23 the age of choice?

Is it just me or is Lucas deliberately making 23-25 that the age of each main character's major decision that is a turning point in his/her life?


Obi-wan is around 25 when CHOOSES to train Anakin.

Padme is 24 when she CHOOSES to marry Anakin.

Anakin is 23 when he CHOOSES to join the dark side.

Luke is 23 when he CHOOSES to refuse the dark side.


Is this deliberate? Does George Lucas believe this time of our lives is when we make our most important decisions. This is usually the time after finishing college and deciding what to do for the rest of our lives (ex: start a family, concentrate on a career, move away, etc)

What do you think the importance of this age to Star Wars is?

 

Perhaps! Perhaps this was a significat time in Lucas's life, where he decided to put away his car-racing dreams and start doing something with his life that was safer, wiser and more profitable? Anybody know?

Speaking personally 23 was the age in which my life took a major upswing after 10 very long, very dark years of misery and hard times. 24 was when I entered the film industry to work in.

Perhaps

 

Well, I think it's a major turning point kind of age, at least in modern American culture. People who graduate college will mostly be around 22-23. That's when you kind of go into the 'real world' and have to decide what to make of yourself.


-sj loves kevin spacey

 

It is at about this age that everyone makes the most important decisions and becomes the person that they will be for the rest of their lives.

 

Well, Lucas does give importance to the younger ages - 15, 16, 18 - as well: Amidala was elected Queen when she was 15, Leia became Senator when she was 16, etc.

I tend to think the "age of choice" more as a "range of ages of choice" - 15 to 25 - which, if you think about it, is when most of us make the most important decisions of our lives.

Depa Billaba

 

Election isn't the same thing as a choice. Becoming a Queen wasn't something that Padmé could decide for herself. The people chose her, not the other way around. Same with Leia as senator.
Padmé was 14 in TPM, BTW

 

I am only 22 years old I dont have untill another year till I turn 23.
I am guessing 23 is surposed to be the age where we decide what we will be the rest of our lives.

 

Feel the pressure, my friend!

 

I'm 25 and I haven't decided yet!!!

Well, around this age we all finally become adults. In our mid twenties we usually define ourselves. I don't think it is merely coincidental, but it is actually just part of the normal human experience.

 

I agree. Star Wars is more realistic about that than anything. It always seems someone sets their standards at about that point in time.

 

Lars_Maul: But Amidala had to choose to RUN for the Queenship.

Depa Billaba

 

Actually, isn't Anakin 22 in "Revenge of the Sith"?

 

He was 20 in Episode 2 (10 & 1/2 years between TPM and AOTC) and Episode 3 is three years later.

 

I thought Attack of the Clones takes place 10 years after The Phantom Menace, making Anakin 9 in The Phantom Menace and 19 in Attack of the Clones. Where is it stated that there is a 10 1/2 year gap, and wouldn't that make him 19 1/2 in Attack of the Clones and not 20?

 

All official sources(scripts, for example) say that Anakin was 9 in TPM and 20 in AOTC. I guess he was going to turn 10 in the year of TPM. Or, TPM took place late that year and AOTC took place 10 years and a couple of months later.

Depa: True. I guess 23-25 is the age of choice for boys and 14-16 is the age of choice for girls then

 

In the novel he turns 20 right before he goes to ansion (i think), he's definitely stated as just having turned 20 though.

 

Then Anakin should be 10 in TPM since there is a 10 year gap between TPM and AOTC.

 

It's more than ten years, but less than eleven.