Saga The Dune Sea: What The Desert Means in The Saga

Few scenes are as iconic as Luke standing and watching the twin suns of Tatooine set. It is there in the desert that so much of the Saga unfolds in important moments.

Anakin is chosen by Qui-Gon.
Anakin slaughters the Tuskans, Vader emerging.
Luke is handed to his Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen.
Luke forges his new saber, saves his friends, and ends Jabba’s tyranny.
Rey is discovered and makes her way from obscurity to center stage of the galaxy.
Rey buries the legacy sabers and takes the mantel of Skywalker.

There in the desert the writers are trying to say something in the sand, but what?

 

The desert is where people go for spiritual growth. Moses hid there, then he led the Israelites through 40 years of wandering there. Prophets went there to grow closer to God. John the Baptist lived there. Jesus fasted there for 40 days and faced the temptations of Satan there.

I still haven't gotten around to Campbell's writings on myths and hero journeys; does he have anything to say about the symbolism of the desert?

 

I stumbled on a great quote,
“God takes everyone he loves through a desert. It is his cure for our wandering hearts, restlessly searching for a new Eden...
The best gift of the desert is God's presence... The protective love of the Shepherd gives me courage to face the interior journey.”
Paul E. Miller, A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World

I wonder if GL meant to have Qui-Gon look like Jesus and Maul look like the devil for their duel in the desert:



Since as you mentioned Jesus did battle with the devil in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11).

 

Boring Doylist answer: George liked Dune and stole took inspiration from a number of its ideas, and desert planets thereafter became iconic SW stuff

Fun Watsonian answer: Even aside from the analyses others have posted above, deserts represent inhospitable environments that aren't conducive to life. We all root for underdog characters - as Anakin had to struggle to escape his life as a slave, Luke turmoiled with his dissatisfaction as a simple moisture farmer, and Rey struggled to go day to day making ends meet, the desert serves as both a literal background and visual metaphor for life battling just to escape and find something more outside of that desert. Like a couple of suns beckoning for a higher calling and greater adventures

 

Well it is called the Dune Sea on Tatooine.

Watson’s answer seems more like an answer. The desert is a blank canvas for the hero to start his or her journey, and notice as Luke and Rey progress the locations become more exotic, though they both return to the desert for some crucial growth.

 

As an agnostic who has never read the bible, I wouldn't know all those biblical references. So my vote would definitely go to Frank Herbert's (first 3) Dune books as inspiration for Lucas, with deserts playing an important part in the story. In the Lucas trilogies there is only one episode that doesn't have Tatooine as a setting. Even TFA begins on a desert planet.

 

Exactly, the fact its called The Dune Sea on Tatooine.
GL definitely took inspiration from Hebert, I agree.

 

There's a meme for that:

 

- both universes are ruled by emperors that can be considered evil
- in both there is a mysterious substance called "spice"; we don't know what its function is in SW, but I'm sure it's not just something you add to food to improve taste
- in both sagas major protagonists turn out the be the offspring of a major villain: Luke and Leia - Vader's children; Alia and Jessica - granddaughter and daughter of Baron Harkonnen
- in the finale of the first chapter the seemingly underequipped and inferior protagonists win against a seemingly invincible evil enemy, each in a major and epic battle
- both have a prophecy that a "chosen one" or "messiah" will appear
- both have powerful orders of prescient or even super-human beings that share a common belief and code system: Bene Gesserit and Jedi
- the main hero starts off as very young, inexperienced, naïve boy, but later becomes the leader of an opposition force that eventually defeats a formidable enemy, both striking from hidden "bases"
- both have vehicles designed for navigating over sand dunes: spice crawler and sand crawler
- on both Arrakis and Tatooine there is no open water; it is so scarce that it needs to be gained from the air
- both main protagonists have visions of the future that turn out to come true
- major villains have serious physical handicaps: one needs a full-body suit to stay alive, the other is to fat he can only move around with suspensors or specifically designed carts

That's all that comes to mind at the moment.

 

By The Force that is a lot of commonality!

I’d say The Sarlaac and The Worms have some similarities.

The Sardaukar in Dune are like The Crimson Guard. Both serve The Emperor.

The Fremen form a rebellion, i.e. The Rebels.

Ben Gesserit in Dune, Nightsisters in SW. Both are witches of sorts.

Gaius Helen Mohiam, and Mother Talizin.

Unique melee weapons: Lightsabers, and Knives & Shields.

Supernatural Power: The Weirding Way and The Force.

 

Oh yes, definitely, especially the original Sarlacc mouth without that beak. It does look a lot like it has those sandworm teeth used to make Fremen crysknives!
Another thing: that skeleton 3PO walks past after first landing on Tatooine? Was that a giant snake? Lizard? Or maybe a worm? Just speculating of course.