. Obi-wan creates Darth Vader destroying Anakin.
The duel between both of the on Mustafar is inevitable. But not its end.
Anakin was overcome. His limbless body burnt in lava flames. Obi-wan took his light saber and left. His last words was: I loved you. Past tense. If at this moment the master had held his hand to his apprentice, if he had shown compassion for the sufferings of the person Anakin, Episode IV could have appeared totally different. But Obi-wan did just what he must. And left.
Palpatine saved him from the physical death. In order to doom him to vegetation in Darth Vader's mask. Was his body healed in this mask? No. His costume was a life supporting system. During the 25 years between Episode III and Episode VI  both between the creation of the movie pictures as well as in the saga  he lived in pain. Finally it managed to make him senseless. But not entirely senseless. Because in Episode V he met and spotted his son.