Universal Truth In Star Wars

In Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, a wise Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, in his first meeting with his corrupt padawan’s son Luke Sykwalker, attempted to justify his father’s death saying, “Many of the truths that we cling to, depend on our point of view” (Lucas). Obi-Wan a Jedi master, tried to justify his point of view, that Darth Vader killed Anakin, but in doing so he revealed a universal truth which dictates that understanding truths depends on one’s point of view. The universality means that it occurs on a worldwide scale and to every belief no matter what. Depending on one’s point of view, one can infer that there are many universal truths today. One that can be witnessed everyday is the universal truth that equilibrium is necessary in order

to prevent chaos in the world today. The world today functions in order, almost systematically, and everything is intertwined in one way or another. Due to this interdependency, if any factors impact the equilibrium, positively or negatively, the whole system will be affected negatively, or even collapse into disrepair and have devastating consequences.
In the world today, society functions systematically, and everything is intertwined in one way or another. Every society, at its core, is an ecosystem. In, Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections, and Solutions, by Tyler Miller, Miller explains a basic food web saying, “A plant uses solar energy to store chemical energy in a leaf. A caterpillar eats the leaf, a robin eats the caterpillar, and a hawk eats the robin. Decomposers and detritus feeders consume the wastes and remains … and return their nutrients to the soil for reuse by producers” (Miller). When describing the food web, Miller indicates a systematic quality where everything is intertwined and methodical. Miller not only informs that the whole food web is a cycle, indicating that it’s orderly, structured, and intertwined, but he also reiterates that the cycle continues on infinitely, expressing the efficiency and system-like qualities of an ecosystem. In addition to the systematic like ecosystem, Miller states that ecosystems can be impacted by outside factors saying, “Organisms better adapted to their environment tent to survive and produce more offspring” (Miller). Again Miller indicates that every aspect of an ecosystem is intertwined, not only the surrounding organisms, but also the overall environment, because it can aid or deter a species survival. Similarly, Jaime Alexander also indicates that outside factors can affect equilibrium in her article, How to Achieve Perfect Balance; Self, Alexander explains that, “Balance is the key to good health. If your body and life are in balance, you will feel fit and healthy, relaxed and happy. But if you allow yourself to fall badly out of balance, the result is generally poor health, even illness” (Alexander). Alexander promotes the idea that the world today, and its key aspects like health and body, are intertwined through her reasoning why one would fall into poor health. The key aspects Alexander uses, life and body, encompass all of life itself to an individual, meaning that although only two stated aspects that need to be in balance are indicated, everything must be in balance to achieve good health and therefor everything is intertwined. Ultimately, society one can infer that society at it’s most basic level is an ecosystem, it’s full of functional parts that all have their roles, which results in a systematic and methodically run society.
As a result of the systematic societies, every characteristic of ecosystems becomes intertwined and interdependent on each other.

In Robertson’s article, How Does Stable Equilibrium Differ from other kinds of Equilibrium, he states that, “When the population of prey increases beyond the equilibrium point, that increases the predator population because more food is available. Increased predator population results in a reduction of the food supply, meaning the population of the prey falls below the equilibrium point” (Robertson). With this statement, Robertson explains that all aspects are intertwined in their effects on surrounding counterparts. Robertson demonstrates that every action has a reaction, and that everything is intertwined when he states that predator population will rise when prey population rises. Therefore indicating that everything has a dependency on others in an ecosystem. Moving on from ecosystems, everything is also intertwined in Keats’ work, Ode on a Grecian Urn, when describing an illustration says, “Bold lover, never, never cans’t thou kiss / Though winning near the yet, do not grieve; / yet, do not grieve; she cannot fade” (Keats). As Keats dictates the image, he iterates that every action has a reaction through his use of the lover and the woman. The bold lover, unfortunately can not love, but in equal reaction, the girl can not leave either. Overall Keats’ poem Ode on a Grecian Urn, serves to explain the universal truth of beauty, but in doing so, it exposes the universal truth that for every action, there is an equal corresponding reaction. As a result one can conclude that the systematic ecosystems and their different aspects are all interlaced towards the ecosystem’s overall success or failure. Similarly, the equilibrium of actions can correspond to the equilibrium of emotions. In Wordsworth’s Lines Composed Above Tintern Abbey, he begins saying, “And passing even into my purer mind / With tranquil restoration:—feelings too / Of

