The Force of Nature

According to the famous Star Wars character, Master Yoda, “[...] my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, it binds us.” (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back). Continually throughout the Star Wars movie saga, the characters’ actions prove that whether it be moving a rock with a thought, or choking a gigantic pig creature with a raised hand, the Force should not be underestimated.

In the science fiction film series Star Wars, the mystic “Force” is an environmentally-based idea used to explain how and why events unfold and powers manifest. As well as being a source of power, the concept of the Force both thematically implies and teaches audiences how people need to treat nature and the environment.

Star Wars: A New Hope is the first of the six (soon to be seven) part cinematic series released in 1977, and as such greatly influences the audience’s first impression of the Force. At the protagonist’s (Luke Skywalker) request, Obi-Wan Kenobi, a noble Jedi, or “guardian of the peace”, educates both Luke and the audience about the Force.

Video by satireknight, rights owned by Lucasfilm and George Lucas

(Star Wars: A New Hope). He then informs Luke that his father, a past Jedi named Darth Vader, was “seduced by the dark side of the Force.” Obi-Wan’s word choice of “seduced” sounds somewhat sinister, as if the “dark side” has stolen away Luke’s father from something the Jedi consider virtuous. This feeling is confirmed when Obi-Wan reveals, Luke’s father once held the prestigious title of Jedi Knight.

It can then be interpreted that the Force consists of two sides; a “dark side” and a  natural, neutral side. Now, the audience will surely associate being a Jedi Knight as a positive role, while being on the “dark side” embodies a negative role. This conclusion, based on Obi-Wan’s tone and context, leads to the feeling that the path Obi-Wan sets Luke on is a path worth rooting for, and the “dark side” of the Force abides a negative path.

Through the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, Darth Vader, viewers experience the perverse industrial theme of the“dark side” . He is a tyrant, a war-monger, a mechanical monster, a villain, but most importantly, a Sith Lord. Obi-Wan stated Vader was “seduced by the dark side of the Force” (Star Wars: A New Hope) and “is more machine than man now” (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back). Darth Vader, while being a symbol of evil,  he simultaneously represents industry and its machinations with his intimidating breathing apparatus, robotic limbs, and planet-destroying space station.

Image by rarmando456 on Deviantart

Opposing the Jedi and the natural Force are, “those who follow [the dark side’s] path are the Dark Lords of the Sith. Rather than emphasizing the importance of a passive and quiet contemplative mind, the Sith are trained in aggression and technical thinking, control and dominance” (Decker 176). Sith Lords use the “dark side” of the Force for their end goal of conquering the galaxy.

So while Jedi utilize the Force to assist and preserve life, a Sith like Darth Vader uses his powers to disrespect and end life; directly opposing the Jedi by using industrialized space stations to destroy planets and conquers the galaxy in the name of the “dark side.”. He first appears in Star Wars: A New Hope picking up and choking an incompetent subordinate to death out of sheer anger.  In this capacity, Darth Vader embodies the industrial threat that the “dark side” poses to not only the Jedi, but the entire universe.

After finding a reason for the conflict between the “dark side” and regular side of the Force, the audience can then see how nature plays a huge role within the Force. First are the Jedi, who symbolize the neutral, or normal, Force. One of the more prominent and powerful Jedi in the Star Wars series is Master Yoda, a small, shriveled, old green alien. As the mentor of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, Yoda symbolizes the ultimate form of a Jedi. He lives in a hole in the ground on the planet Dagobah, a vibrant planet full of vegetation, swamps and creatures. Effectively, this causes the audience to associate Yoda, and subsequently the Jedi, with nature.

Image by David Chou on Wikimedia Commons

Inversely, the “dark side” of the Force, represented by Darth Vader, embodies the machinery that the audience associates with the urban destruction of nature. Affiliating the Jedi as environmentally-friendly protagonists, and the industrial Sith as antagonists sets the stage for a war not about saving the stars, but about saving the environment.

The Force plays out a thematic battle between industrialization and environmentalism, teaching audiences that though the battle may be arduous, the environment is a cause worth fighting for.  Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back demonstrates this idea through the trials tribulations of Luke Skywalker struggles within Yoda’s Jedi training regime. “Luke demonstrates in the swamps of Dagobah that he has insufficiently given himself over to his training” (McDowell 149).

Even after desperate warnings to be patient and finish his training, Luke decides to ignore his mentor Yoda, and instead follows a nerve-wracking Force premonition in an effort to save his friends and ease his mind. Consequently, Luke is left unprepared to face his most difficult challenge yet: dueling Darth Vader.

Not only does Luke lose his best friend Han Solo and his right hand, but Darth Vader reveals in the middle of their duel that he is Luke’s father, and attempts to persuade him to join the “dark side.” Left with no other option but to face his own “dark side,” Luke flees from Darth Vader by falling into a pit of seemingly nothingness, only to then be saved by his friends.

