FBF: RETURN OF THE JEDI
When we watch movies that are made with the intention to tell a story with a beginning middle and an end, the expectations grows with each chapter. You watch the progression of the hero learning about his destiny and stumbling his way into your hearts to the person fulfilling his path to defeating his adversary. It’s a long a journey that is littered with high emotions, terrifying truths, and wondrous discoveries that our rag tag band of rebels endure. Now we come to the end of the road and our heroes face challenges that are more difficult than ever to overcome.
Ever since Star Wars opened in 1977, the technology, special effects, and the imagination of George Lucas have improved greatly. With each Chapter, he brings a rich wide variety of characters that entertain us both personally and in grandeur. The storyline never wavered nor lost its magical and wondrous appeal to draw us in and entertain us. Lucas’s vision of alien worlds and imaginative creatures never cease to amaze me. In the last Chapter, Return of the Jedi, Lucas continues to amaze us with the lush and vibrant world of Endor to the cold and expressionless Death Star. He tickles our senses with rich colors and draw dropping sound and specials effects both inviting and terrifying. Just like in The Empire Strikes Back, new characters are again introduced to complete the gallery of heroes and villains in this saga. The Emperor makes his debut as the Sith Master controlling and guiding his 
apprentice, Darth Vader to do his evil bidding. The Emperor did have a cameo appearance in the ESB by way of holograms and tele-conference calls with Vader, but this time we get to see him in the flesh, well sort of. His entrance and presence can cringe even the worst villains in movie history. His use of the black hooded robe and his creepy voice oozes malicious and diabolical behavior. You think Vader is bad, the Emperor takes the prize.
On the planet of Tattooine, we get to see where Han is taken and is introduced to a very interesting character that only a mother could love, Jabba the Hutt. Our hero in training, Luke, attempts to rescue his friends from the fiendish, sluggish alien gangster. His grotesque form and disgusting eating habits are unfortunately etched in our memories forever. However, his diabolic and devilish way of entertaining his 
minions by sacrificing the proverbial lambs to their deaths tells us that he is not a person to mess with. He has Han’s frozen carbonite body hung like a trophy, Leia is dress to kill that rivals any Playboy bunny and is eye candy for his amusement. Chewie is locked up ready to be eaten by a sand-like Venus fly trap, and the droids are forced to work for him. Things look grim for the rebels, but Luke steps up and rescues his friends from certain death using his Jedi techniques and clever tactics.
Luke gets a double whammy when his mentor and teacher, Yoda, pass away and finds out that he is not the only Skywalker alive. First, Darth Vader throws a mother of all curveballs in Luke’s life, and now Yoda and Obi Wan tell him that he has a twin sister. Using the Force and his common sense he figures out that Leia is his lost sibling. When he finally tells her about this, she doesn’t freak out, but quietly accepts it. Now Luke feels the responsibility to save his father and destroy the Emperor all in one day. NO PROBLEM, RIGHT????!!!!!
The Ewoks are another group of characters that make their film debut. They are cute, furry and only three feet tall, but they are not something you can bring home and play with. They will probably scratch your eyes out and eat you for dinner. The filmmakers didn’t have great CGI back then, so they decide to hire little people to fill the roles of these furry forest warriors. Just like Yoda, the Ewoks give us a sense of lightheartedness with overwhelming strength and courage. Their way of life reminds us that going back to simpler times with no technology and no machines can be just as effective and successful in many ways.
Princess Leia discovered that first hand when she encountered them on the moon of Endor. Her transformation from this political stately leader to a 1960’s Woodstock forest loving creature is a testament that strength and conviction is not defined by our appearance, but how we carry ourselves. The relationship between Han and Leia continue to grow every minute they are together. He is still the wise cracking sarcastic smuggler turn rebel that we know and love, but his passion and reasoning to help the Rebellion is motivated by his love for Leia and his friends.
The final battle splits into three battlefronts: on the moon of Endor, in space near the half completed Death Star, and the Emperor’s Throne Room on the Death Star. The space battle is epic and beautiful to watch. The special effects are eye popping seeing Lando fly the Millenium Falcon through the Death Star and taking it out. On the moon, Han, Leia, the Rebels, and their new allies, the Ewoks, fight their way through waves of Imperial storm troopers and disable the shield generator for the Death Star. But the most important and dangerous mission is Luke confronting his father and the Emperor. The light saber battle between and father and son is one of the best and emotionally charged scene in the entire saga. Luke finally defeats his father, but he is outmatched by the Emperor’s Dark Jedi powers, until Vader steps in, regains his humanity and saves his son by killing his master.
Return of the Jedi gives us a perfect way to wrap up the story of a farm boy struggling to find meaning in his life and discover the strength inside him and know that he is not alone in the universe. Believe it or not, the Star Wars saga is not about the Rebellion versus the Empire, it is about one man who lost his way long ago to the Dark Side, and finding redemption and regaining his humanity from someone he never expected to see, his son.
This Fall the Star Wars saga continues with the seventh installment, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I’m excited and curious as to what the filmmakers are going to bring to the big screen. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH THEM!!!!! THERE GOING TO NEED IT!!
