Reek
In Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker faces a violent, unruly creature called the Reek in the arena on Geonosis. The Geonosians mean for this red animal, which resembles a bull or a rhinoceros, to kill their prisoner in a spectacular execution; however, Anakin manages to break free of his chains before using them to harness and ride the Reek.
In archaic English, "reek" refers to smoke or vapor, and to "reek" is to emit smoke or fumes. The Reek's name, then, connects it to a major motif in Attack of the Clones. Throughout the film, characters repeatedly descend into thick clouds of smoke, fog, or other vapors. These physical clouds are symbolically suggestive of the spiritual state of the characters and the galaxy as a whole: as Yoda says in one of the film's first spoken lines, "The dark side clouds everything." Attack of the Clones revolves around the way suppressed passions drive people blindly to destruction, and the Reek is associated with the passions not only by its name, but also by its red color and its behavior as a violent animal that charges around in an impulsive, destructive manner.
Anakin's attempt to tame and harness the Reek reflects his attempts to tame and harness his own passions – particularly his passionate love for Padmé Amidala. However, both attempts are tragically short-lived; the Reek ultimately throws Anakin off just as his passion for Padmé ultimately blinds and overthrows him.
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Characters: Anakin Skywalker
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Concepts: animals / clouds / names / passion / sight and blindness
Interpretive Tools: Tripartite Soul Theory
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