Fire as the Turning Point?

As I was watching TPM today, it occurs to me that any scene lit by fire (as the primary lighting, not as an incidental explosion) represents a pivotal moment for a Skywalker, a turning point in his (Luke and Anakin's) life.

TPM: Qui Gon's funeral. "What will happen to me?" It is here that Anakin learns that he is to be trained as a Jedi. It is also here that he first exhibits fear and confusion. Leaving his mother was hard enough, but at least he could lean on Qui Gon for support. Now he had none of that and was forced to rely on people that did not trust in his abilities and were uncertain about his future. Obi Wan agrees to train him, not because he wanted to but because he promised Qui Gon.

AOTC: There are two such scenes. First is the dinner between Anakin and Amidala. Anakin is willing to throw his life as he knows it away for the love of a woman. When he is spurned, he offers to lead the life he wants in secret. For the first time Anakin is truly selfish. He has exhibited a rebellious streak before, but here he wanting to turn on a code he lives by for no good reason other than his own pleasure.

The second scene is when Anakin attempts to resuce his mother. When she dies, he goes off the deep end and uses the Force, not for knowledge and defense, but to attack and kill out of revenge. He begins the turn to the Dark Side here, unwittingly perhaps, and while he expresses regret over his actions later, he still decides that the code he lives by can be disregarded at will and slaughters the Tusken Raiders because they have taken something dear from him.

ANH: Jawa and Lars Pyres. Until the death of the Jawas and his foster family, Luke is willing to lead the life of a farmer. He might not be content to be a farmer, but he is willing to go aling with it. With the death of the Jawas and his foster family, Luke no longer has any excuse not to follow Obi Wan on some damned fool idealistic crusade.

TESB: In Yoda's Hut, Luke wants to become a Jedi, but does not realize just how much of an undertaking it will be, nor what the cost will be. Here Yoda has reservations about training the boy until Obi Wan intervenes. Even at this point Luke could back out, but refuses and it is not until Yoda says, "You will be, you will be" when Luke says that he isn't afraid that he beings to have second thoughts. It is also at this point that Luke begins to have self doubt come into his life to compete with his endless reserves of self confidence.

ROTJ: Again in Yoda's Hut Luke faces a major decision: What to do about Vader? Luke must face Vader to become a Jedi, but that means he must kill Vader, his father.

 

wow. great observation. never noticed it but you are absolutly right.

Also--the burning homestead in ANH(an extension of the following moment when Luke admits to Ben that he wants to go to Alderaan); this is the true moment when Luke decides what will be his destiny.

The Funeral Pyre/ Ewok Celebration in ROTJ--the moment when Anakin rejoins the jedi and the galaxy starts to celebrate the end of the Empire.

Literally every scene involving fire is significant--never noticed that before!

 

Also in ROTJ, at the very end when Luke is looking on his fathers funeral pyre. It is a turning point because it represents the end of the Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker era ane the beginning of the Luke Skywalker era.


I didn't notice that before though. Great find.

 

Great Thread! Yeah don't forget about Vader's funeral in ROTJ.

 

And it has been long speculated that there will be a lava/fire planet in Episode 3 where Obi-wan confront Anakin and Anakin becomes Vader

 

^^^cant wait to see that

 

Fires were burning on Jabba's sail barge -- R2 had to put one out -- and then the Ewoks were trying to light our heroes on fire the first times Luke really asserted himself as a Jedi.

VERY good observation. Interesting.

 

um...interesting observation.

 

Great observations.

Fire is often symbolic of change, of dying and being reborn.(think of the Phoenix) I am sure it can be symbolic of other things , but in Vaders case is is especially symbolic of this.

It can also be a sybolic of hell, which fits with Vader as well.

 

Unlocking and upping for new discussion.

 

Oh, a revived thread, eh?

Brilliant observation. The use of fire as lighting in films envokes many emotions- passion, anger, power-the dark side. It represents inner turmoil and chaos, and in this respect I think it has been used very tastfully in Star Wars.

Another way at looking at fire in the Saga is in regards to contrast between technological and "primative" beings. The Ewoks and Tuskans use fire because that is their way of life, and in a galaxy of lightsabers and hyperdrives, seeing a people use fire adds to the realism and depth of the story.

I had another, big point that made me post here, but I forgot it...If I remember, I'l edit or post later...

 

I remember reading this observation written by somebody else before, though they just said that fire was specifically symbolic for Anakin. Never noticed the Luke connection. It'd be great to ask Lucas about this and figure out if he this "fire" thing all planned out or if it just came about without him even realizing it.