Force-ful

Last week I (finally) saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and WOW. Going in, I wasn't sure what to expect, and once I was there, I was blown away. In the days following, I found myself thinking about Star Wars, and I wanted to record some of what I had been thinking.

One of the biggest things I've been thinking about is this: If I could be an original character (as in, not a character that already exists - it's more fun to make this stuff up from scratch) in the Star Wars universe, who would I be? Considering that question, I find that I can open it up and spill out several questions that were hiding within it. What would I do? Who would I be allies with/enemies against? What is something really defining about me? All of these are things I must consider.

If I really could become a character in the Star Wars universe, I would like to have a specific characteristic (it's a little complicated, so bear with me) that most of the other stuff builds off of/is influenced by. My character would be a Force-sensitive individual, who has the rather ambitious (not to mention somewhat arrogant) life goal of having a better understanding of the Force than anyone who had come before me. To that end, I am studying and training in both the Light-side and the Dark-side of the Force. My reasoning is that if one is to truly have a thorough understanding of something, one cannot limit their studies to only half of it.

Naturally, this would cause some amount of tension. I would have few allies, as most would shun me because I study and practice ways of the Force that they are opposed to. Both the Jedi and the Sith (or their respective incarnations, depending on when I am) would likely regard me as an enemy. The Jedi would think me a practitioner of the Evil ways; while the Sith would regard me as nothing more than some fool Jedi messing about in things he couldn't hope to understand. This lack of support from either side would lead me eventually to despise both Jedi and Sith, at one point making the sardonic observation that, "They aren't so different after all."

I would probably also come to the conclusion that both the Jedi and the Sith are doing it wrong. Usage of the Force is based heavily on ones emotions. The Jedi restrain their emotions while the Sith let their emotions run wild. However, one may be held back because they hold their emotions back (Jedi); at the same time, we must control our emotions, rather than let our emotions control us (Sith). Both could learn something from the other, but neither would dare to admit this out loud.