The Prophecy of Vader

[bionamaster]

Hmm. Some posters here have brought up interesting points. But, here is my theory:

 

Neither Light Side nor Dark Side factions can be victorious or be destroyed. For example:

 

Sith raze all Jedi temples and enclaves to the ground. They slaughter every Jedi, destroy every holocron made by Jedi Masters. They rule for a very long time. But, then, a powerful force user comes along whose beliefs copy the Light Side teachings. He infiltrates the Empire and throws them in to chaos by defeating the Emperor/ Razing the Sith capital/ deals some other siginificant blow to the Empire. Said "Jedi" re-established the Jedi order as a rebel force, defeating the Empire for a long time. Then a darker-hearted Force user comes along, and turns the tables.

 

This leads to interesting theories: Supposing that the Great Jedi Purge at the end of the Clone Wars was yet another aspect of the seesaw war the force users fight. The Force preserved Obi-Wan, Yoda, and, if you count the EU, Ferus Olin, Galen Marek (though he didn't technically survive the Purge, he had a significant role to play. Perhaps the Force redeemed him?),and many others others. Obi-Wan and Yoda were kept alive to train Luke Skywalker, who had a role in the grand prophecy of restoring the balance lost during the Clone Wars. Almost every character, in a way, has a role to play in maintaining balance.

[Halinmonk]

For what it may or may not be worth, I think that it's telling that, baring Sideous and the "Rule of Two" order neither Jedi nor Sith are ever completely in the right or in the wrong: this most evident in TOR.

 

The Jedi risk becoming monsters in the name of the greater good because they detach themselves from emotion, including compassion and love, thusly allowing them to commit near horrendous acts in the name of the "greater good". When you sever all earthly attachments you can no longer feel sympathy or pity for those your are supposed to protect and may actual do more harm then good in your crusade to up hold a abstract ideal. For instance: in the Sith Warrior quest line you watch a Jedi Master break the mind of a Knight in order to protect a Padawan with great value t the Jedi cause, in the movies themselves the Jedi are ultamietly destroyed because Mace Windu seeks to size control of the Senate to "maintain stability" after he uncovers the truth about Palpatine.

 

On the flip side, the downsides of the Sith are clear: uncaring selfish often cruel, and nearly always look out for their own ends, doing anything they can to achieve their goals. But the positive side is also clear, rather then deny human emotions they embrace and use them, they focus on freedom ("My chains are broken") and self strength, there disciplines are harsh and often fatal but they live life to it's fullest, and fight for their freedom to the death rather then be enslaved. They lie, they cheat, they plot, they scheme, they betray each other constatly but when they find true strength they follow it as long as they can respect it, and know they can not do a better job then their leader. This "survival of the fittest" "follow the strongest" mentality makes the a very elite order.

 

Really the conflict between the Dark and Light side is less "good VS evil" and more "emotion VS reason" or "the primal VS the cultured" if your feeling Fruedian "the Superego (Jedi) VS the ID (Sith)"

Edited May 10, 2012 by Halinmonk

[Velaran]

The Jedi risk becoming monsters in the name of the greater good because they detach themselves from emotion, including compassion and love, thusly allowing them to commit near horrendous acts in the name of the "greater good". When you sever all earthly attachments you can no longer feel sympathy or pity for those your are supposed to protect and may actual do more harm then good in your crusade to up hold a abstract ideal.

 

I think the best example of this is Luke's Jedi Order, specifically Jaina Solo, during the Legacy Of The Force series.