DIRECTOR'S CUT: Psychology of a Hero: LUKE SKYWALKER
Added 2023-05-01 15:41:15 +0000 UTCWhy should we question our values and mentors? Is failure the greatest lesson?
Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are diving into their childhood hero, Luke Skywalker. He is the epitome of the hero’s journey, and they take a look at Luke’s heroic and humbling character arc. They discuss Luke’s growth from naive kid to Jedi to jaded cynic, and where he lands at the end of his story. Jonathan explains why Luke’s mentality in The Last Jedi is so true to the original character and the human experience. Luke endures failure, learns hard lessons about his mentors and belief system, and he comes out the other side all the better for it. Alan praises Rian Johnson’s storytelling on The Last Jedi and rants about why he got Luke so right. And they both get nerdy about the lessons and failures of the Jedi. Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th Be With You!
Comments
I love how Rey is so clearly a reflection of the audience in The Last Jedi and what they're thinking as they see Luke in this movie.
LORD MASHIE
2024-10-28 14:45:18 +0000 UTCJedi are definitely shown as flawed but it's more about individual jedi. They are still human and can't avoid sometimes making mistakes, but most jedi (including many who fell to dark side) are trying to do their best and are motivated by helping and protecting others. From the movies their fall isn't really result of some arrogance people claim jedi have, jedi might sometimes do mistakes but they always try to choose way which leads to saving most people. I'd say their fall is result of sith briliant plan prepared for centuries from the shadows. Jedi trying to do the right thing is something that make sthem predictable so palpatine pushed them into situations when he knew which option they'll choose because it's the least bad one. That is always weakness of being good.
BlackAdder
2024-06-06 03:33:38 +0000 UTCTo build on this push back: The talk about the Jedi being jerks and that this is a 'good job George Lucas' moment irks me as well. In pretty much all commentary I've read on the internet that Lucas supposedly said, it is clear that he views the Jedi as a bit flawed but mostly in the right. If someone thinks the Jedi are jerks and the main reason why Anakin is so susceptible to Palpatine, that is a valid interpretation. One that I may not share, but I can see where that is coming from. But this is not the intention of George Lucas at all, as far as I understand his older interviews and stuff. To him the Republic failed the Jedi and Anakin failed to see the wisdom of the Jedi - such as there is. Again, I do understand how one can come to the conclusion based on watching the movies. I personally simply push it on the movies just not being all that well made. They feel like a contridictory mess. A fun mess to watch, but a mess.
Dinadan256
2024-06-06 02:46:03 +0000 UTCLove some Last jedi positivism, personally I liked TLJ Luke much more than Luke in OT. He feels to have much more personality (and Hamill imho became much better actor as well) and especially a lot of obi-wanlike sass (which also feels a lot like real life mark hamill). I also quite like TFA though. I think "jedi doesn't use force for defense" doesn't mean he doesn't fight. It means he doesn't start a fight but he still uses violence to defend, that's why they carry lightsabers. They weren't supposed to be generals in war but genius of palpatine's plan was that he forced them into situation in which they could do nothing else than compromise on that value and as result whole order was weakened their connection to the force weakened and order 66 much easier. Point was to have war which will weaken jedi and strenghten him because war makes force unbalanced and dark side more powerful. I personally have headcanon, that luke also decides to let emperor to torture him because it is his last chance to turn his father. Sure jedi in preques made mistakes but I wouldn't say it's as much as seems to be general consensus. I mean message of prequels is that if anakin listened to jedi and didn't find a wife he wouldn't fall to the dark side. Yoda doesn't really tell him not to feel just not let fear consume him and to accept that death is natural part of life (he also doesn't know he is talking about his wife, because that is exactly reason why jedi aren't supposed to have wife). Jedi are tempted by the dark side because it offers them more power to protect these they love and they have to be balanced and have a clear mind to realise dark side doesn't help, but if they have attachement they are afraid of loosing that a that is open door for the dark side. Windu wasn't most compassionate jedi but in Attack of the clones and clone wars he is very much on anakin's side, anakin got cocky again and too ruthless at the end of war and I think this was what made windu loose trust in him. I also disagree a bit with obi-wan being bad teacher, he had lot of wisdom he shared with anakin, he just didn't listen to him, his one mistake imho was that he wasn't strict enough on the beggigning and tried to much to be his friend. Jedi are much more explored in clone wars though, in movies we can't see as much humanism they have.
