Popular belief posits that the Star Wars saga, particularly the first episode released — Episode IV, that introduced all of us to the main characters, amounts to a repurposing of classic Western films pitting the good guys against the bad guys. I discerned a few weeks ago that I disagree. By cladding the stormtroopers in white, George Lucas gave us a hint that the story involved much deeper concepts than the human-constructed binaries of good and evil. Darth Vader, the former Jedi Anakin Skywalker, did not become evil — rather his ego became so dependent on the trappings of attachment that his soul became imprisoned by the darkness that enveloped his ego. Logic devoid of emotion. Pure animus. Divine masculine unchecked by the divine feminine.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. — Martin Luther King Junior

Fast forward to the end of Episode VI, when the expanded light of Luke’s soul, his love for the father he never knew, and Anakin’s love for his about-to-die-at-the-hands-of-darkness-son release Anakin from Darth’s cage and Anakin vanquishes the Emperor — I just realized after all these years why Episode VI is called The Return of the Jedi — for all these years I thought it referred to Luke returning from training with Yoda — no — the title evokes Anakin’s return from Darkness!!

The Jedi Knights represent the harmonious balance between the two poles of divinity and they exist to maintain order in the 3D reality and balance in the two sides of the Force. Like the honorable men and women who serve our country in the Armed Forces, they do not turn the other cheek in the face of oppression — they stand and fight for those who choose not to defend themselves. Those that have the courage to speak nothing but truth despite the opinions of society, cannot be turned to the Darkside no matter what travails life has tested them with and no matter how much darkness has touched their lives.