Do you think it's about light and darkness being equal and held in balance? Or do you think it's about the defeat of the dark? Or... something else?

I go back and forth on this. I think light/dark in equal balance is too simplistic and doesn't really fit with what we've seen (people always point to the Mortis Gods with this but I think overlooks how much more the Son needs to be kept in check), but also think the idea of the dark side being a perversion and only the light being the "true" Force is a bit less interesting and makes things more bland, so I'd land somewhere in the middle, with it being about controlling and balancing the dark inside you while staying within the light (which the sequels sort of get at with Rey)

27 minutes ago, James Hunt said:

I go back and forth on this. I think light/dark in equal balance is too simplistic and doesn't really fit with what we've seen (people always point to the Mortis Gods with this but I think overlooks how much more the Son needs to be kept in check), but also think the idea of the dark side being a perversion and only the light being the "true" Force is a bit less interesting and makes things more bland, so I'd land somewhere in the middle, with it being about controlling and balancing the dark inside you while staying within the light (which the sequels sort of get at with Rey)

Tbh? I kind of think Lucas himself went back and forth on it, which is kind of why there's the confusion!

18 minutes ago, Tom Bacon said:

Tbh? I kind of think Lucas himself went back and forth on it, which is kind of why there's the confusion!

George Lucas, changing his mind? Not having it all planned out? Making it up as he goes along? I refuse to believe it.

I stand by the idea that there is no light side of the Force. I believe the first time it's properly mentioned in canon (in true canon) is in the Disney-era. Before that, it was just the dark side. So, while I do think that the dark side is a perversion of the Force, it's not a perversion of the light side.

We keep thinking about it with regards to Force users – but the Force is something that existed long before there were Jedi or proto-Jedi. So who really perverted it first? Obi-Wan talked about the Force as being an energy field that penetrates all living beings and binds the galaxy together. IMO, a balance of the Force is having no Force users.

9 minutes ago, Mansoor said:

I stand by the idea that there is no light side of the Force. I believe the first time it's properly mentioned in canon (in true canon) is in the Disney-era. Before that, it was just the dark side. So, while I do think that the dark side is a perversion of the Force, it's not a perversion of the light side.

We keep thinking about it with regards to Force users – but the Force is something that existed long before there were Jedi or proto-Jedi. So who really perverted it first? Obi-Wan talked about the Force as being an energy field that penetrates all living beings and binds the galaxy together. IMO, a balance of the Force is having no Force users.

So The Clone Wars isn't true canon to you??

Damn I forgot about that LOL. Still, I believe that a balance of the Force is having no Force users – or, no one harnessing the Force (or midichlorians...) to their benefit.

12 minutes ago, Mansoor said:

I stand by the idea that there is no light side of the Force. I believe the first time it's properly mentioned in canon (in true canon) is in the Disney-era. Before that, it was just the dark side. So, while I do think that the dark side is a perversion of the Force, it's not a perversion of the light side.

We keep thinking about it with regards to Force users – but the Force is something that existed long before there were Jedi or proto-Jedi. So who really perverted it first? Obi-Wan talked about the Force as being an energy field that penetrates all living beings and binds the galaxy together. IMO, a balance of the Force is having no Force users.

Y'know, this is close to Luke saying "That Force does not belong to the Jedi" in The Last Jedi, just saying... Always knew you loved that movie!

Just now, Mansoor said:

Damn I forgot about that LOL. Still, I believe that a balance of the Force is having no Force users – or, no one harnessing the Force (or midichlorians...) to their benefit.

But seriously I do actually think this is an interesting point

Lol good. But I will say that there are great concepts in The Last Jedi, and it could even be a great Star Wars movie. It's just a bad eighth installment in a nine-installment saga.

1 minute ago, Mansoor said:

Lol good. But I will say that there are great concepts in The Last Jedi, and it could even be a great Star Wars movie. It's just a bad eighth installment in a nine-installment saga.

All I read here was you writing the words "The Last Jedi... great Star Wars movie."

I wish there was a dislike button

42 minutes ago, Mansoor said:

I stand by the idea that there is no light side of the Force. I believe the first time it's properly mentioned in canon (in true canon) is in the Disney-era. Before that, it was just the dark side. So, while I do think that the dark side is a perversion of the Force, it's not a perversion of the light side.

We keep thinking about it with regards to Force users – but the Force is something that existed long before there were Jedi or proto-Jedi. So who really perverted it first? Obi-Wan talked about the Force as being an energy field that penetrates all living beings and binds the galaxy together. IMO, a balance of the Force is having no Force users.

Interestingly, the High Republic featured a cult who believed this was the case; they therefore tried to destroy all Force users! Unsurprisingly, the Jedi POV did not lead to an agreement :P

First thing that comes to mind is Luke's first lesson to Rey in TLJ.