BlackAdder
2023-12-18 06:07:18 +0000 UTCI'll posit this for those who hated Luke's journey in the sequel. American society is uncomfortable with growing old. We live happily ever after and then the director yells "cut!" That's how it goes, right?? Of course not - BUT... how often do you hear your preacher or mentor or leader talk about the second half of life? What do we do when we think we've won... only to realize that we were running the wrong race? It's an incredibly uncomfortable feeling. I'm not surprised if there was vehement pushback against Luke's arc... because it IS reality. And growth. And spiritual maturity. And we don't see many models of those traits in a blockbuster franchise.
just me
2023-05-16 04:04:43 +0000 UTCI watched your whole episode, and although you didn't touch on it I'm pretty convinced Ryan Johnson has read Falling Upward, or other books on deeper spiritual work, as he built Luke's story.
just me
2023-05-16 04:00:18 +0000 UTCI've been doing my own coming out of evangelical darkness and found an excellent mentor in Richard Rohr. He's a Franciscan priest who has spent his whole life hanging out on the fringes, living those whom the church has rejected for one reason or another. He's got an excellent book that explains Luke's journey called Falling Upward. This is a good overview: https://cac.org/daily-meditations/order-disorder-reorder-2017-07-14/
just me
2023-05-16 03:12:09 +0000 UTCIf you've never heard of Richard Rohr or the idea of the spirituality of the second half of life, this is a good overview: https://cac.org/daily-meditations/order-disorder-reorder-2017-07-14/
just me
2023-05-16 03:10:02 +0000 UTCI'm only 3 minutes in... and I'm SERIOUSLY hoping that at least one of you has read Falling Upward by Richard Rohr!! Luke's journey so PERFECTLY encapsulates the spiritual journey of Order-Disorder-Reorder. We, as Americans, tend to ignore the entire second half of life to our own detriment. I love that they made Luke's journey so fundamental to the sequels!
just me
2023-05-16 02:59:48 +0000 UTCYou changed my mind about Episode 8. The only thing I liked was the Luke-Yoda interactions, and of course that one shot when Luke looks at the sunrise and passed away (full circle). The movie lost me when Leia survived being thrown in space. I didn’t give much thought to Luke’s character beyond that. Your argument about how his failure with Ben was on character was super compelling. Thanks. 😁 I can return to Episode VIII with renewed appreciation.
Lorenzo Colombani
2023-05-07 12:08:44 +0000 UTC....I should not have been drinking soda when I read this. Ow.
Amy Petty
2023-05-03 21:24:23 +0000 UTCWe stuck to our usual Tuesday release and started the Star Wars Day party early! THIS IS THE MAY.
Cinema Therapy
2023-05-03 20:58:45 +0000 UTCAlso I have to wag my finger at y'all both. Y'all really should have timed the release of this for May the Fourth! FOR SHAME!
Amy Petty
2023-05-03 20:56:46 +0000 UTCSpeaking to Alan here: I know this probably deviates a lot from the mission statement of Cinema Therapy, but personally I would LOVE a deep dive into your critique of Star Wars and I'd bet good money a lot of patrons would agree with me. As I said in my comment above, I personally have mixed feelings toward the franchise as a whole - for me more often than not these movies fall under the category of "fantastic concept...face-splatting execution." Sometimes I love a movie while recognizing it's cheesy as hell. Other times I'm awed by the cinematic display while just finding the story completely forgettable, etc. Hearing you say "I love Star Wars and that's why I get so mad when they suck" (Obviously that's a paraphrase on my part, I know, lol) REALLY intrigues me to hear you go into more depth on the subject.
Amy Petty
2023-05-03 20:36:12 +0000 UTCThe Star Wars franchise is, for me, well...it's surprisingly complicated. I was born in 1977 and remember my Dad being a huge fan of the original trilogy but I never cared for it. I distinctly remember how much watch airtime those movies got in our house, but not until the prequel trilogy came out did I really get into it. I always confuse people with this, but I've always said that The Phantom Menace is both my favorite movie and what I personally recognize as the worst execution of the entire lot. I never *did* become a super duper diehard Star Wars nerdfan. And yet for all that, when the trailer hit for The Rise of Skywalker, it gut-punched me right in the feels. And that speaks to what a phenomenon these movies are in filmmaking history.
Amy Petty
2023-05-03 20:26:43 +0000 UTCWhether or not it's a good movie is purely subjective and hinges on what you want *out* of the movie in the first place; for that matter a movie can be a cinematic masterpiece while suffering from the world's cringiest dialogue or a ridiculous plot - or it could be a poorly shot movie while showcasing phenomenal actors who manage to save it through their own skill. Star Wars is and always has been a mixed bag. Personally I will die on the hill that the concept is great but the *execution* runs the gamut from the ridiculous to the sublime.
Amy Petty
2023-05-03 20:06:52 +0000 UTCI agree most of the Luke character progression is good. But it's not a good movie. Worst choreography we've ever seen in a Star Wars film. And literally 70% of the e film only happens because the person in charge refuses to tell anyone her plan. I'll agree with you on most of the Luke parts, but let's not pretend that it makes it a good movie.
