Prime of the Jedi

Before and during the hype, buildup, and good-natured promotion of Episode I, when discussing the Jedi and their new powers and combat skills, George Lucas always stressed the main point that, for the first time in Episode I, we were seeing Jedi in their prime - fully trained Jedi rather than old men, cyborgs, and ill-trained teenagers who don't know the difference between a lightsaber and a baseball bat. (That's a little harsh...Luke is still pretty badass...) Anyway, I think George Lucas was pretty on target with that whole Jedi-in-their-prime statement, don't you? Clearly we were seeing Jedi in their prime...Jedi who knew how to fight and use their abilities to best advantage. But consider this:

There were fourteen Jedi to speak of in Episode I - Obi-Wan, a reckless padawan with little experience, Qui-Gon, a 60 year old master with a lifetime of experience but the increasing burden of age, and the Jedi Council, all of whom were small, stationary character who displayed no power whatsoever, only wisdom and experience.

Do you realize that we STILL have not seen an actual Jedi Knight?

We saw a young, inexperienced guy, an old tiring guy, and 12 Jedi masters who were just chilling on Coruscant. We have yet to see a fully trained Jedi Knight with a considerable degree of experience in diplomacy and combat, a wide range of mature and effective powers used to the fullest extent, a mastery of the lightsaber, etc. Disagree with me if you like, but I think both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were incomplete Jedi in Episode I...the former was past his prime, and the latter had not yet reached it. Imagine how unbelievably motherfucking great it will be to see true, honest-to-God Jedi Knights: powers and control in the Force comparable to a Jedi master, much greater experience and wisdom than a padawan. In combat, the speed and daring of Obi-Wan, the control and pure abilities of Qui-Gon, but without the weaknesses each had in Episode I - a Jedi Knight, let's say 30-40 years old, would not tire or lag back like Qui-Gon did against Darth Maul, but would also be a much better fighter skill-wise than Obi-Wan was. I think a single fully trained and experience Jedi Knight would have been able to handle Darth Maul alone.

So this presents a question: Is a Jedi Knight actually the best phase of Jedihood? Is it better to be a completely well-rounded Knight than an overly energetic padawan or an aging (jaded?) master using experince and hard-won wisdom above all else? Of course, this opens up the whole issue of what does it truly mean to be a Jedi? Is it to master every aspect, including wisdom, diplomacy, and combat? Or is it to achieve a total oneness with the Force that peace flows like a river from you and combat is completely unnecessary, ala Yoda? I'd really like your thoughts on this one, and as you consider it, just think about what it's going to be like to see a true Jedi Knight in Episode II...a glorious hybrid of every other kind of Jedi we've ever seen. This, of course, will be exactly what Obi-Wan will be like in the next film. Perhaps George Lucas is truly saving the best for last...

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John Paige
12.8.1999

http://www.klink.net/~tatara/DFFQI.html