Batman Begins changed how I viewed Corran Horn in I, Jedi

Yesterday, I watched the film Batman Begins. Later on, I read the end of I, Jedi. Thing, is after watching BB, it changed how I red I Jedi. I realised that there are lots of big symmetries between the book and the BB Film:

Firstly, both Bruce Wayne and Corran Horn lost their parent(s) to criminal, which instilled in them a sense of fighting for justice. Corran, admittedly already was working in CorSec at the time, so he had proabbly already been this way.

Later on, after Mirax was kidnapped, Corran went to Luke's Jedi Academy, to train in better ways to find Mirax. Bruce, following his parents death, fought criminals in prison, before joining the League of Shadows. Both learn how to tackle crime/injustice. They both then realise that where they are isn't helping them any more, and leave.

Later on, Corran finds Elegos, who helps him understand what to do, who he really is, what he really wants. This seems very similar to Michael Caines Alfred, who puts Bruce back on the right tracks.

They then both don disguises and alter egos (Corran as a Jedi, Brice as Batman), and go out into the night. They use their disguises to instill fear into the criminal world, and show the innocent that change is coming, injustices will be fought. They also use disguise to protect those close to them.

Admittedly, Corran only uses the disguise whilst hunting for Mirax, whilst Bruce Never loses his.

Anyone else agree with this?

Daft-Vader

(I'm inpressed with myself - I have never written sucha deatiled post before )

 

I see the similarities. And Jedi are the 'superheroes' of the Star Wars universe. Some of them even wear capes and masks.

 

I could see an argument that Corran Horn's relationship with Luke Skywalker in I, Jedi fits the Batman/Superman archetypal mold.

 

You've actually really got something going, here. When I think about both, it occurs to me that Corran is becoming a Jedi for a very selfish purpose, overall.

I suppose Luke and the Jedi training helped afterward in curing Corran of these intentions (hence his Masterhood), but certainly by the end of the novel he is still chasing his own guilt, etc., similar to Wayne.

 

Interesting. Given that the Batman origin story predates Batman Begins considerably, even if the movie did shape it into a form that's rather thoroughly entered general public consciousness, one almost has to wonder if Stackpole was picking up on that backstory (consciously or subconsciously). There are some intriguing similarities there.

In particular, the correspondence between Jedi and superheroes is a fairly strong one, at times, the main difference often being the Jedi's lack of masks. When Corran puts on a mask, a lot of that difference is swept away.

The stories are pretty different, to be sure, but there are some rather striking commonalities, indeed.

 

Elegos is totally Alfred. Great call on that. The butler who helps hide his master's secret identity, clean up behind him, and keep him grounded . . . it works very well. I can see Stackpole having that consciously in mind.

 

There are two ways the "heroic orphan" storyline can go -- the more atavistic, brutal "I will do anything to avenge my parents" storyline, and the more idealistic, sunny "I will honor my parents' memory by doing good for the whole world" storyline.

They're similar but distinct, and Batman, in particular, has vacillated between the two in his portrayals. But in storylines that show Batman next to Superman to compare and contrast them, Batman inevitably is shown as the vengeful orphan and Superman as the idealistic one -- due to the immensely different ways the two of them were orphaned and the different paths they've taken to deal with being orphans.

I'd say that Corran Horn and Luke Skywalker's daddy issues being presented next to each other fits this trope too closely to be a coincidence. Luke is, after all, very obviously the Superman figure -- the comparisons have been made ad nauseum ever since people started talking about the "Campbellian monomyth" in connection to Star Wars -- and it's interesting to see how Horn sees it differently.

 

Luke and Clark, both farmboys. Also, both born of superpowered parents. And by this I mean, Luke's dad is superpowered compared even with other Jedi.

 

I've wanted to see a misguided mage go Marvel in a standalone, but thought expressing the idea aloud would turn off a potential author in fear of legal reasons. Blimey, and I just did it now.

 

I'd love to see a Jedi going all vigilante during the Dark Times.

 

Interesting reflection...

 

"Quick, Luke! Fetch me the Sith-repellent Jedi spray!"

 

That's Good

The Analogy works best with the Batman Begin Film, I think, with the creation of Batman.

Daft-Vader

 

Corran Horn is Batman? I've died and gone to fangirl heaven!

