May the Fourth: Star Wars and the American Ethos (PJ)

May the Fourth be with you this Star Wars Day. Americans — and people around the world — love the universe and characters of Star Wars for many different reasons, but in my opinion one of its greatest appeals is that it is founded upon and permeated with the American ethos.

Without ever mentioning the U.S. or the Constitution, Star Wars transferred the American philosophy to a galaxy far, far away. People have called it a space Western, and to some extent it is; I speak here specifically of the three original Star Wars movies, the ones I have seen and love. Obviously, in having the heroes be freedom-loving rebels against a tyrannical Empire, the original films harked back to America’s own history and Revolution. But the individualism, optimism, self-sacrifice, and determination to overcome the impossible that used to define Americans are very clearly the virtues of the heroes of the original Star Wars trilogy.

Luke Skywalker is the apparently ordinary farm boy who dreams of joining the Rebel Alliance and taking on the all-powerful Empire. The idea that Luke’s powers are in his blood is not very American, but certainly the fact that his choices define his path is. Luke and Dark Vader both had the power and the choice to be either great Jedis or great Sith leaders; Vader chooses evil, and Luke good. Luke could have rejected his mission, or stopped his Jedi training altogether, but he did not.Individualism does not preclude community, but helps community. The heroes of Star Wars are very loyal to their friends, their Alliance, and their families. Often their greatest individual feats and achievements are accomplished specifically to help others. But, just like Americans of old, Luke and Han and Leia and the rest all understand that they cannot expect their leaders or anyone else to make the hard choices for them. They all understand the responsibility each person has to take on evil and oppression. It is cowardly to lie low or compromise. It is heroic to stand up and fight. Our Founding Fathers would heartily approve.