Symbolism In Star Wars

Star Wars is a franchise which has successfully adapted a set of recurring themes throughout its films; themes that keep the audience captivated in the storyline, while at the same time using symbolism to express different thoughts and ideas to help develop the plot. Everything in the films, whether it be a lightsaber, an outfit, or the color of a room, has a hidden significance, greater than is first apparent. The audience is given the option to dig deeper into the symbols displayed through the films and decipher the meanings behind each one. Due to the immense amount of literary devices, such as motifs, themes, and symbols, Star Wars is regarded as one of the most significant film franchises in history.

One motif which is shown frequently is the use of colors to display affiliation with good or evil. Throughout the movies, red is

a color which portrays evil. The color red is often reminiscent of the “Sith,” separatists who enslave people in attempt to overrule the world. Their weapon of choice, the lightsaber, glows a dark shade of red to distinguish them from the Jedi. Jedi are the protectors of the galaxy, who use the powers of the force for good. Jedi are associated with light colors which are used to portray a sense of morality and choice. Luke Skywalker begins the story wearing a white outfit, to show that he is the protagonist. Later when he is given the choice to encounter his fears, he is seen wearing grey as this could be the difference between him falling into darkness or rising as a Jedi Knight, as grey is a mixture of black and white. Stormtroopers are another example of color being portrayed to display choice. Stormtroopers aren't mindless soldiers following orders, but rather, they are people who were indoctrinated into the belief of union amongst Government. Despite this, the stormtroopers, in rare occasions, have been seen disobeying direct orders from Emperor Palpatine and helping their Jedi counterparts. Stormtroopers wear white and black to convey the illusion of choice between good and evil.
A prominent theme which appears throughout the Star Wars series is the idea of superiority of nature over technology.

The Jedi live simple lives and tend to stray from relying on the use of computers or gadgets; they need only the force to guide them. In contrast, the Sith are often associated with machinery, such as robust ships and intricate weaponry, beginning their conquest through the use of Droids and later using cloning technology to create a perfect army. Despite the lack of apparent resources and technology, the Jedi are able to prevail over the dark-side through strategy rather than brute force. In addition, the film makes a statement about how humans should not allow technology to dehumanize oneself the way General Grievous does and becomes fully cybernetic, except for his vital organs. Although Luke Skywalker is given a cybernetic hand and constantly has access to some of the most advanced assault drones in the galaxy, he refrains from using much more than just the force and his lightsaber while his counterpart Darth Vader has allowed technology to become him through the decisions he has take which ends in his eventual

demise.
Another prominent literary device within Star Wars is symbolism. In literature and media, symbols are objects used to represent a bigger idea, such as the lightsaber colors. Luke Skywalker uses a blue lightsaber, which represents wisdom, or the way Luke rises from a simple farmhand, to one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy. Obi Wan Kenobi uses a green lightsaber which can be associated with harmony and growth, or the steps that Obi Wan takes to ensure the safety of others. Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker) is given a red lightsaber which represents passion, danger, and war. Darth Vader turns to the dark side of the force in an attempt to learn the path to immortality from Darth Sidious and save Padme Amidala. However, when his attempt to harness such power is ruined by an attack from Obi Wan, and Padme dies during childbirth. He then leads an onslaught against the Jedi academy where he murders countless Padawans and rises as one of the most powerful sith.
Another symbol which becomes apparent in the movies is the use of a metallic hand forced upon both Anakin and Luke after a major battle. The hand is symbolic of Luke slowly becoming his lightsabers. Through the decisions he takes throughout the film, he chooses to leave his home planet to take on an unknown entity. Then, he is forced to face his fears, which later proves to be himself, and at the end he has to decide if he wants to kill or spare emperor Palpatine. Through his story, Luke is given the same tests that his father experiences. Yet, rather than let him be consumed by his father's mistakes, he rectifies the errors and restores balance to the force. The cybernetic hand is also a representation of Luke’s transition into his father, Darth Vader. Vader is almost entirely a machine, with his suit being a massive life support unit, weighing in at almost 200 pounds of pure armour, Vader is almost a walking robot, oxygen tanks, self heating units, and antibiotics pumping through his body to help his wounds Vader is the ultimate soldier. Despite the immense weight of his suit slowing him down, and not allowing him to fully raise his arms, he is still a force to be reckoned with in combat which shows just how great his power is. At the climax of Return of the Jedi, Luke slices off his father’s hand during an intense fight scene, revealing only circuitry and wires. It was at this point that Luke realizes, he too, has the potential to end up like his father and venture into the dark side. Luke’s cybernetic limb symbolizes his subconscious ability to follow in the footsteps of his own father and is given the choice of restoring balance to the force or succumbing to the dark side.
The hero's journey is another obvious theme in the Star Wars franchise. The heroes of each trilogy are presented with an opportunity to become something more than a mere slave or a farmer, and are placed in different situations which shape their future for the better (Luke) or the worse (Anakin/Darth Vader.) Each hero’s willpower is tested differently, Anakin is presented with avenging his mother's death, or making peace with the situation presented upon him, and he takes justice into his own hands and murders all of the tusken raiders in the village, young, old, male or female. Luke is forced to face his fears and is thrown into a cave where he encounters an illusion of Vader whom he has to defeat or become one with the dark side. Through this test Luke realizes that the only thing stopping him from reaching his true potential, is in fact his fear of the dark side, or the unknown. Both Luke and Anakin meet wise men through their journeys who help them further through their path to greatness, being a great Jedi Knight, or a Great Sith Lord they are both molded by their adventure and become influentials members of the Galaxy, and powerful users of the Force.
The recurring themes spread throughout Science Fiction help the audience become captivated by the story. Seeing the characters come to life, and react differently to their decisions really help in foreseeing the characters near future. Through the use of symbolism, the audience is able to look deeper into the story and interpret the reasoning behind a character's choices differently. Science fiction is a genre that never ceases to captivate the audience, whether it is stories of great wars, time travel, or unknown life forms, each story has immense room to expand and grow as the author sees fit with no limit as to where the mind can go.