IF you found proof the Potentium was wrong...

I'd be relieved to be rid of the moral relativism.

The thing is, Potentium theories aren?t defined wholly by moral relativism. I've always thought a more concise summary simply revolves around taking responsibility for your own actions rather than playing the blame game on an outside presence.

That?s not to say I turn a blind eye towards the force?s influence, but more like I recognize the fact that both force theories and individual thought are murky enough that, short of doing away with every living being in the GFFA, I don?t see how you could rid this fictional world of moral relativism.

For instance, though, Luke?s destroying of the Death Star is the culmination of a movie that most people cite as Star Wars? cleanest view of clearly defined good/evil dualities, even that action carries with it a degree of relativistic truth. Did every single one of the million or so on that space station deserve to die? Yes, the Death Star was an instrument of genocidal proportions that had to be destroyed, but I find it hard to believe there wasn?t a single life there being held against their will or otherwise oblivious to the Death Star?s true purpose. Luke even acknowledges this idea in an EU conversation with Kyp (can?t remember the particular book at the moment) in which he cites that he too has the blood of millions on his hand. He?s taken responsibility for his actions, even though most likely his heroics killed an innocent person or two. And if we?re to be presented with a fictional universe that?s ?rid of moral relativism,? then you would think that in this instance Luke Skywalker violated one of the most basic tenements of right and wrong.

Of course, in reality, we know that Luke?s actions in destroying the Death Star were absolutely necessary. In relative terms, the risk of killing an innocent was worth saving the lives of billions. In absolute terms, killing an innocent is always wrong, thus Luke shouldn?t have fired that missile.

 

Even if that is true, the Jedi in Dark Nest are taking the exact opposite approach. We see and hear of them doing whatever they damn well please with the excuse that they can do it because there is no dark side. They're using the Potentium as an excuse to do these bad things. And along with this, they're using the ends to justify the means. If this worked, Palpatine and Thrawn would be the greatest guys in the galaxy for trying to prevent the Far Outsiders from taking the galaxy or whatever.

 

I wouldn't be all that surprised. To be able to balance the light and dark sides of the force so perfectly as to make them seem as one, would be extremely difficult. It would take a force user of not only tremendous ability, but of strong moral character as well. Achieveing that much power and not eventually abusing it would be difficult for anyone, especially when trying to protect a loved one from harm. Jacen is no longer seeking a perfect balance to stop a genocidial galaxy-wide war, but rather he is seeking to protect his daughter at any cost. His priorities have changed so he is no longer able to detatch himself from whatever situation arises. Since he now has his own agenda, instead of the will of the force, he would be more likey to commit dark side acts and justify them in his own mind as necessary.

 

I'd say "Wow, Luke blew up the Death Star!" because we've known that this moral relativistic belief system is directly contradicted by G-level canon, and we have known this since 1977.

The movies are extremely clear in that regard - while moral relativism may be practical for real life, Star Wars follows an absolutist system.

 

The thing is that the Jedi in Dark Nest seem to be misinterpreting the whole thing. Neither Vergere nor the Potentium ever said that there should be no restraint in the way Jedi conduct themselves; just that they shouldn't piss their pants every time they do something because they're afraid of an external dark side.

 

The movies are extremely clear in that regard - while moral relativism may be practical for real life, Star Wars follows an absolutist system.

I don?t think the films advocate a given belief system as much as they simply present many sides of truth.

Though everything is generally spelled out in the OT, the prequels thrived on relativistic fuel when it came to both character portrayals and thematic backdrops. Thus the Jedi were not shimmering superheroes, but a stagnating Order not averse to admitting a ten year old into what?s essentially a form of slavery where he?ll never be allowed to have a true family of his own. This certainly helped put Anakin?s turn into perspective, even making it all the easier to sympathize with the character even while he?s in the midst of a killing spree. Hell, even in the OT we see a clear-cut act of relativism with all Obi-Wan?s ?point of view? ramblings while he?s trying to convince Luke to take up the Jedi cause. Was it not morally questionable for Obi-Wan to hide the truth of Luke?s parentage when in reality that truth served as a clear-cut warning for Luke?s own susceptibility to the Dark Side? And yet, this withholding of extraordinarily important information may have been a necessary act, as in light of that information Luke very well might have reasoned that remaining a farmer on Tatooine might not be such a bad fate after all.

At least to me, the point is that Star Wars doesn?t attempt to shove an absolutist belief system down your throat. The films merely present one possible outcome to a lot complex happenings being thrown into one pot.

 

I'd say, "well, duh!!!" I still don't get why people take this 'there is no darkside' stuff seriously. It always seemed obvious to me that it's just a set-up to have the jedi learn the error of their ways in LoF.

 

Facts are canon. Moral outlooks are not hard cold facts, and so cannot be canon. Star Wars may advocate one belief system all it wants, but that does not make it universally valid.

 

In terms of the story it is...

 

Right now Im mesmerized by the trainwreck that is Jacen's life and Force POV, you know its going to end badly unless he wakes up to the fact that the bird brainwashed him, royally. The potentium has backfired for all of its users/advocates. 25,000 Years of Jedi and Sith teachings cant be overruled by some fringe minority.

Even Jolee wasnt what Id call a potentium/greywalker. He was way too concerned by what Revan decided to do. He's jaded but still leans to the lightside.

Lets see: Kreia and Vergere---sickenly similar outlook on the force,both were manipulating(terrorizing/along with torture) former jedi turned sith turned "Im on my own side" individuals. Funny they are both dead now. Kreia was even more insane then vergere, she wanted to destroy the force completely.

 

...I'd laugh in the face of my friends who refuse to except the movies as canon.

And then I'd quickly forget what I thought when I was a newbie to the whole canon thing who read *half of* Traitor.