In 1977, I remember going to see Star Wars with my dad. I was 4. It was the best thing ever. Of course, I had a lot of questions. The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Phantom Menace and Clone Wars filled in some of those pieces; but, I still wondered about the big questions.
How did Luke and Leia come to be?
Why were they separated?
What was Anakin and Amidala’s relationship really like?
How did Anakin turn to the dark side?
What happened to the Jedi?
What caused Darth Vader to wear that costume?
The Revenge of the Sith answers all those questions and more. It leaves you feeling full after years and years of hunger for more. It’s almost a sad feeling because you know something so good has ended; a chapter in the history of the world has come to a close. However, this film is so thoroughly enjoyable.
Anakin is a young man who has many responsibilities. He’s secretly married to Amidala, a senator. He doesn’t want to lose her but dreams that her life will soon end. He learns from the Emperor that there is a way that Anakin can conquer death. He must come over to the dark side to do it. Anakin is intrigued but struggles with that. He also becomes the Emperor’s eyes and ears on the Jedi Council; but, is NOT awarded full council privileges. The Jedi don’t fully trust him. He feels that they don’t take him seriously enough.
Anakin also learns that he will be a father. His dreams worsen. He knows Amidala will die; and, he can’t bear that. He just can’t. To save her and to further his own ambitions, he turns over to the Dark Side. As a result, the Emperor unleashes his newest weapon, Darth Vader, on the Jedi. Anakin kills all the young padowans. He destroys the future of the Jedi order to keep the Sith strong.
His betrayal breaks the hearts of Obi-Wan and Amidala. There is a final showdown between the master and his young charge. Obi-Wan leaves Anakin to die on a planet of molten lava. This is how he is so horribly burned and needs the Vader gear, just to survive. Amidala goes into an early labor and dies while delivering her children, Luke and Leia.
Yoda and Obi-Wan split up the children for their own safety. Leia goes with Senator Bail Organa (Jimmy Smits); Luke is brought to Anakin’s family in Tatooine, the Skywalkers. The Emperor reigns supreme; but, Darth Vader has learned that his loyalty to the Emperor has come with an awful price. He is told that Amidala has died; and, he has lost everything.
Since I’ve grown up with Star Wars, I feel that Lucas presented this saga perfectly. As a young child, I would NOT have understood the complexities of the Anakin-Amidala-Obi-Wan relationship. I would not have really cared. However, now, that I have grown up and have had a family of my own, I understand that things aren’t always so easy. No one is all bad or all good. Even Darth Vader had some good qualities.
Revenge of the Sith is the ultimate Star Wars movie. It is the culmination of the saga, the missing pieces of the near 30 year old jigsaw puzzle that the world has loved putting together. It’s amazing and beautiful. It’s well-written and action-packed; but, with a bit more of an emotional undercurrent, a more mature story line if you will. It’s a masterpiece.
You have to see it more than once.
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