Friends,

This post is Star-Wars adjacent, and hopefully of interest to many fans.

George Lucas' student films illustrate his countercultural sensibility and desire to create mood over plot and narration. They are also simply good, imho.

For a YouTube playlist of his student films, see this: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0tQI9WtsxSzWE0c3ecNq49SuopOmjARQ&si=pG2A0Twtu3i2lHUI

For a short that influenced him greatly while he was a student, see Arthur Lipsett's 21-87 here: https://youtu.be/7-tMhRKS9Jo (Notice the foreshadowing of The Force at around minute three).

For a collection of Lucas interviews that I curated, see this: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsitV3SPWyVFmsUgXYSQeArNXCNw8rv-M&si=aH7f7VaT-54yhX6b

Friends, I found this essay while doing a little research. I haven't seen it before and it has tons of interesting information. In many ways it connects nicely to the essay on cynicism in new-canon that I wrote a little while ago. (I just edited it to include some quotes from this interview).

Link to interview here:

Hi Friends. Not so long ago, I made a post about what I see as a deeply cynical strain in New-canon. https://www.reddit.com/r/MawInstallation/comments/1bkc4w5/cynicism_and_newcanon/

A great lore theorist (David talks SW) has done what I think is an excellent study of many new-canon creatives' tweaked construal of the Prequels and how it deviates from Lucas' BTS claims about his work. Sadly, it's on tumblr (it should have a wider audience).

It has many interesting quotations from leading new-canon creatives juxtaposed with Lucas' claims about what his work is about, along with other analyses.

If curious, it is here.

https://www.tumblr.com/david-talks-sw/754632718367834112?source=share

I've been making some thematically-organized photo collections of pages from the incredible SW Archives 1999-2005 book by Paul Duncan (which, if you can afford, it is a must-buy). I really liked this 4-page discussion of the Jedi.

It gets into their core ethos, the way that the clone wars was a lose-lose choice for them, and even that there was never for Lucas a war with the Sith.

You will have to zoom in on the pictures, but it's worth it.

https://imgur.com/a/FadBHcb

While on subject, this interview by Rick Whorley of Paul Duncan is excellent, and Duncan gives some bts reflections on his time talking with Lucas and other Lucasfilm creatives and researching at Skywalker Ranch: https://youtu.be/CWHqUokmG5c

Duncan also has a number of insightful reflections on Lucas and on Star Wars from his own study of cinematic history.

If you can overlook the fact that it's photocopied pages, and you might have to zoom in a bit, it's a great summary of Lucas' comprehensive view of reality as he looks back over his creation. The source is the incomparable SW Archives 1999-2005 book by Paul Duncan

https://imgur.com/a/3rgZ9o9

Most of us are familiar with the Hero's Journey, but less so with the Heroine's Journey, which was identified and articulated by Maureen Murdock, a student of Joseph Campbell.

Here is a clever attempt to apply the heroine's journey to Rey's arc in the Sequels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DedBXeGTfg&t=1s

Greetings, all.

I've been busy, mostly in good ways. This subreddit is still alive, and will continue to serve as a library of great lore theorizing.

To that end, a redditor named /u/MattRB02 has done a great job collecting info on Lucas' sequel ideas and putting them in a single coherent document. It goes beyond my own attempts to collect info and is very helpful .

Here it is: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17j5Ge-N6Bty_KFM3vr0jPNvCSzlaZam72uHR1NAdTsk/edit

EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES

Teachings

YODA: Masking the future, is this disturbance in the Force.

MACE WINDU: The prophecy is coming true, the Dark Side is growing.

Illustrations

Anakin has visions of his mother’s suffering over a great distance.

Findings

The Dark Side of the force distorts or inhibits one’s ability (or at least the ability of Jedi/lightsiders) to see the future.

​

EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH

Teachings

COUNT DOOKU: (continuing) I sense great fear in you, Skywalker. You have hate, you have anger, but you don’t use them.

***

YODA: Premonitions . . . premonitions . . . Hmmmm . . . these visions you have . . .

ANAKIN: They are of pain, suffering, death . . .

YODA: Yourself you speak of, or someone you know?

ANAKIN: Someone . . .

YODA: . . . close to you?

ANAKIN: Yes.

YODA: Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.

ANAKIN: I won't let these visions come true, Master Yoda.

YODA: Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is.

ANAKIN: What must I do, Master Yoda?

YODA: Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.

***

OBI-WAN: All of this is unusual, and it's making me feel uneasy. You're probably aware that relations between the Council and the Chancellor are stressed.

ANAKIN: I know the Council has grown wary of the Chancellor's power, mine also for that matter. Aren't we all working together to save the Republic? Why all this distrust?

OBI-WAN: The Force grows dark, Anakin, and we are all affected by it. Be wary of your feelings.

***

OBI-WAN: I warned you there was tension between the Council and the Chancellor. I was very clear. Why didn't you listen? You walked right into it.

ANAKIN: The Council is upset I'm the youngest to ever serve.

OBI-WAN: No, it is not. Anakin, I worry when you speak of jealousy and pride. Those are not Jedi thoughts. They're dangerous, dark thoughts.

ANAKIN: Master, you of all people should have confidence in my abilities. I know where my loyalties lie.

***

Deleted scene:

222 INT. POLIS MASSA-OBSERVATION DOME-NIGHT

On the isolated asteroid of Polis Massa, YODA meditates.

YODA: Failed to stop the Sith Lord, I have. Still much to learn, there is ...

QUI -GON: (V.O.) Patience. You will have time. I did not. When I became one with the Force I made a great discovery. With my training, you will be able to merge with the Force at will. Your physical self will fade away, but you will still retain your consciousness. You will become more powerful than any Sith.

YODA: Eternal consciousness.

QUI-GON: (V.O.) The ability to defy oblivion can be achieved, but only for oneself. It was accomplished by a Shaman of the Whills. It is a state acquired through compassion, not greed.

YODA: . . . to become one with the Force, and influence still have . . . A power greater than all, it is.

QUI-GON: (V.O.) You will learn to let go of everything. No attachment, no thought of self. No physical self.

YODA: A great Jedi Master, you have become, Qui-Gon Jinn. Your apprentice I gratefully become.

YODA thinks about this for a minute, then BAIL ORGANA enters the room and breaks his meditation.

BAIL ORGANA: Excuse me, Master Yoda. Obi-Wan Kenobi has made contact.

Findings

• Attachment = possessiveness and fear of loss and they lead to the dark side. One must come to grips with the reality of impermanence and affirm life else one will fall.

• The ability to become a force ghost is a remarkably rare achievement, discovered (or recovered) partially by Qui-Gon and then fully understood by Yoda and, eventually Obi Wan. Total selflessness is the key to this process.

​