There is still some good in him: a reflection on Star Wars and Christianity

 "There is still some good in him": a reflection on Star Wars and Christianity

Star Wars (at least the Episode 1 through 6) are the centred on the story of a (miracolous) birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, fall and redemption of the protagonist. The protagonist, indeed, lives all these stages: Anakin Skywalker grows and eventually becomes the terrible 'Darth Vader' but he later redeems by giving his life to save his son Luke. By doing so he destroys the devilish Darth Sidious who managed to seduce him in his adulthood. 

A common theme that runs within the story is that the 'good ones', the jedi, are extremely skeptical about the possibility of a repentance of those who 'fell' to the Dark Side. Even the wisest among them are quite dire when discussing the fate of the 'fallen jedi'. To make just one example, consider these words of the former mentor of Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi:

"Your father was seduced by the dark side of The Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed." (source: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Return_of_the_Jedi) 

 As it happens, I believe that this has a parallel with Christian imagery. Consider, for instance, what, in the parable of the 'lost son' (or the 'prodigal son') attributed to Jesus, the loving father says about the 'lost son', who after experiencing the bad consequences of having lead a dissolute life returns to the father's mansion after 'coming to his senses' (i.e. after repenting):

" But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:32, source: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015&version=NIV )

Here, the son that has 'fallen' into sin is said to have been dead or lost but now, after repentance, he is alive again and has been found. Incidentally, in the Pauline Epistles, the imagery of death and rebirth is also used to describe repentance and salvation. To make an example: 

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24; source: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204&version=NIV )

So, if a human being falls we can say that he or she died. And when a sinner repents, he or she died and is reborn. It is clear to me that George Lucas, the author of Star Wars was also influenced by Christianity and not just Eastern Religions.  

So, in the Star Wars story, Anakin died when he became Darth Vader and Darth Vader died when Anakin came back after repentance. And to the surprise of many at the end of Episode 6 it also seems that he enters a sort of 'blessed immortality' alongside with others great jedi like Obi-Wan and Yoda, the wisest jedi. 

Still, however, almost nobody hoped for his redemption. Almost all believed that he got to a point of no return after which there is no hope for repentance. Yet his wife, Padme Amidala hoped. At the the death-bed she said:

"there is still good in him, I know there is still" (source: https://www.imdb.com/it/title/tt0121766/characters/nm0000204/h  )

Then many year later, his son Luke refused to give up hope and he was convinced that:

"There is still good in him" (source: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Return_of_the_Jedi)

Luke showed to Vader that he cared of him. And despite the final ferocious duel between the two, at the last moment Luke spares Vader's life. And this prompts Anakin's decision to save Luke by killing the evil Darth Sidious. By doing so, however, the dies from the wounds inflicted by the 'force ligthning' of Sidious. 

The Star Wars story, then, is a story of a hope agains hope. A story in which a seemingly impossible hope becomes reality and this is due to the stubborners of those who like Luke and Padme refused to 'give up' on Luke. Would Star Wars be the same story if Anakin didn't repent? If this hope failed, would we feel the same fulfillment in watching it? Would we be content of a predictable tragic ending to the story give of Anakin? Despite the great evilness of his crimes, we are moved by the story to hope and desire his repentance and reconciliation. We desire his salvation. And by the end of the story our hope and desire are satisfied.  

Yet, most 'fallen Jedi' aren't shown to repent. After watching Star Wars in our contentment with the ending of Anakin's story, we seem to forget all these jedi that in the past 'fell' to the Dark Side and, unlike, Anakin didn't repent in their life. The ending for them seems tragic. Hope for them simply fails.  

Neither some (many?) sinners repent before dying. They seem to 'die in a state of grave sin'. For the living, we are told, there is hope even if they sinned gravely. In love we hope for their repentance and salvation. But if they 'die in a state of grave sin' there's no hope. They are lost, lost forever. Can love accept this?

I'm reminded of two quotes. One is the dialogue of Silouan the Athonite quoted by his discipled Sophrony of Essex:

"‪I remember a conversation between him [St Silouan the Athonite] and a certain hermit, who declared with evident satisfaction, ‘God will punish all atheists. They will burn in everlasting fire.’‬

‪Obviously upset, the Staretz said:‬

‪‘Tell me, supposing you went to paradise and there looked down and saw somebody burning in hell-fire – would you feel happy?’‬

‪‘It can’t be helped. It would be their own fault,’ said the hermit.‬

‪The Staretz answered him with a sorrowful countenance:‬

‪‘Love could not bear that,’ he said. ‘We must pray for all.’‬" (source: https://afkimel.wordpress.com/2019/09/24/love-could-not-bear-that/ )

Even if the state of the 'irreversible lost' is 'deserved' love couldn't bear the sight of the perdition of the beloved because the desire for their good motivated by love has been frustrated. It would cause grief. It would be a tragic ending to a story. Evagrius Ponticus (fl. 4th century) wrote this:

"There was a time when evil did not exist, and there will be a time when it will no longer exist; but there was never a time when virtue did not exist, and there will never be a time when it will not exist. Indestructible, in effect, are the seeds of virtue. I am also convinced of this by the rich man who was condemned in the Shéol because of his evil and had pity for his brothers; thus to have pity is a beautiful seed of virtue" (Kephalaia Gnostica, Evagrius Ponticus, ch. 1,40 ; source: https://evagriusponticus.net/cpg2432/cpg2432.eng.1990.dysinger-s1.html )

When we think of sinners we might think... perhaps there is still some good in him or her. Would God give up if there is still a small good.


   

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