PT What "uncivilized" happened at Utapau between General Grievous and Obi-Wan Kenobi?

At first I want to insert a citing of the opening-contribution of User Molemen1138 in the already closed
"Utapau Chase DISCUSSION"

Actually, when I saw the scene where Kenobi finished Grievous, I was chilled to the bone, not only by the horrible end of Grievous, but also because I didn't expect Kenobi to say something like "how uncivilized". It is so contrary to Kenobi's manners and behavior as far I knew it.

At the first moment after watching this scene, I thought it could be perhaps a kind of arrogance of the Jedi, showing some flaws in the Jedi-life in those days, how weak the've been gotten, which Lucas wanted to show in this scene. That Kenobi was just arrogant towards the already killed enemy.

In the above-cited contribution I saw, that Kenobi judges the use of blaster-weapons to be uncivilized. A striking clear argument.

But now I'm still not sure if he really meant General Grievous and his aides using blasters, or just his very own self, being forced to use a blaster to save his own life and to complete his mission. Thus, Kenobi's words in my eyes could be a kind of self-irony - that in this special case for the sake of survival and success he had to behave "uncivilized" , while adapting the habits of his combat-partner.

How do you think of this? And what did you feel after watching the scene?

 

I didn't really care after watching the scene. But as far as the line goes I always figured he was talking about having to use a blaster to survive.

 

He's obviously referring to the blaster itself. It's a reference to his line in ANH: "Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age."

 

this.

 

What he said about what he said.

 

You can even tell when he looks at the blaster as he says this.

 

It is an interesting line, though. Obi-Wan throws the blaster aside, believing it to be "uncivilized". Many years later, Luke will throw a lightsaber aside in much the same manner. Perhaps Luke surpassed Obi-Wan by realizing that all violence is uncivilized, regardless of the tool used to engage in it.

 

I like that!

To the point of the thread, I don't think Obi Wan was being arrogant there. After all, he looks down at Grievous' body for a moment which I think is meant to be a moment of remorse or pity.

 

He might have also saw more honor in defeating an enemy in close combat, as you would with a lightsaber. If you're using a blaster, you don't have to be quite so close to the enemy.

 

Luke tossed his saber away because he knew that fighting Palpatine was not the answer. The answer was to sacrifice himself for his father. Note that in ROTJ, Luke does not carry a blaster anymore, while in TESB, Luke never fires his blaster once and uses his father's Lightsaber more and more.

 

Agreed.

Errr, I think he was just making a grand gesture. I don't think he was sacrificing himself for anyone. After all, he asks to be rescued: Father, please! I also think it's significant in that Yoda tells Luke not to underestimate the Emperor and then Luke goes and does precisely that.

The only times he uses his lightsaber are against Vader (and a vision of Vader) and as a way of cutting into the AT-AT. But on Dagobah when R2 is toppled into the water Luke is taken by surprise and acts purely on instinct. And what does he do? He reaches for his blaster. So I'm not sure that you're saying completely stacks up.

 

Luke is pleading with his father to not turn his back on all that he was, more than he was about saving him.

He doesn't fire his gun at all. The first instance, he doesn't want to hit Artoo. But the second time, he never uses it against Boba Fett.

 

This is my take on it also.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearms_of_Japan
Edo Period

 

The only uncivilized thing that happened on Utapau between Obi wan and Grievous was Obi wan killing him with the laser blaster.