Jedi respect in the OT? Hello??

After reading several books (including all the films novelizations and several 'tweener books), plus watching The Clone Wars, I have a question.

Why doesn't there seem to be a higher level of respect or reverence for Jedis in the OT? In the PT, they seemed to be quite respected (before the purge, anyway) and even feared. But when Ben hauls out his lightsaber in ANH in the bar, nobody seems to think much of it, and Han seems pretty unimpressed.

The Jedi had been around for thousands of years, and they are, essentially, superhuman with mystical powers and lightsabers!

I mean, jeez..it's only been twenty years or so since the Purge...surely people can't have forgotten such a legacy. And then to SEE a Jedi...supposedly all dead years ago, must be an awe-inspiring site? I guess not in a spacer's bar on a backwater planet, but still...

Just surprising, that's all. There is this huge, long legacy and legendary mythos behind the Jedi, and then in the OT their presence seems just short of pedestrian.

If you can find my point, let me know.

Aloha,
Dan

 

You will find out the answer to your question in T-Minus 17 days.

 

TLJ Edit: NO SPOILERS! Read the policy before you post. After your ban, I mean.

 

The trailer seems to hint at it a bit. If you don't care about spoilers, you might find an answer somewhere in the depths of 3SA


I bet most of the patrons of the cantina had a 'been there, done that' attitude. ILM should have included a few of them in AotC's bar scene
Besides, the Republic didn't exist out there (Shmi in TPM).

 

You got a point there on the Outer Rim thing.

 

that seems to be the overall attitude of all of Tatooine inhabitants.

 

Didnt seem to be much different in E1 when they went to the bar. people stopped and looked at them, but no one said "Wow those are Jedi.." Lets go touch them. they just seemed to be surprised at the violence, but nothing more. Han did not respect the force because he really had no respect for anything except Wookie Litter. Jabba seemed to know about the force pretty well.

 

read the EU, like an example from Jedi Search. Certain species still greatly respect a jedis judgement on things, while others just dont trust them

 

Its strange that Han did not believe in the force, yet he was 10 years old when the Jedi policed the Galaxy.

 

And the Jedi got their asses handed to them. Easily. They were betrayed by one of their own and for 'impressive warriors' they went down fast. And hard. And if they were impressive warriors, why was one, Ben Kenobi in hiding like a coward? Who respects a coward?

Thats just a few thoughts on why the Jedi are not respected in the OT, not to mention they were quite arrogant and baby-snatchers. I think even in the PT, most of the Jedi were feared, and respect came out of fear, not admiration.

 

I would argue the fact that Ben didn't get swarmed and blasted in the Cantina shows that there is still respect for the jedi.

Instead of "Holy jeez, that old guy just attacked Ponda!", they simply accept that a jedi has done what a jedi thinks is right. Everyone seems okay with this.

 

The majority of this post's question will be answered soon...

What can be said is that during the inter-episode years, the Empire undoubtedly ran a comprehensive propaganda program that further sought to discredit the Jedi.

 

Or... you could just use the ANH novelization that states lightsabers were still used in certain parts of the galaxy.

Doesn't mean Jedi. Just some old coot who likes to use ancient weapons.

Probably similar to when muskets came into everyday use. Seeing someone with a sword wouldn't be too unusual.

 

Does that mean that other people than Jedi knew how to build lightsabers or that many people stole dead jedis sabers?

 

They just bought their sabers at Best Buy like everyone else.

 

LoL. They did actually build their sabers, but sadly i'm not aware of any SW author expanding on that after the ANH novelization.

Although having everyone carry a saber would be a bit cheesy, I think that an occasional weaponmaster would add to the swashbukliness of the saga. Remember an old movie, Ice Pirates? Swords in space are cool!

 

Although having everyone carry a saber would be a bit cheesy,

It would be fine IMO.
After all, a Knight is still "cool", even though any traveler in the middle ages would have been armed.
A Samurai is still "cool" even though... Well you get the point.

We just don't see them because a blaster is infinitely easier to use without training. It's an "ancient weapon", so you rightly wouldn't see too many. You won't find a lot of people using a sword today either, just because guns are easier. But that doesn't mean they aren't around.

Maybe rich people have them crossed above their mantels.

 

Good replies, all.

I guess you don't see non-force users with lightsabers much because: 1) you gotta build it and understand how to maintain it and 2)if you try to use one and don't know what you're doing PERFECTLY, you WILL seriously injure or decapitate yourself.

 

There's also the point that the Jedi had been more or less extinct for nearly 20 years. When you consider that, here on Earth, the average span of memory for the general public is about three weeks, it's not much of a leap that the general public in the GFFA would've forgotten about them.

They might still exist in some folktales or stories from old timers that nobody listened to, but most people wouldn't remember them. They'd be too busy thinking about the latest holo releases, or Imperial tax increases, or getting those condensers fixed in time for the harvest.

 

I think the people in the cantina realise that it would be wise not to mess with Ben at that point, or they themselves migh suffer the same fate as Ponda.

Man I love that look Ben has after he slices Ponda's arm. He looks around for a second, almost like he is saying "Yea thats right, don't **** with me."

 

What happened in a backwater cantina in SW is pretty much what happened in a backwater cantina in any western film. One gunslinger shoots another, the patrons suddenly stop and gawk, then they go about their business.

8^B

 

Like don wan kihotay,thast old crazy dude who wanted to be a jedi before he went insane, and either made or found a lightsaber, and claimed to be a jedi. he was a historian, so he had the knowledge. im sure that if someone had the proper books (and some skill), it wouldnt be that hard

 

Yeah, an dhow can Han "not believe in The Force," when back in the he day, it wasn't even a question, because there were Jedi running around all over the place?

Slimy!