The Mystery of the White Triangle: A Star Wars Geometry Lesson?

Pray tell, my avid Star Wars Fans, what the white triangle on Luke's suit at the end of Return of the Jedi represents. Perhaps it is a symbol of his purity and determination not to turn to the Dark Side, or maybe it is a white flag of surrender because, alas, he is totally clueless and has no idea how to fend off wrinkled old guys (who look like moldy pickles mind you) with a cronic case of dryer static. Or perhaps, just perhaps, it is a sign that no matter how advanced the Star Wars universe is, they still have not invented safty pins.

Please, post away . . .

 

If i could hazard a guess, i believe it was done for two reasons. First and foremost, as a sign that Luke just partook in a duel so his clothes are a little messed up. Secondly, because it added a lighter colour to his all black outfit, signalling perhaps, the transition of power from dark side to light side. A quirk George Lucas may have come up with to visualise this idea like he does with so many other small things.

 

I thought it was a GREY triangle.


As for what it means in the greater scheme of things, I think it represents that Luke is...




...about to eat lobster.

 

^^^ The Ewoks probably threw a mean BBQ too - a good Jedi is always prepared.

More seriously though, I really have no idea - maybe just a way to emphasize that Luke just took a beatdown a la duel and lightening...because lightning...er...popped off his buttons.

It actually reminds me a lot of the uniforms that started to get worn in the second Star Trek flick: red jacket with the flap (beige or white lined) that Kirk et al always seemed so fond of fliging open.

 

That's what I always thought it was.

 

It looks better with the flap down, he's more violent


Luke: Raaaagh!

*Flap falls down*

*Emperor gasps in shock*

Emperor: Such anger!

 

It's pure 80's.

 

George Lucas was just so jealous about how good Cap'n Kirk looked in Khan with his uniform half folded over that he tried for the same image with look

 

I think it was supposed to be a subtle hint within the 'visual fabric' that Luke was slowly but surely stripping throughout the entire film.
If ROTJ had 20 more minutes running time he'd be shirtless.

 

Okay, that nearly made me fall off my swivel chair.

. . .

. . .

Uh . . . but, now that I think about it, you have a point. First the cloak, then the tunic, then the triangle . . .

Great, now I'll never be able to watch Return of the Jedi through the innocent eyes of a kid ever again.

 

Luke was just catching a beatdown. There is no symbolism.

 

I think the symbolism is there.

When Luke enters the throne room, he's covered in black from head to toe (like someone we know who has already gone over to the dark side.)

By the end of the fight, the patch of grey breaks up the black.

 

Bumping this up . . .

 

I think it means the Rebel tailors didn?t have the same resource the Imperial tailors had.
I always figured that Aunt Beru hand made Luke?s cloths in ANH. Now those cloths held up well through the whole movie
In ESB Luke?s cloths really started falling apart on Dagobah and didn?t hold up well at all.
In ROTJ the poorly designed cape, unlike Vaders, just wasn?t meant for fighting. I don?t know what happened to the tunic but that didn?t last through the movie. As far as his shirt, well I always figured the button must have melted from the lighting or it broke off due to bad stitching.
But be assured after the Rebels victory Luke would have access to the top notch Imperial tailors and be wearing designer cloths after that.
Imperial Hilfiger, Palpatine and Fitch, L.L. Vader, Darth Klein

 

What triangle? Pics?

 

Can't find a good pic but they're talking about at the end of ROTJ. The front of Lukes shirt is folded down. I don't think it means anything.

 

Well it's not Luke but here you go.


[image=http://kay-dee.net/d-con/sw_contest/luke_rotj.jpg]

 

Good grief. How can you not notice the triangle?

Anyway, I was watching the bonus material for the OT the other day and I say a very brief clip where Mark, Carrie, and Harrison are all standing in the woods on "Endor" and Mark's suit has the triangle on it already. I know it was before the Ewoks captured Leia because Carrie was still wearing that camo. poncho thing. Not only that, but Mark was pulling on the triangle and asking George or the director guy (Kershner? Or was that ESB) about something. Dunno what, there was no sound for them speaking really, but I found it interesting. It means a certain amount of thought was put into having that flaw there.

Comments, anyone?

 

Why would you refer to it as a 'flaw'?

It's simply a double-breasted shirt that is closed...until the point in the film where it becomes opened, revealing a lighter color in the lining.

Visually, the darkness of Luke's clothing suggests the darkness that might be within him.

 

yes the light side is closer to him than the darkside. things that make you go hmmmmmmm.

 

Perhaps flaw was not the word to use.

Maybe . . . creative addition that gives us something to talk about 30 years later?

 

I never noticed the triangle, because I always only thought of it as Luke's clothing coming undone or something like that to give it a bit of flair.

 

Sorry, Saria. I thought you were suggesting that it was a mistake or an accident.

It IS just Luke's clothing coming undone, but the symbolism isn't hard to see:

Before it falls open, Luke is dressed in all black. (Consider what the black represents.)

After it falls open, the patch of grey breaks up the all black.

 

QFT