Star Wars as Church History Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Paper

paladin Wars as Church HistoryKoenrad Kuiper, piece in the Journal of hot Culture in the mid eighties suggests that the Star Wars trilogy creates and recreates imperial myths which serve to sustain imperial culture (77). He goes on to contend that the pudding stone of George Lucass long ago and distant away world recreate these myths for us now as, essentially, a change of social control. Since Kuiper was writing, however, we have been graced with the first in the Star Wars series, The shadower Menace. The Phantom Menace has opened to tepid reviews and the expected box-office success. Its staying-power has been perhaps a situation disappointing for all at Lucasfilm, but the film has definitely do a cultural impact. Interesting in light of Kuipers dissertation is that this latest addition to the Star Wars mythology concerns itself with two beginnings the beginning of the evil Empire of the other three movies, and the beginning of Anakin Skywalker, father to Luke Skywalker and the future Darth Vader. The genesis of twain the Empire and Darth Vader in one film is more than coincidence. Rather than Star Wars sustaining an imperial myth, the new film argues for an interpretation that the series, taken as a whole, represents an intricate commentary on the history of Christianity, from its pure beginnings to its ultimate subversion as a quasi-political entity controlling much of Europe. The first and most outstanding suggestion of this is the fact that Anakin Skywalkers is a virgin birth. When Qui Gon Jinn, the Jedi master who trains Obi-Wan Kenobi, asks Anakins mother who the young prodigys father is, she responds There is no father. Young Skywalker is later described by Jinn as a virgence a virgin birth. The conclusion that ... ...ica is there reason to believe that the Religious mature will become that new Empire? Will the new state of war for liberation be right now in a galaxy quite close to home? Addendum It has been brought to my atten tion by numerous an astute reader that Darth Maul should more accurately symbolize king Herod. They are correct, of course--an oversight I shouldve caught. I appreciate the input, and should take the chance to note that the Darth Maul/Herod connection still works symbolically, representing the pathway toward an send and therefore corrupt Christianity. Works Cited Kuiper, Koenraad. Star Wars An Imperial Myth. Journal of Popular Culture 21.2 (Spring) 1988. 77-86. Lucas, George. The Empire Strikes Back. Lucasfilm Ltd. 1980 The Phantom Menace. Lucas. 1999. Return of the Jedi. Lucas. 1983. Star Wars. Lucas. 1977.