As a result of his near-death experience, and disregard of training with Yoda, a robotic hand replaces Luke’s severed hand; graphically representing his loss of purity with the natural Force. Interestingly enough, Luke would rather attempt suicide than join the “dark side.” Viewers then decide from Luke’s confrontation that succumbing to the imperial and industrial “dark side” is a fate worse than death. Therefore, the audience understands the neutral Force that binds the universe together must be preserved through Jedi training.

Initially, the audience’s first witness the Force when Obi-Wan Kenobi manipulates two Stormtroopers, soldiers who work for Darth Vader (Star Wars: A New Hope). The vulnerable Stormtroopers happen to be in search of the two droids traveling with Obi-Wan and Luke, known as C3PO and R2D2. 

Video by Manny Gonzalez rights owned Lucasfilm and George Lucas
(Star Wars: A New Hope). Obi-Wan’s control over the Stormtroopers suggests that the Jedi encompass a moral gray area, rather than one of pure ethical good. Assuming the Jedi do not represent the complete moral compass for the Force, the audience could then assume the “dark side” of the Force possesses no absolute evil.

Although easy to conclude, the Jedi are not actually morally ambiguous, but rather the wholesome moral compass the audience wants to believe in. Jedi handle all other life forms with care and consideration, “[...]it is the object of Jedi contemplation so that they are focused on that which is other than themselves and not on themselves...” (McDowell 26).

Even though Obi-Wan manipulates helpless Stormtroopers, his intention behind the usage of the Force holds valuable weight. Recognizing Obi-Wan’s wholesome intentions, audiences can view his manipulation of the Stormtroopers as an example of the ends justifying the means.

Concluding the Star Wars film saga, Star Wars: Return of The Jedi proves to audiences that saving the environment from industrial domination is still possible. Luke Skywalker faces the “dark side” one final time during the climax of Star Wars: Return of The Jedi in an effort to save Darth Vader from the evil path he fell upon.

Seeing goodness in his father during their last duel, Luke encourages Darth Vader to neglect his training in the “dark side.” Offering Vader and himself the chance to reconcile the mistakes they have made, “[...Luke] rejects both versions of who he and his father is, and constructs his own truth-one that is stronger and more passionate[…]” (Decker 315).

Luke’s compassion for Vader not only corresponds with his Jedi training, but shows the viewers that there is hope the environment can still be saved. Luke’s effort to save his father succeeds as Darth Vader ironically throws the evil Emperor of the galaxy down a power generator shaft.

The audience, who until now, has only viewed Darth Vader as an irredeemable mechanical monster, now observes as Vader claims back his humanity from the “dark side” at the hands of Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker. In this regard, the audience witnesses Vader, who represents the destruction industrialization has brought t nature, prove that nature can be preserved and redemption from the “dark side” is possible.

The conclusion to the Star Wars film series grants a glimmer of hope to the audience. When Darth Vader throws the evil Emperor to his death, his actions reveal to the viewers that redemption is possible. The Force exemplifies that even if one were to harm the environment to extreme ends, amends can be made.

Viewers of the Star Wars film saga, whether they be life-long fans or casual fans, can discover an enlightening tale about good versus evil, and environmentalism versus industrialism. Star Wars tells the story of Luke Skywalker and his journey into becoming a Jedi and saving the galaxy from the “dark side.” Through watching Luke grow and mature, audiences of all ages can see Star Wars, above all else, is a story of hope for the future of environment.  

Works Cited

Chou, David. Yoda, I Know You're In There. 2007. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 3 June 2015.

Decker, Kevin S. "Star Wars and Philosophy." Google Books. Readhowyouwant.com, 1 Oct. 2015. Web. 25 May 2015.

McDowell, John C. "The Gospel According to Star Wars." Google Books. Presbyterian Publishing Corp., 2007. Web. 25 May 2015.

Star Wars: A New Hope. Dir. George Lucas. 20th Century Fox, 1977. DVD.
Star Wars: A New Hope. Dir. George Lucas. Perf. Alec Guinness and Luke Skywalker. Lucasfilm, n.d. YouTube Video. Not The Droids. Manny Gonzalez, 4 July 2013. Web. 3 June 2015.
Star Wars: A New Hope. Dir. George Lucas. Perf. Alec Guinness and Luke Skywalker. Lucasfilm, 1977. YouTube Video. Obi-Wan Explains the Force. Satireknight, 13 Apr. 2011. Web. 3 June 2015.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Dir. George Lucas. 20th Century Fox, 1983. DVD.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Dir. George Lucas. 20th Century Fox, 1980. DVD.
Rarmando456. Darth Vader. 2012. Deviant Art. Web. 3 June 2015.