Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

Well, it was better than the first two, but I had a hard time restraining myself with that line, "Only the Sith deal in absolutes." Excuse me? Don't the Jedis believe that the Dark Side is absolutely evil--always and everywhere to be avoided and overcome? In none of the films do they appear as relativists, who would say, "well, if the dark side works for Anakin, then it's ok for him see it as good and order his life around it accordingly." Absolutes are the whole point of these stories: that the Jedi are Good, and give their allegiance to the Good, while the Sith are Bad, and in league with evil. It's not just a matter of perspective, as Palpatine insinuates. The dark side is really evil; but in the end, we see that, though the Dark Side is real, it is not absolute after all: the emperor is destroyed, and so is Darth Vader.

I also had problems with the Jedi doctrine of "detachment." (Actually, it's a problem with Buddhism, but the Jedi doctrine is Buddhism lite.) So was Ani supposed to be "detached" from Padme? If so, why don't the Jedi practice "detachment" from other Jedi? Why is there a Jedi "council?" Why is there such a close relationship between Masters and Padwans?

At another point in the film the Sith are condemned for being self-centered while the Jedi are praised for their selflessness. Lucas equivocates on that concept of selflessness. Is it the Christian ideal of "dying to self," in order to "find oneself" through serving others? Or is it the Buddhist notion of the complete extinction of the Self? ("The extinction of self is salvation; the annihilation of self is the condition of enlightenment; the blotting out of self is Nirvana.")

Though this film wasn't really about philosophy, I think we need to keep our ears and minds open, and be able to sort the wheat from the chaff. But insofar as Star Wars I-VI is the story of the fall and redemption of Darth Vader, I think it is great. Someday someone will remake episodes 1-3, following the plot line but adding genuine dialogue, character development and humor. Those will be films worth waiting in line for...just like we did long ago for episodes 4-6.