The Star Wars saga is one of the deepest and most lore-heavy worlds ever created for the realms of cinema. Whether you side with the plight of the Rebellion/Resistance or swear allegiance to the Empire/First Order, you’ve no doubt experienced the wonder of this incredible space opera. And yet, there’s more to it than Death Stars and X-Wings.
The symbolism and allegories of the Star Wars franchise have been the subject of discussion for years. Everything from space-age samurai epics to Christian and biblical allegories has made a connection with the galaxy far, far away. So prepare to make the jump to lightspeed as we look at ten hidden symbols in Star Wars.
Luke and the Hero’s journey
For you literary buffs out there, this might just tickle your book-loving, page-turning fancy. Like so many characters in fantasy, Luke Skywalker goes through a classic story structure known as “The Hero’s Journey.” It’s a common story trope in which a protagonist answers the call to adventure and journeys into the great unknown.
That’s all well and good for your standard flick, but Luke not only does this in one film, but in all six films he appears. From a blonde-haired farmboy following an old Jedi master on an adventure across the universe to becoming a wise and grizzled mentor to the new generation, Luke sets the bar for epic heroes everywhere.
Vader’s Cybernetic Symbolism
“He’s more machine now than a man; twisted and evil.” Obi-Wan’s description of Darth Vader isn’t just a poetic way to describe the corrupted Anakin Skywalker, but a metamorphosis into something evil that began a long time ago. In fact, it began as far back as Episode II at the Battle of Geonosis.
When Anakin loses a hand to Count Dooku, this is the catalyst that foreshadows his seduction to the dark side of the Force. It starts out as just a limb but after the confrontation with Obi-Wan on Mustafar, he completes his transformation into Darth Vader, symbolizing his complete submission to the Sith.
Lightsaber Colors
For those unversed in the deeper lore of the Star Wars universe, a Jedi’s Lightsaber color is determined by a Kyber crystal, Force-sensitive stones that form the core of the weapon. Though the crystals are neutral at first, it’s through the spiritual influence of the wielder that determines the blade’s hue.
It’s not just a mood-ring luck-of-the-draw scenario, but a reading of the individual’s soul. You have blue for protector types, green for the peacekeepers, and various other hues for different influences. Sounds like pretty deep stuff for a neon laser sword, doesn’t it?
Samurai Motifs in the Jedi
Speaking of the Jedi, we can’t talk about the original film series without talking about the samurai inspiration George Lucas gave to his wise warriors of the Star Wars universe. The main influence we have to thank for the heroes of the galaxy far, far away is none other than acclaimed Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa.
Lucas supposedly took heavy inspiration from Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai and Hidden Fortress films to bring us the space opera we know today. The sacred codes, the robes, the bladed weapons of a more civilized age, it’s all common ground between the Jedi of today and the samurai of old.
WWII Motifs in the Empire/First Order
Where the Jedi were inspired by the samurai, their opposition had a far less enjoyable inspiration to truly drive home their sinister nature. The Galactic Empire and later the First Order were both heavily inspired by the fascist axis powers of WWII, specifically the Nazi party. After all, where do you think the word Stormtrooper came from?
Though Darth Vader’s suit was heavily inspired by samurai armor, his helmet and army of laser-blasting lackeys were heavily inspired by the Nazis. The influence is even more heavily felt when you realize the Empire wiped out an entire group of people with Order 66.
The Mandalorian is a Western, Not a Space Opera
Of course, we can’t leave off one of the most beloved entries to the Star Wars universe, The Mandalorian. But while this epic story of a lone bounty hunter does take place in an all too familiar galaxy, it is not the same space opera we’ve come to know. In fact, it’s actually a space-western.
With his guns, strong and silent demeanor, and quick-draw skills, the titular Mandalorian feels more like a Clint Eastwood character than someone from Star Wars. That all being said, we love seeing him get in and out of scraps before riding off into the distance with The Child in tow.
Anakin DID Balance the Force
Whether you enjoyed the prequels or not, you can’t deny the fact that Anakin Skywalker played a huge role in both the prequels and the original trilogy. He was the Jedi’s chosen one, prophecied to bring balance to the Force. Although he was seduced by the dark side, Anakin did fulfill the prophecy.
Both the Jedi and the Sith believed Anakin would destroy the latter to bring balance to the Force, but that’s a very one-sided view. “Always two there are.” After Order 66, there are two on each side. It’s Yoda and Obi-Wan against Vader and Palpatine. Two on each side, therefore balanced.
Droids are an Allegory for Slavery
Here’s one that took us a little time to catch, but it’s prominent nevertheless. In the original trilogy, there’s a certain destain for Droids carried by some members of the galaxy. They’re treated like servants, second-class citizens, property, garbage, and even worse. There are slurs for them, markets for them, and some establishments bar them from entry.
If this is starting to sound familiar, you’d be right. The Droids are basically the slaves of the Star Wars universe. And the inspiration for their plight can be traced back to American history. Kinda makes us extra sympathetic for our favorite nonorganic lifeforms.
It’s a Space Age King Arthur
We’ve talked about the samurai, we’ve talked about the hero’s journey, but one of the most recent observations to come into play is the fact that the new and original trilogies bear a strange resemblance to the tales of King Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table.
Think about this, in the original trilogy we have a young farmboy who’s actually a royal, an old man with magical powers who guides him, and a bladed weapon that symbolizes the boy’s birthright. Not to mention the frequent use of knight imagery in the new trilogy as well. We knew we’d seen a few themes before.
The Christian Allegory in The Force
We could probably devote half a list to the various religious symbolism in the Force alone. This cosmic energy that binds the universe together can be traced to Christianity, Taoism, and other philosophies, but it’s the Christian allegory that seems to be the most prominent throughout the series.
One of the main characters was brought about by virgin birth, there’s the message to resist temptation, and the frequent metaphors for the condition of the soul. It’s also not hard to see the connection to the Force and God, an omnipresent being that created and holds the universe together. Now if only we could visit some Jedi temples.
