Abandoning Attachment
In the third episodes of both the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy, the Jedi and the Sith both tell a Skywalker to abandon his attachment to a father figure, lending unsettling credence to Palpatine's claim that "The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way."
In Revenge of the Sith, the third episode of the prequel trilogy, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are on a mission to rescue Chancellor Palpatine. When Obi-Wan's starfighter is compromised, the Jedi Master counsels his apprentice to leave him for the sake of the greater good: "The mission! Get to the command ship. Get the Chancellor... Get out of here. There's nothing more you can do." However, Anakin refuses to abandon his father figure: "I'm not leaving without you, Master."
Shortly afterwards, Obi-Wan is knocked unconscious during the rescue attempt and Palpatine, who is secretly a Sith Lord, gives Anakin the same advice: "Leave him, or we'll never make it." Once again, Anakin firmly insists on his attachment to Obi-Wan: "His fate will be the same as ours."
In Return of the Jedi, the third episode of the original trilogy, Luke Skywalker is on a mission to defeat Emperor Palpatine. To do this, Obi-Wan counsels that he must kill Darth Vader. When Luke objects – "I can't kill my own father" – the Jedi Master replies, "Then the Emperor has already won." Much as he did with Anakin, Obi-Wan insists that the greater good must take precedence over his apprentice's filial attachment.
Shortly afterwards, Palpatine also urges Luke to kill Vader: "Take your father's place at my side." Once again, Obi-Wan and Palpatine agree: just like Obi-Wan, the Emperor wants Luke to abandon his attachment to his father and kill him. Instead, Luke follows in his father's footsteps by refusing the advice of both the Jedi and the Sith and firmly insisting on his attachment to Anakin. In so doing, he redeems Anakin, resulting in the Emperor's defeat.
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Characters: Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader / Luke Skywalker / Obi-Wan Kenobi / Palpatine
Films: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith / Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
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Concepts: attachment / fathers / Jedi / Sith
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