Daniel Sloan
2023-05-03 16:42:53 +0000 UTCI'm impressed with the self control to not reference either 'Seagulls' or 'My Stick' in here :D Great episode as always. The realization of Lukes perception of the Jedi council being similar to my own idolization of 'Christians' and then realizing how much they aren't what I thought they were was powerful. Now I need to go rewatch the sequels with a bit of a new mindset.
Richard Mead
2023-05-02 20:33:19 +0000 UTCMakes me want to re-read 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces'... Remember, there would be no Star Wars without Joseph Campbell (I'm quoting George Lucas there).
Teah Durst
2023-05-02 18:54:55 +0000 UTCI think Rian Johnson broke Luke Skywalker too much, leaving him adrift and bereft of purpose. Will Jordan (The Critical Drinker) suggests a rewrite that gives Luke more agency - and anger, while maintaining his character arc in The Last Jedi. He lays it out in a video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvAa2ALSunE&list=PLFz_00sC7mo65Fq4Q7o0B1eeHaCCZPz_C Warning: The video includes some foul language and interesting insights
Richard Cunningham
2023-05-02 17:52:02 +0000 UTCI was one of those people who really disliked what they did to Luke in The LAst Jedi, BUT, I really appreciate and like this perspective that it's very congruent with his original character. All right, you've convinced me, I'll go watch Star Wars again :)
Emma Mecham
2023-05-02 16:33:28 +0000 UTCHa, it was great to see it on a screen. Some of it doesn’t work as well for me now but the Luke/Vader stuff is GREAT. That part stands out to me now. Funny how things change over time as we change
Lauren Wagstaff
2023-05-02 10:31:26 +0000 UTCI cried through this whole video, but in a good way.❤️❤️❤️
Eve72
2023-05-02 04:35:28 +0000 UTCYeah!! And it's even funnier if you know how prim and proper my mom tends to be.
Kate Larson
2023-05-02 02:09:03 +0000 UTCAlways love to hear from you, Lauren! I saw ROTJ in theaters too! Wasn't it awesome?
Cinema Therapy
2023-05-02 02:08:34 +0000 UTCThat's super funny! - Jono
Cinema Therapy
2023-05-02 02:07:47 +0000 UTCI LOVE THIS COMMENT SO MUCH! - Jonathan
Cinema Therapy
2023-05-02 02:07:12 +0000 UTCStar Wars runs DEEP for both of us.
Cinema Therapy
2023-05-02 02:06:37 +0000 UTCI feel the same way! - Jonathan
Cinema Therapy
2023-05-02 02:06:10 +0000 UTCThank you so much for being vulnerable and sharing! - Jonathan
Cinema Therapy
2023-05-02 02:05:53 +0000 UTCI love TLJ and have since I first saw it. I won’t mention Canto Bite but the rest was great. Amazing even. The Yoda stuff (I just realized when he was talking about the books and says “they don’t hold anything she doesn’t already possess” only to realize oh snap, she LITERALLY already possess them…dayum!). I just saw ROTJ in cinema and yeah, seeing that and then this…it does make Luke make more sense. It IS a Luke-y thing to do re: Ben.
Lauren Wagstaff
2023-05-02 01:42:07 +0000 UTCAHHH!! Another Star Wars video!! yay! I actually just joined the fandom a few months ago and my mom and I ended up watching the first 6 episodes together. Since we saw the prequels first we knew that Luke and Leia were brother and sister (I already knew because I live in the nerd culture more than she does) so when we got to Episode V and Leia kisses Luke, my 62 year old mother goes 'gross! That's his sister! Oh, wait, they don't know that!' It was hilarious. Love the episode so much!!
Kate Larson
2023-05-01 20:15:09 +0000 UTCI'm almost divided emotionally on this episode and actually had my mind changed. Luke has been a hero, as is stated, and I felt so uncomfortable watching The Last Jedi in theatres because I felt disappointed toward Luke and his attitude, and almost victim mentality. Is this my hero? No, it isn't, because he changed and grew and failed and grew some more. Thank Alan and Jonathan for helping me see Luke's growth and restoring faith in his heroism.
Daniel Hailstone
2023-05-01 18:55:54 +0000 UTCI love the nerd/geek flex comment from Jono to Alan re: Alan’s 2nd memory being a StarWars memory…. #bromance
Lizzie Giles
2023-05-01 17:46:09 +0000 UTCI haven't watched Last Jedi since I became a mom... Alan is so right, that line has me in tears now. I hope she grows beyond me. <3
Abigail Friedman
2023-05-01 17:40:40 +0000 UTCThis episode hit strongly for me. There were apparently many times that my parents were close to divorce during my childhood and I never knew until I was an adult and they had gone to therapy. They both came from abusive/toxic households and didn't want to put that on us kids and it's really interesting to see these sides of them as all of us as adults go through family therapy together to make healthier connections with each other. But yeah this episode really spoke to a lot of dynamics in my family ❤️❤️
Amelia Hansen
2023-05-01 17:08:40 +0000 UTC
