Were Yoda and Mace out of character in AOTC?

Why did Mace take the risk of having many jedi killed in the arena just to save 2 jedi and a senator? He had to know it would put many jedi at risk. Also, Yoda seems too out of character. In the OT, Yoda is a pacifist who believes "wars not make one great". Yet after the jedi in the arena are rescued he commands the republic forces to engage the seperatist forces. I think these two things are the reason I can't appreciate AOTC as much as the other 4 movies. I seems unresonable that Mace and Yoda would take the republic to war to save 2 jedi and a senator

 

It seemed to me that the war was forced on them. They could either turn a blind eye to it, or do what they can to help. Jedi are the "sheriff" of the galaxy if you will, and stopping Count Duku was there responsibility.

As for yoda, he is many things. Yes he said "Wars not Make One great" but he never denied that War can sometimes be a necessity. I just feel the jedi council had this war brought to them, and they were dealing with it the best they could.

 

I think their motives were to "Unravel the Mystery of the Sith" and to prevent war from breaking out. They had just been presented with the surprise of the clone army being ordered by Sifo Dyas and wanted to discover the truth behind Dooku & The separtists.

This did not happen of course because their vision was clouded by the dark side.

 

-_-

The OT comes chronologically after the PT... isn't it possible that Yoda realizes "Wars not making one great" DURING the Clone Wars?

 

The Jedi did not go to war for "two Jedi and a senator." The Jedi went to Geonosis because they sensed more was brewing on the planet than what was seen on the surface - and don't forget that Obi Wan managed to message the Jedi temple and update them on what was going on. Jedi involvement or not, the Republic was headed for war. It was inevitable with the Separatists gaining more power as time wore on (and Palpatine's influence behind the scenes). What Mace Windu and Yoda were attempting to do was to cut their losses and stop it before it it got out of hand by taking out Dooku and the Separatists leaders. When they failed, the Clone Wars truly begun. Obi Wan and company were of priority, but there were other reasons why the Jedi left for there.

I also think you're misconstuing "wars not make one great." Just because somebody considers war a wasteful, futile effort does not necessarily preclude the understanding that war is an eventuality. Conflict will always be part of the universe. It's inevitable. Yoda's words are meant to convey his feeling that true greatness aspires to peace and self-harmony - exactly as a Jedi should. Yoda isn't really a pacifist either, IMO. I think he supports the philosophy that the way to ultimately enlightment is to forego all physical and psychological conflict and embrace the Force, but after 900 years of living, he certainly must realize force is sometimes required.

 

Just because Yoda says "War is not what makes one great" doesn't mean he doesn't agree that war is necessary. He is just simply stating that war is something that happens in life, but by no means does it determine the greatness of a person or actions in a war make that person "great".
As other have said, the Jedi are the "sheriffs" of the galaxy. The marines have a policy that they leave no one behind. I'm sure the Jedi feel the same way. They are not going to leave a fellow Jedi behind. Besides, they needed to stop the Sith and whatever else was going on in Geonosis so they came to put an end to it.

 

It just seems stupid that Mace would take all those to the arena without any knowledge of what they would face. If they wanted to defeat the seperatists thoroughly at Geonosis they should have just done an orbital bombardment of they ground forces and droid foundries

 

That would have been problematic - they wanted Dooku, Obi Wan, etc. alive. Bombing from above doesn't necessarily allow for pinpoint accuracy in saving the lives of a few people. Additionally, you're talking about arial bombardment - a feat impossible for both the Jedi and Republic due to the fact that neither had an army at the time.

 

About the Yoda thing, it's called "character development", not character flaws. He realizes in EP2 and EP3 that what he has taught all the Jedi is wrong. That is why he's like that in ESB.

 

Saving Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé was not the only reason the Jedi ventured to Geonosis.
They hoped to capture Count Dooku, and to shut down the Separtist war machine before it could strike the Republic.

 

Yoda seems too out of character. In the OT, Yoda is a pacifist who believes "wars not make one great".

You must also remember that this is part of a series of tests for Luke. Luke thinks that being a Jedi is a grand adventure full of lightsaber battles. Yoda's training of Luke is to show him the full spectrum of being a Jedi, all the poissiblities and temptations. Yoda does not want Luke to reach his full potential if he is going to turn out like his father and continue the Sith rule.

 

In the OT, Yoda is a pacifist who believes "wars not make one great". Yet after the jedi in the arena are rescued he commands the republic forces to engage the seperatist forces.

Just becuase you think force is bad doesn't mean you can't use it. This is what bothers me if real pacifists. Sometimes a war is necessary. Yoda knew this. Destroy the Separatist army on Geonosis, and maybe they won't be able to continue to kill Jedi on large scale.

 

A lot of people I notice constantly make the mistake of not acknowledging that first, most people grow, change with time, and second, we're watching prequels, back story. We know what's going to happen, but these characters don't. The ones that survive are getting up to the point that most of first saw them, in the 1977 movie, later called A New Hope. Yoda is hiding out, almost dejected, and acting strange and peculiar because he knows the power of the Emperor. He has seen, sadly, his way of life, the way of the Jedi completely decimated, and many of his friends dead. He and Obi-Wan are hiding out, waiting for Luke and/or Leia to come of age. Yoda carries the heart and wisdom of the Jedi in him, if he were found and killed, that could almost be it for the Jedi.

 

Oh, now this is just stupid. Yes, he said wars do not make one great. How does that have ANY affect on the fact that he's reluctantly fighting one?!

Slimy!