Saga What's in a Crawl

Would you guys please let it go? You're killing a potentially great discussion.

For the record, I agree that there is a sense of progression, or escalation, or maybe even regression, in the choice of words. From trade disputes, peace and justice, via separatism, peace and order, to war and evil everywhere, Anakin's Trilogy takes us on quite a journey. The increasing tension in the galaxy is palpable and this is reflected in the opening crawls.
By AOTC, the Republic seems to gravitate towards increased control and I believe that the word "order" was deliberately chosen to emphasize that. That's not to say that the Jedi's job description has changed, just that times are getting rough and that maintaining order has become their top priority (as far as the Republic is concerned).

 

The Crawls say so much about the movies while also not saying much. Interesting that OT is clear cut with who is good and who and bad. Empire - Evil. Rebels - Freedom. The PT is more ambiguous and the crawls actually say the times and sides are ambiguous.

In episodes 1 to 6 there is an established power with a smaller group trying to usurp them. The PT has the Republic as the established power with the Trade Federation in TPM and the Separatists in AOTC and ROTS threatening the balance. For the OT the Empire is the established power with the Rebels threatening their power.

With TFA we have a new Republic as the main power. A power that we know very little about and which plays almost no active part in the movie - and may actually have been destroyed - and two smaller powers trying to set up a new order. A first order which wants a new Empire. And a resistance whose main objective seems to be stopping the First Order - but may also want to replace a weak corrupt New Republic with a better government.

This Trilogy is not a David and Goliath contest of underdog against juggernaut - a young upstart against a complacent behemoth. This time it's two scrappy , new, passionate groups who are hungry for change squaring off against each other. Neither as powerful as the empires of old, but both better equipped and more experienced than the Rebels or Separatists.

We're in for one massive fight.

Also interesting - Padme is the only good guy to be mentioned by name in the Prequel trilogy opening scroll. It sets up the opening attack, Padme's new career as a Senator, and the big political issue of the movie. All the other characters named in the prequel scrolls are bad guys.

I love the line "led by Luke Skywalker." I take this to mean, Luke literally led the Rebels to Hoth by finding it and helping to set up the base. So other people are in command of the Rebel Alliance - Luke - like a true Jedi - leads regarles through deeds and exsample.

I'll look at this again later and write more and look forward what other people see.

 

Do you really not understand the difference between NEARLY the same and the same? If not I can provide a few examples that will illustrate.

If I were to say "shut the door" this is THE SAME as saying "close the door." There is no substantive or material difference.

On the other hand, if I said "I ran to the store," this statement is nearly the same but nevertheless different than if I said "I jogged to the store." Yet jog and run are synonyms. They carry different connotations, particularly in context.

What is most disappointing about this conversation with you is that I am the OP of this thread discussing the crawls and my interpretation of them. I think there is an interesting pattern for Jedi motivations. Peace and Justice --> Peace and Order --> Evil Everywhere --> Freedom Fighters --> Peace and Justice.

What's more, our context is provided in the story.

The Clones Attacked the Separatists, hence the title Attack of the Clones. The Jedi are, by default whether they know it or not, fighting for a Sith Lord in Palpatine. Why? Because a number of star systems want to separate from the Republic.

The definition you provided undercuts your argument. The Jedi, even by your definition and not mine, are fighting in AOTC to maintain "peace, freedom from confused or unruly behavior, and respect for law and proper authority." The problem is that by the very context of our story we can easily discern this is contrary to fighting for justice and freedom because...you know...the clones serve a freaking Sith Lord.

Further still, your definition of order works perfectly for Lord Vader. Lord Vader is fighting against the rebellion to maintain "peace, freedom from confused or unruly behavior, and respect for law and proper authority."

And so you can see by YOUR OWN definition the moral ambiguity existent in fact when order is invoked as a justification for action.

I am not cherry picking anything. I am using the story to frame the issue, rather than preconceived notions of Jedi morality as you are.

This reversal of the Jedi in the PT is quite intentional mind you. It is not a coincidence that Mace Windu and Ali Adi Amundi discuss taking control of the Senate to depose the chancellor. This is, in effect, the same thing Palpatine is doing. Their actions mirror one another.

We know the Jedi are good, but he corruptive nature of institutions is one aspect the films are exploring. Your failure to see that and grasp the Jedi failure in the PT is highly disappointing.

 

Yes. I feel like the discussion point is being lost.

The point is the regression or progression you're pointing out. Because the Jedi are made to be soldiers, rather than keepers of the peace who seek justice, their true purpose gets lost and muddled.

 

I completely agree on the Luke Skywalker point. I never read that crawl as saying he was in charge of the Rebellion, but rather that it was he who found Hoth and he who was taking initiative in the retreat from the Empire.

 

Gotta go with The Phantom Menace. Couple what is said with the films title and the opening crawl easily has the most depth of them all.

 

Governmental body first mentioned in each crawl:
Galactic Republic > Galactic Senate > Republic > Galactic Empire > Rebellion > Galactic Empire > First Order

Adjective from the first sentence describing the state of the galaxy:
Turmoil > Unrest > War > Civil War > Dark Time > (none) > (none)
The last two movies first lines focus on Luke. Also interesting is that both movie III and IV both have the word war in the first sentence.

Planets mentioned:
Naboo > Naboo > (none - Coruscant is indirectly referred to as the capital) > (none) > Hoth > Tatooine > Jakku
Naboo is a paradise while Hoth, Tatooine, and Jakku are all planets with extreme climates.

Bad guy mentioned:
Trade Federation > Count Dooku > Count Dooku/Grievous > Empire's Agents > Darth Vader > Jabba the Hutt > First Order
TPM, ANH, and TFA all have organizations mentioned, not specific people.

Adjective describing each above bad guy:
Greedy > Mysterious > Ruthless/Fiendish > Sinister > Evil > Vile > Sinister

Good guys mentioned:
Supreme Chancellor > Senator Amidala > Chancellor Palpatine > Princess Leia > Luke Skywalker > Luke Skywalker/Han Solo > Luke Skywalker/General Leia Organa