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Star
Wars
Episodes I & II
20th
Century Fox
Lucas Films, Ltd
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Power Clip:
Anakin's Descent into Darkness
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Scene:
Anakin with his dying mother
The
Wound
Anakin
is lured back to Tatooine by unpleasant dreams of his
mother. Taking Padme with him, he goes in
disobedience to his mandate to protect her. Upon
arrival, he learns that his mother has been captured by
Tusken Raiders. Leaving Padme with Cliegg Lars, he
descends into the darkness to find his mother.
Anakin find the tortured Shmi only to have her die in
his arms. Her last words are, "I
love.....". Overcome by grief and anger,
hatred grips his heart; in a rage he slays all the
Raiders including the women and children.
Scene:
Anakin with Padme
The Lie
When
a wound enters a human heart, it carries with it a
powerful message1;
a lie poisons the heart. The lie that captures
Anakin's heart is that he should have been powerful
enough to save his mother. When Padme says,
"You're not all powerful," he responds,
"Well, I should be.....Someday I'll be the most
powerful. I'll even stop people from
dying." Then he places blame on Obi-Wan,
believing yet another lie that Obi-Wan is holding him
back. Now he has succumbed to the Darkside. Hate
replaces love. The desire to be all powerful
overcomes the desire to be a Jedi Knight, and the belief
that he can be like God destroys the relationship with
the only "father" he has known.
Scene:
The Burial
The Vow
There
are two men who mourn the death of Shmi: Cliegg Lars, her
husband, and Anakin Skywalker, her son. At her
burial, there is a profound contrast in what each man
says to the departed Shmi. Lars' words are all
"you"; "You were the best wife."
etc. Anakin's words are all "I"; "I
wasn't strong enough to save you." Taking
some sand from his mother's grave, he clenches his fist
and makes the vow, "I promise I won't fail
again." This is the sealing of his descent
into darkness; now the Darkside has him.
There
is a power greater than hate, and that is love. Anakin's
release and redemption will take many years, but it will
come through the sacrificial love of his own son, Luke.
Note:
1. For more
insight into the "wound,
lie, and vow", see The Sacred Romance by
John Eldridge and Brent Curtis.
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