Sometimes passion can emerge from the most unlikely of places.
It’s May the 4th, and as such, I have been thinking about Star Wars. Specifically, I have been thinking about the ending of the first trilogy of films, how in Return of the Jedi, the dark excellence and crucial lessons of its immediate predecessor, The Empire Strikes Back, continue and blossom into a happiness hard won. Viewers see the twin flames of devotion and dedication in the separate interactions between Yoda and Luke Skywalker, and between Luke and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Similar to the element of fire, passion can transform in positive and negative ways depending on the individual and the situation.
In truth, the whole Star Wars series plays on the role of passion in the lives of various individuals whether they are seen on the side of “good” or “evil.” The flame that burns in the Emperor and his motives for universal domination is no less intense than the one that quietly seeps from the pores of Yoda in his final conversation with Luke.
Yoda in a sand memorial – Pixabay
For many people, seeing the Star Wars films marked a rite of passage.
I recall celebrating my first Star Wars marathon in a small Parisian theater filled with strangers willing to give up a Friday night. Some arrived in costume, others brought blankets for young children, and a few had enjoyed an early dinner. From 7:30 in the evening until dawn, our group cheered, laughed, and honored the strongest moments with silence. I might have snuck in a small snack or two to break the momentum in the middle of Empire, being still too young to appreciate what can arguably be considered the best of the entire franchise.
Star Wars – the first film, from 1977 – deserves its rank for many as the best due to its daring initiative in filmmaking at the time. After all, who starts a story in the middle as a fourth episode? For most readers and film goers, before 1977, the basic stance was to start a story at its beginning and continue through to its end. Perhaps there might be a bit of flashback or flash forward, but rarely did a story start in the middle for a mainstream film production. Another unusual take for American audiences would be the use of seemingly secondary characters, the beloved droids R2D2 and C-3PO, as a means to center the viewer in the large overall familiar plot of the underdog attempting to rebel against the restrictive regime.
Yet, for as many times as I’ve seen various parts of the series, the one that hits my heart the most are the two fondly known as Episode V and Episode VI. As a child, who didn’t enjoy the wrap up of Return of the Jedi as a wrap up to an expected trilogy? Yes, it might seem silly by so many standards, but the revelry and celebration with the Ewoks at the end of Episode VI is a reminder that excitement, zeal, and joy that emerges is just as much about passion in its positive aspect as the fierce battle on Endor that precedes it.
Who didn’t laugh or note how practical R2D2 has the exact tool needed to cut through the ropes of an Ewok trap as the Han Solo is trying to grab Luke Skywalker’s light saber? Without C3PO’s linguistic prowess and ethical stance on not impersonating a deity, the main characters would have had a bit more difficulty in securing the Ewoks as an ally.
Likewise, in the dark background of the forest night and in the light on the Death Star, Luke dressed in black explores passion through the depths of of anguish, sadness, and awareness that some secrets cannot remain hidden forever. The final internal battle Luke faces when challenged to use his anger and hate to destroy the Emperor reminds us that what keeps us sane and able to experience passion as joy is the reality that we have to make hard decisions. Do we give into anger and pain that leads down the path to the dark side? These questions continue to filter through to us on a regular basis. Our frailty as humans means that we might answer and discover the dark side of fury in passion one day, or exuberance in passion the next.
My heart’s favorite in terms of passion however can be found in The Empire Strikes Back. Love, anger, suffering, affection, wrath, and misery lace each inch of that film, including the start on the Hoth ice-planet with a personal favorite scene of Han Solo demonstrating devotion to his friends and the larger mission by cutting open his tauntaun to keep Luke warm and alive until help can reach them the next morning.
Scenes where Luke faces in symbolic form anger, evil, and the true dark side of humanity on Dagobah now remind me of the paths faced by many Pagans, Heathens, and polytheists when wrestling through periods we call the “dark night of the soul.” Although I disliked Empire at the time, I see it as my personal favorite because it reminds me of how passion can take all forms, far beyond the stereotypical sexual ecstasy that often is portrayed in contemporary media.
Passion Flower -Pixabay
The greatest joys in life, our passions may be realized after moments and period of intense pain, grief, or undesired awareness. I am forever grateful that the Star Wars franchise continues to provide examples of passion in its fullest form as life lessons that can be passed on and re-visited with each viewing. Many celebrate the movement and series each year on the informal celebration on May 4 of Star Wars Day since 2011.
As third and even fourth generations are enjoying a series that will celebrate its 50th anniversary in a few years, this is also time when traditionally we have celebrated Beltane, a full flourishing of spring, a celebration of fertility, and a reminder that the height of the light half of the year is fast approaching. Passion reflects at May Day and various Beltane festivals in union – a celebration of the Hieros Gamos, a sacred union of Earth and Sky. For some the May Queen and May King’s consecration on the carnal level is reflected in the sensual, sexual passion, and energy.
During the light half of the year our vitality increases. As we celebrate these lessons of passion in the light, the shadow reminds us of the forthcoming dark half of the year, when Samhain reveals the other part of passion – the awareness that death, loss, and the onset of winter brings. We feel the presence of our ancestors who may visit near Samhain, but we should not forget the thinning of the veil also occurs for some near Beltane. Just as we mourn openly, let us revel in passion and celebrate openly during the light half of the year.
One means of remembering how to bring passion into one’s life is to know when and how to say “no.” I find fascinating how often this topic has arisen in the past several years. Recently, the New York Times asked students 13 years of age and older about the emotions that might arise when they say “no.” The question of “do you have a hard time saying no” is one that recurs frequently in life. Having difficulty saying “no” can be equated with missing opportunities for increased passion because you might not have the time or the energy to take advantage of what you want to do. Likewise, the writer Leslie Jameson noted the week before on how keeping a record of what she turned down and how that freed up time for her to expand in other areas changed her life.
Beltane altar from 2021 [E. Scott]
For this Beltane season, and this Star Wars Day, let life challenge you to experience passion fully and completely. Whether it is celebrating with joy, healing from new awareness of anguish or pain, or just saying no because you are caring for yourself, passion can be found in any and all spaces. We just have to let it in.
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