unremembered pleasure: such, perhaps, / As have no slight or trivial influence / On that best portion of a good man's life, / His little, nameless, unremembered, acts / Of kindness and of love.” Wordsworth expresses that the overflow of emotions can display forms of equilibrium in their emotional value. He explains that emotions can be remembered serenely, and positively, but have little influence on a man’s life, dictating that although they can be great in remembrance, they also are so minute in the big picture, thus thrusting the equilibrium of values upon the reader. Not only this, but as a result of the necessary reaction to the action, it promotes the idea that everything is intertwined because a society is systematic, factors of society can portray a constant need for a corresponding action to an initial one.
Due to the interdependencies of an ecosystem, if one pillar of an ecosystem falls or is impacted negatively, many other parts can deteriorate or disappear completely. For instance, when talking about species diversity Miller states that a loss of species, a disruption of the equilibrium in population, “can lead to population crashes and extinctions of other species in a community that depends on them for certain ecological services” (Miller). With his statement, Miller entertains the idea that because of the interdependency between species, population crashes of one species can impact other species other than the initial. One unfortunate fate for one species can determine another’s fate. Not only can the intertwined species be affected negatively, but in saying this, Miller dictates that all species are intertwined at the basis of society. In addition to the interlaced species, when asked about equilibrium in the different types of ecosystems, Mr. Flowers said, “In ecosystems, disturbances that disrupt the equilibrium can lead to very big changes in the composition of an ecosystem. In the atmosphere and oceans, disruption of the equilibrium of certain elements and compounds such as carbon dioxide, can lead to dramatic changes in the climate of the earth” (Flowers). Similarly to Miller, Flowers, an Environmental Science teacher, explains that changes in equilibrium result in changes that can lead the Earth into malpractices which can contribute to a decrease in quality of certain aspects of an ecosystem or even the world today. Mr. Flowers continues on about equilibrium saying, “Environmental science is all about equilibrium… What we study in AP Environmental Science is what the consequences are of when humans disrupt the equilibrium of the planet” (Flowers). Not only does he build off of the previous point, solely talking about the imbalance of equilibrium in the ecosystem, but goes further to explain the necessity of equilibrium through his thought that environmental science is all about equilibrium.
If one pilar of an ecosystem crumbles, the equilibrium of society becomes unbalanced, leading to the intertwined parts decline. Similarly, this idea can be applied to The Tempest by William Shakespeare, in a sense that equilibrium must be present in the values of trust and betrayal as portrayed in the characters and the constant cycle of the two emotions. Antonio, finally reaching his initial aspirations through his betrayal of Prospero, created a completely new level for his desires. His desires increased from the dukedom, to possibly becoming the King’s advisor if his plot to kill Alonso succeeded. This is a result of Shakespeare’s desire to express that trust and betrayal are always portrayed together and thus in equilibrium. Shakespeare describes the condition of trust between Antonio and Prospero when Prospero explains to his daughter that his trust, “Like a good parent, did beget of him [Antonio] / A falsehood in its contrary” (1.2.93-94). Shakespeare utilizes a metaphor to explain that Prospero’s blind trust in Antonio nurtured and brought Antonio’s betrayal upon him similar to how a, “good parent” would raise a child. Initially Prospero had entrusted Antonio with a high position of power, the dukedom, to which Antonio usurped, and betrayed Prospero. He portrayed the cycle of trust and betrayal, and depicted the natural need for equilibrium through the unbalance of trust, and the following betrayal. Caliban’s betrayal had similar beginning attributes with the cycle of trust and betrayal. When arguing with Caliban, Prospero says that he, “lodg’d thee [Caliban] / In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate / the honor of my child” (1.2.347-349). Again, Shakespeare employs the theme of trust in the betrayal of Caliban to strengthen the belief that trust indeed precedes treachery. As a result of the cycle of trust and treachery, one can infer that even emotions and actions like trust and betrayal, respectively have a natural order to be in equilibrium. Shakespeare repeats this trend of trust preceding betrayal to affirm that equilibrium in society is necessary. I Likewise, in the main plot relating to betrayal between Sebastian, Antonio, and Alonso, the two [Sebastian and Antonio] deceivingly tell Alonso, “We two, my lord, / Will guard your person while you take your rest, / And watch your safety” (2.1.160-163). Immediately preceding this assurance to Alonso, the two begin to plot and attempt to assassinate him. In this final example, Shakespeare solidifies the notion that trust does indeed produce betrayal. Not only this, but Shakespeare indicates that trust comes before betrayal at all social levels, and simultaneously affirms the necessity for equilibrium at all social levels as well. Throughout the play, Shakespeare promotes the idea that before treachery arrives, an overabundance of trust must be present. Through this blind trust, the entrusted creates a sense of entitlement. In Antonio’s scenario, he accepts Prospero’s trust in his position which creates an unavoidable betrayal that not even Antonio himself can prevent, which ultimately concludes that equilibrium is necessary in emotions and actions, as well as in all social levels.