Star Wars Jedi Analogy

[proditor]

I was talking with a friend who insisted that Jedi were like Paladins in code and philosphical viewpoint. I disagree and posited the following back to him. All in D&D lingo since that's how he started the exmaple:

 

Jedi are like Druids of civilization and society. They protect it from outside harm, but they don't go out of their way to champion causes not related to that mandate. Balance is important and an overriding concern.

 

Thoughts?

[MitchellS]

Re: Star Wars Jedi Analogy

 

I would say they are somewhere between those two classes. The Jedi Council obviously works for the good the empire which is something druids would not do. I also think the concept of Lawful would also apply to a Jedi. They seem very disciplined and structured, though of course the Jedi who are the most interesting are the ones who walk a more Neutral Good path. So basically what I see are Lawful and Neutral Good Jedi with Lawful and Neutral Evil Dark Jedi opponents. But that's just me.

[Guest WhammeWhamme]

Re: Star Wars Jedi Analogy

 

Jedi serve 'Elemental Good' in the Star Wars Universe as much as an Paladin in D&D does.

 

But they live in worlds with very different definitions of 'Good'. D&D has 18th Century 'Good', and a 'good god's burden' mandate to enforce change. Jedi opearte in a more advanced society, akin to some parts of the modern world, where it is evil to interfere and 'uplift'.

 

Paladins are Fantasy Lawful Good. Jedi are Science Fiction Lawful Good.

 

It isn't the type of character that changed.

[Curufea]

Re: Star Wars Jedi Analogy

 

I've always viewed them as a Samurai class. But rather than honor bound to a lord, they are honor bound to an ideal - that life is sacred.

[Eosin]

Re: Star Wars Jedi Analogy

 

I have my own particular view of Jedi.

 

First, you really need to talk about who is and isn't an ideal Jedi. So far only two Jedi walk with the force - Qui Gon and to a lesser degree Luke. All of the other Jedi fail to measure up to thier ideals and the ideals of the Jedi order; they become stagnatly bound to a set of traditions and rules that keep them safe from the darkside. The crowd favorite Yoda is the best example of this "force bankrupsy" - even as time moves on and we enter episodes 6-9 he is still so blinded by tradition that he cannot adapt, nor does he hear the will of the force.

 

The Jedi in 1-3 are a LN society whose entire organization is devoted to keeping its members free of the Darkside. It has putrified from within until it only has the trapings of "goodness" even though individuals within it strive to do good. Rules replace reason, tradition replaces adapting, and they have come to believe that - no fear, no anger, no hate are the opposites of fear, hate and anger. Luke intuitively uses Love, Loyalty, and Compassion to redeem his father against the advice of his Master and the most famed Jedi Master in the history of the order. The return of balance is not the return of the Darkness that was the Sith [they never went anywhere], the return to balance was to replace the murky twilight of the Jedi with a pure and clean light that embraces the human condition and is willing to risk loss in order to love.

[Curufea]

Re: Star Wars Jedi Analogy

 

I think this is a direct result of the Jedi role in their society. Becoming an honoured and venerated police force held in awe by the entire universe is bound to have an influence on their behaviour. It made them complacent and insular.

 

They have taken "humble" to a whole new level of arrogance. Very much "holier than thou".

 

I imagine (having never read any of the books) that the Jedi were more intouch with the common being BEFORE they formed the council.

[Southern Cross]

Re: Star Wars Jedi Analogy

 

I agree.And being a celibate order didn't help either-while Anakin Skywalker's secret marriage to Amidala was vitally important (the Skywalker twins were vital to the rebel Alliance destroying the Empire) his defiance of this Jedi rule certainly contributed to his turning to the Dark Side.

(Though not as much as his mother's death.Anybody else think that Palpatine planned the kidnapping as part of his nefarious plots)?

[gewing]

Re: Star Wars Jedi Analogy

 

I agree.And being a celibate order didn't help either-while Anakin Skywalker's secret marriage to Amidala was vitally important (the Skywalker twins were vital to the rebel Alliance destroying the Empire) his defiance of this Jedi rule certainly contributed to his turning to the Dark Side.

(Though not as much as his mother's death.Anybody else think that Palpatine planned the kidnapping as part of his nefarious plots)?

 

 

I figured the kidnapping was just random chance. I could be wrong, of course.

[Southern Cross]

Re: Star Wars Jedi Analogy

 

Perhaps,but the death of Shmi Skywalker was obviously one of the major reasons Anakin went off the deep end-it gave him a bad case of Humphreyitis...