While the series was originally
scheduled to end in May, to coincide with the first anniversary of the
film's release, the essays proved so popular that the Heresies continued
intermittently through the year, expanding beyond their early focus on
Episode One and ranged from genetics to politics, stock car racing
to sociology in their drive to get at the deepest meanings of George Lucas's
life's work.
SPACE.com welcomes
fans of the saga to take up the torch.
Jar
Jar, Hidden Jedi?
(April 14, 2000)
There’s a Jedi lurking in
the margins of the Star Wars saga, and he’s not Samuel L. Jackson.
Did
the Jedi Have It Coming?
(April 22, 2000)
Why are there so many Jedi
in the Old Republic? The answer is simple: market share.
Phantom
Backlash: Has Star Wars Lost Its Cool?
(April 25, 2000)
Can it possibly be that
the once-defining cinematic event of an entire generation is becoming .
. . irrelevant?
Their
Fire Has Vanished: Power, Elitism and the Fall of the Jedi
(April 29, 2000)
Few would deny that having
the Force in their pocket lets Jedi Knights carry around extra large cans
of whoop-ass. But what is the price they pay?
The
Obi-Wan Complex: Kenobi's Sin of Pride
(May 2, 2000)
The saga is as deep as we
want it to be. For example, let's look at the grim case of Obi-Wan Kenobi,
one-time teacher of Jedi Knights.
Trash
and Power on the Cutting Edge of the Old Republic
(May 6, 2000)
From the very beginning
of the saga, we are treated to clunky droids, seamy taverns, tribes of
desert scavengers, the exalted hunk of trash which is the Millenium Falcon,
and the generally secondhand economy of Tatooine, planet farthest from
the bright center of the universe and home to our hero.
Balancing
the Force
(May 10, 2000)
When Mace Windu first referred
to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force, it sparked
wild speculation. What do these words mean, and what will bring them to
fruition?
Star
Wars as Ritual Theater
(May 13, 2000)
A long time ago, or so the
anthropologists say, the function of drama was not to reenact the everyday
world but to express the patterns lurking deep below the surface.
Lies
and Prophecy
(June 2, 2000)
Prophecy is the motor that
drives the entire Star Wars saga. It is unclear, however, exactly how the
Jedi come by their knowledge of the future.
The
Tao of Boba Fett
(June 6, 2000)
Boba Fett is the unknowable
Star Wars character -- we learn nothing about his past, we never see his
face, he spends minutes on screen, his voice and bearing are as cold and
abrasive as the underside of a glacier -- yet he delivers mythic presence.
Amidala:
The Goddess With Two Faces
(June 12, 2000)
Anakin Skywalker isn’t the
only one meeting with the Campbellian goddess, who is also the Universal
Mother, the archetypal feminine form that male egos often portray as mother
and lover, protector and seducer.
Chariots
of the Jedi
(June 17, 2000)
It's odd that we haven't
seen much commentary on the connection between Star Wars and auto racing,
since so much of the behavior of the Force is so obviously derived from
George Lucas' youthful love of fast cars.
Lord
of the (Bounty) Hunt
(June 23, 2000)
Writers starting with the
late Joseph Campbell have identified Star Wars themes in Greek, Eastern
and other myths and traditions. Since the author tends to view the worlds
through the Celtic tradition, it seemed natural to discover Boba Fett through
that lens.
The
Midi-Chlorian Problem
(June 30, 2000)
When George Lucas set out
to recreate his universe, he had to perform a balancing act between familiar
and beloved old elements of his "galaxy far, far away" and fresh additions.
On the scientific side, he gave us midi-chlorians.
Return
of the Bounty Hunter
(July 14, 2000)
Boba Fett, like everything
else about the saga, moves steadily outward into global culture.
George
Lucas: Filmmaker
(July 20, 2000)
Enough mythology. How do
these things work in the movies?
Jedi
Knight of Infinite Faith
(July 22, 2000)
As it does most aspects
of the Star Wars universe, The Phantom Menace makes the Jedi considerably
more problematic. In particular, Master Qui-Gon Jinn has engendered controversy
that never seemed to swirl around Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The
Politically Correct Menace
(August 25, 2000)
Times have changed, and
what once looked progressive now seems positively medieval. The Phantom
Menace was the breaking point for many critics and fans.
On
the Trail of the Force
(September 15, 2000)
After four films, the Force
is still largely an enigma, and that may be one of George Lucas's most
important achievements.
Don't
Blame Me, I Voted for Amidala
(October 10, 2000)
With election day upon us
once more, a good Star Wars fan cannot help but seriously ponder the implications
of democracy and bipartisan politics. Vote Naboo!
The
Symbiont Circle
(October 17, 2000)
The Phantom Menace
revolves around symbiotic relationships, which Qui-Gon defines for his
young ward Anakin Skywalker as "life forms living together for mutual advantage."
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