Star Wars: Parallels III

STAR WARS

Parallels

For the past two weeks, it's been all about "poetry and rhymes" (parallels) in the Star Wars saga, episode by episode of each trilogy. The first is appropriately about the first episode of each, and the second about the second, and this is the third about the final episode of each trilogy. Reminder once again and particularly in this positional sequence, these moments can contrast each other. [Legend: OT: Original Trilogy, PT: Prequel Trilogy, ST: Sequel Trilogy, ANH: A New Hope, TESB: The Empire Strikes Back, ROTJ: Return of the Jedi, TPM: The Phantom Menace, AOTC: Attack of the Clones, ROTS: Revenge of the Sith, TFA: The Force Awakens, TLJ: The Last Jedi, TROS: The Rise of Skywalker]

Position III (Episodes VI, III, IX)

Title: Episode VI is subtitled Return of the Jedi, Episode III is subtitled Revenge of the Sith, and Episode IX is subtitled The Rise of Skywalker. Each contain an "r" word that indicates the subject has reappeared after an absence, and appropriate to each circumstance. Luke Skywalker represents the Jedi's return after being nearly annihilated after the Clone Wars. The Sith, thought to be extinct until just thirteen years earlier, now have their revenge with full control of the galaxy via the Emperor. Just as critical, the Chosen One of the Jedi is now fallen to the Dark Side. "Skywalker" is less obvious. My opinion is it's more in principle than practical, good like the Jedi, but less stringent than the Order. An example is attachment, forbidden previously, but it is exactly what brought both Anakin and Ben back to the light.

Beginnings(-ish): ROTJ begins with Darth Vader arriving at the incomplete Death Star II, later joined by the Emperor, to whom Darth Vader comes before and kneels. Luke Skywalker also comes before the Emperor during the episode's climax. ROTS begins with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker mounting a "rescue" for Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, eventually coming before him. TROS begins with a brief prologue of Kylo Ren obtaining Darth Vader's Sith wayfinder from Mustafar, but soon finds him before a decaying Darth Sidious. The Emperor, Palpatine and Sidious are of course all one and the same.

Palpatine's Ringside Seat: When one gets close enough to the Sith of all Sith, there will be a fight. In ROTJ, the Emperor desires Luke Skywalker to replace his father, Darth Vader, as his apprentice. In desperation due to the Emperor's orchestrations, Luke duels with his father before the Emperor's throne on the Death Star II. With Vader defeated, Palpatine turns his Sith lightning on Luke after he refuses to join him. Also orchestrated, in ROTS, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker duel with Count Dooku in front of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine while he is seated in a similar throne-like manner. As part of the episode's climax, Yoda duels with Palpatine, now revealed to all as Darth Sidious, which begins with one of powers, Sith lightning versus Force pushes. During the climax of TROS, Rey and Ben Solo, and then Rey by herself, duel with Palpatine, lightning versus lightsabers. 

Redemptions & a Downfall: A focal plot point, arguably the primary one, of ROTJ is the death of Darth Vader and redemption of Anakin Skywalker, through his son, Luke. In contrast, the primary plot point of ROTS is the downfall of Anakin and birth of Vader. One of the focal plot points of TROS is the redemption of Ben Solo and death of Kylo Ren, who idolized Vader, mostly from the death of his mother, Leia Organa, but also via Rey's healing of him physically from the mortal wound she inflicted and then a conversation with a memory of his father, Han Solo.

Endings: The original ending of ROTJ showed celebration solely on the forest moon of Endor, but subsequent releases expanded it to include more planets' celebratory festivities. Ending mostly on a dark note, ROTS still includes the events on multiple planets, Padmé's funeral on Naboo, Vader, Tarkin and the Emperor in an unknown system viewing the Death Star battle station under construction, the infant Leia and her adoptive parents, the Organas, and finally, Obi-Wan delivering baby Luke to his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, Obi-Wan ultimately heading into exile. A deleted scene did show Yoda's arrival on Dagobah, but perhaps that may have been overkill, since he had mentioned going into exile himself only a bit earlier in the film. Near the conclusion of TROS, destroyed Star Destroyers are seen from the surfaces of Bespin, Endor, and Jakku. We also see an extended look at the celebration on Ajan Kloss, where the Resistance was based during the final episode.

Next week...Star Wars: Parallels Extra!

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