Star Wars: 9 Things All Original And Prequel Trilogy Fans Agree On
1. The Mythological Themes Teach Us About Ourselves
Joseph Campbell spent his life studying stories from all religions and mythologies and considered the two as one in the same. His work surveyed stories from every corner of our world including villages throughout Africa, tribes in the Americas, Greco-Roman mythology, and even predominant religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His groundbreaking discovery was that the stories found throughout transcend culture and time because they are the heart of our humanity. It’s as if our values are built into our DNA.
Lucas’s most brilliant achievement with Star Wars was bringing these archetypes back into the public conscience. By taking stories as old as our selves and placing them in a sci-fi, futuristic setting, Star Wars became a timeless legend and will be regaled as such by historians hundreds of years from now in the same way we appreciate Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad.
Campbell is the mind behind the mind of Star Wars. He considers George Lucas his best student and cites the original movie in two of his most renowned publications. Star Wars is a state-of-the-art recipe that uses ancient ingredients. The fact that Star Wars takes place “a long time ago” is not arbitrary. It should not surprise fans that the themes, which transcend culture and time, also transcend the divide between both trilogies. Anakin Skywalker’s journey embodies two quintessential themes: the tragic fall and redemption.
Many fans both young and old haven’t examined why Star Wars means so much to them. For those who haven’t, Joseph Campbell’s influence on George Lucas is a good place to start. The fact that fans of both trilogies may or may not be aware of this provides common ground to explore the works of a man with which all previous examinations come after. What’s more awesome than that?