Compare And Contrast Skywalker And Oedipus The King

Throughout the Catholic Bible, there are multiple verses warning the reader about the harms of excessive pride. Proverbs 16:18 states, “Prides goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” The story of Lucifer, more commonly known as Satan or the Devil, is a quintessential example of how pride can lead to a downfall. As the story goes, before he was evil, Lucifer was the strongest and most beautiful archangel in God’s army. Thinking he was all-powerful and thirsty for more power, he denounced the works of God, built an army of demons, and fought a battle against him. In the end, Lucifer was defeated and cast into Hell where he was renamed Satan. Much like Lucifer, King Oedipus and Anakin Skywalker experienced downfalls due to pride. Not only are their

personalities akin but their history as well.

Both characters were raised in poor childhoods, had prophesies affiliated with them, and in the process of their downfall, turned against their best friends. Despite the strangely similar sagas between these two characters, Oedipus and Anakin display different types of pride.

In Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker, a young and promising Jedi believed to be the Chosen One by his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, befriends Chancellor Palpatine, a member of the Galactic Senate. Members of the Jedi Council are skeptical of the Chancellor and order Anakin to spy on him in hopes of discovering his suspicious identity. When the two are together, Palpatine tells Anakin the story of a Sith Lord, Darth Plagueis, who was so powerful not only could he create life, he could prevent death. Intrigued, Anakin asks, “Is it possible to learn this power” (Lucas ). He confronts his secret wife, and says, “I won’t let you die, Padme” (Lucas ). The fact that Skywalker wanted to

possess the powers of a Sith Lord reflects on his false sense of arrogance. Thinking he has the capability to remain part of the so called “good” side, and moreso a member of the Jedi Council, while being tempted by the Dark Side’s abilities reveals his excessive pride and high self-confidence. However, despite the fact that Anakin Skywalker is extremely conceited, his determination is derived from the fact that he wishes to save his wife, Padme. When Skywalker was younger, he had premonitions of his mother dying, which ultimately did transpire, devastating and enraging the young boy. Anakin and Padme were in love, and Anakin knew that she would die if he did not gain this power. Wishing to save her, he turned to the Dark Side and betrayed the Jedi Code and Obi-Wan, and even choked Padme after she denounced what he was doing. There is no doubt that Anakin Skywalker’s excessive pride led to his downfall as a Jedi, but his intentions were virtuous; everything he had done was so that he would be strong with the Dark Side to save Padme, unlike Oedipus who was prideful for his own personal gain.