The Undead Empire
It’s Not About Zombies.
I’ve been thinking about Star Wars a lot lately. I’m watching all the movies and shows from start to finish (based on release dates), rewatching old favourites and catching up on what I’ve missed.
I have found myself agonizing over Anakin and Ahsoka. I love watching them in The Clone Wars, going on adventures, fighting battles with Rex, Cody, and Obi-Wan. I’m near the end of the series and it’s AGONY. Palpatine is manipulating the sh*t out of the Republic and Separatists. He expertly moves the pieces; he gains control of Anakin, the Chosen One1, and the galaxy. I could dive into thoughts of a Chosen One who goes bad, but that’s not the rabbit hole by mind went down.
I’ve been thinking about the life of the Empire.
The Empire doesn’t die. Yes, it’s defeated. The Emperor and Darth Vader are killed, but they aren’t the entirety of the Empire, even if they are the heart of it. In the sequel movies, we learn about The First Order — those who had power under the Empire and refused to let it go. I don’t think I fully absorbed the persistence of these people back when I watched The Force Awakens. The Mandalorian is where I really saw the remnants of the Empire, those that refused to give way to the New Republic. Maybe it was those last episodes of The Clone Wars, Season 6, watching Yoda make choices that had me seeing similar situations in real life — that and my son mentioned the American Civil War.
In fiction, once the “Empire” or great power is defeated, the audience is often given a peaceful ending. Now I’m wondering, what happened to the citizens of the Capitol once President Snow was defeated? Did the Gamemakers and Peacekeepers submit quietly? What about the Orcs and Uruk-hai in Middle-Earth? (There might actually be an answer to that; I just don’t know what it is.) Once Sauron was gone, at least in the movies, Aragorn and Arwen were married, and there was peace. But what happens to those who sided with Sauron, or even Denethor?
The American Civil War was 160 years ago, and there appear individuals who haven’t let go. World War II was 80 years ago, and there are those who admire the side that lost. Defeated powers can persist. They can wait and rebuild. We see it in reality and in fiction.
What I realized is that in the fantastical universe of Star Wars, the stories and characters are complex and can mirror reality too well. I wanted to escape with a favourite, but now I’m thinking about reality again.
What I’ve Been Reading:
Nettle & Bone, by T. Kingfisher
The New Peri-Menopause, by Dr. Marie Claire Haver
Sounds Like Love, Ashley Poston
A Mirror Mended, by Alix E. Harrow
What I’ve Been Watching:
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Murder Drones
What I’ve Been Listening To:
Prizefighter, by Mumford and Sons
Everybody Scream, by Florence and the Machine
The Great Divide, Noah Kahan
Learn about the land on which we reside:
The Father states that Anakin is the Chosen One. Season 3, Episode 15