I applaud your work, D-V!

 

Don't thank me, it was the Will of the Force...I was reading I, Jedi, and my subconcious just started seeing Alfred and bruce Wayne/Batman. TRhe, after thinking about, I started making the connections...Spooky!!!

 

There's another random connection too.

Liam Neeson Played Ras' Ah Ghul in Batman Begins.

Liam also played Qui-Gon in TPM.

Both Qui-Gon and Ras' discovered their respective universe's secrets of immortality.

And here's where it gets better:

Jinns are demons/genies/supernatural beings. Ras' title is 'The Demon's Head'.

 

that would make for a great book

 

Or a great live-action TV series...

 

This is so bizarre that I was just thinking about this whole concept a few days ago (having just gotten The Dark Knight on DVD).

I think the biggest connection for me was how Corran handles himself on Courkrus and how Bruce handles his return to Gotham.

Both build themselves up with an interesting blend of technology and personal training (Corran constructs his lightsaber from a speeder bike handle, Bruce develops the Batsuit from his company's own products).

Both rely on the fear of criminals to serve the needs of justice (Corran creating illusions of the Jedi towering over the city, Bruce using the archetype of a Bat striking from the shadows).

Both also come up with interesting cover stories and personas that deflect attention from their true activities (Corran pretending--with Elegos's help--to be drunk and having lost his speeder bike after surviving a warehouse fire, Bruce acting as a disinterested playboy who thinks the Batman is just another lunatic).

I haven't read I, Jedi in a while, but now I have the urge to do so, because that whole sequence on Courkrus was just as phenomenal for me to read as it was to watch Batman Begins.

 

^ Exactly.

Also, slightly of topic, when/how did Ras' Ah Ghul learn the secret to immotality? Does this mean he survived the train crash at the end of Batman Begins (I don't yet have The Dark Knight)?

 

This comparison is based on the comics, not the films; in the comics, Ra's uses the Lazarus Pit to essentially become immortal. When coming out of a Lazarus Pit, which heals you and whatnot, you temporarily gain increased strength and go insane. Unless you're the Joker, in which case you temporarily become sane. >_>

 

Also, if you read the film novelization, Lazarus Pits are indeed mentioned, and it's heavily implied at the end of the novel that Ras' is still alive.

 

Nikki Vul: Viewers, please be aware. The image is disturbing.

[image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/6/62/Corran-CCGcrop.jpg]

Del Rey Exec: Tell them your name.

Stackpole: Michael...Stackpole.

Del Rey Exec: Are you the real Corran?

Stackpole: No.

Del Rey Exec: No?

Stackpole: No.

Del Rey Exec: No? (giggles) Then why do you dress up like him?

Stackpole: He's a symbol...that don't have to write about film characters ad nauseum.

Del Rey Exec: Oh, you do Michael. You really do. Yeaaaaahhh....Shh, shh shh shh. So you think Corran's made the EU a better place? ...look at me. LOOK AT ME!

...

You see, this is how crazy Corran's made the EU! You want order in the EU, Corran must relegate himself to supporting roles, and turn himself in. Oh, and, every book he doesn't, characters will die. Starting in 1999. I'm a man of my woooord.

 

Elipsis has been Exfected with my sarcasm. Havac is fast becoming Prince of Wit in his niche thread. He even said Bobailyn.

What have I done?

 

There are a few exceptions where the screenwriters or director works closely with the author of the novelization to make it work -- people talk about how GL did line-by-line editing on the prequel novelizations, for instance -- but generally speaking, for movies outside of strongly established franchises, Novelizations Are Not Canon.

They really, really aren't. They get churned out relatively cheaply and quickly and the writers of the original film get almost no input on them. In this case I very much doubt that an immortal Ras-al-Ghul fits into Christopher Nolan's premise for the Batman Begins trilogy at all. (Note that the novelization would've had to have been done before anyone had any idea that Batman Begins would be this huge hit that would reinvent the Batman franchise). Nolan's talked in interviews about how it's a very important part of his universe that the story avoids anything overtly supernatural, and it's become clear by The Dark Knight that he had no intention of having Ras-al-Ghul as a recurring villain. (Maybe the third film will prove me wrong, but I very much doubt it.)