A Long Time Ago...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I saw my first Star Wars movie.

(Well, technically, it wasn't the first. My siblings and I had seen an episode of the Clone Wars once with friends. But we hadn't seen any of the actual Star Wars episodes.)

It was five years ago, in our family's schoolroom, where my siblings and I experienced Episode IV: A New Hope for the first time. 

It was amazing.

The plot...

A desperate rebellion. ("You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor." -Darth Vader) 
Tense fights with lightsabers. ("An elegant weapon from a more civilized age" -Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Swift, if battered, spaceships. ("You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought." -Princess Leia)
A dangerous rescue. ("Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." -Princess Leia)
Deadly races through space. ("I can't hold on!" -Wedge Antilles)

And the characters...

A hero eager to prove himself. ("I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you." -Luke Skywalker)
A dangerous villain. (heavy mechanical breathing - Darth Vader)
A quick-thinking, strong-willed princess. ("I don't know you are or where you came from, but from now on you do as I say." -Princess Leia.)
A cocky pilot with a patched-up ship and a tall furry companion/copilot. ("I expect to be well paid." -Han Solo. "Rrrowwwr." -Chewbacca.)
 A selfless mentor and master of the Jedi arts. ("Obi-Wan Kenobi... Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time." -Obi-Wan Kenobi.)

We were thrilled by the story of a galaxy ruled by the evil Empire, a band of rebels fighting to overturn it, a hero with a mysterious past and destiny. 

Now, five years later, I've seen every Star Wars episode produced (and I'm waiting impatiently for Episode VIII! What does that trailer even mean?!)

Anyway, today is May 4th, so naturally I had to talk about Star Wars. Because every Star Wars movie is still a thrilling adventure complete with lightsaber duels, space chases, a villain, a hero, humor...

A New Hope was just the beginning that day five years ago. What a beginning.

When young Luke Skywalker stumbles upon a distress call from Princess Leia, a captive of the evil Empire, he sets off with mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi to rescue her at once. Along the way, he must learn to master the mysterious, long-hidden Jedi arts of lightsabers and the Force. For far too long, the galaxy has been reigned over by the Empire, most notably the intimidating Darth Vader. If Luke and the gang of friends he's picked up can rescue Leia, the desperate Rebel Alliance will stand a chance of destroying the Empire's ultimate weapon the Death Star and restoring peace and freedom to the galaxy. 

The story continues with Episodes V, VI, VII, and soon to be VIII. There's also the prequels, I, II, and III. Each of them is a segment of the events of the Star Wars saga, each introducing new characters (including some we'd perhaps rather not see "ahem" Jar Jar Binks) and suspenseful plotlines (which I can't describe for fear of giving secrets away). 

So there are the duels, the chases, the action, the humor. But there's more.

Goodness. Evil. Light. Darkness. Love. Despair. Captivity. Freedom. Choices. Loyalty. Trust. Hope. 

Redemption.

The Star Wars saga was first and foremost the story of Anakin Skywalker. Anakin, phenomenal mechanic, Force-user with exploding potential, best pilot in the galaxy. Rescued from a dusty desert planet to be trained as a Jedi, his destiny was glorious. 

But as Anakin Skywalker grew older, he became rebellious. He didn't want to do as the Jedi Masters wanted. He wanted to choose his own path, to do things his way. Because he was scared, scared of losing those whom he loved. His desire to protect them was not the problem; his conduct because of it was. 

He began to view his Jedi mentors, once his greatest heroes, now his enemies. They would not -- could not -- allow him to do as he wished, have what he wished. He began to make desperate choices. Driven mad by his obsessive fears, he chose a dark path, and forsook his friends in a chase after what he thought would help. 

But it did not help or heal anyone. Instead, it flipped the galaxy into darkness under the hand of a sly Sith Lord, brought agony to the Jedi and the Republic, and scarred Anakin forever with the heat of the fires of Mustafar. 

A prophecy had been whispered about Anakin. That he was The Chosen One. That he would bring balance to the Force.

But Anakin chose darkness, when the galaxy needed him to be light. 

His closest friend and mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi cried out of this as he and Anakin dueled, each believing the other a traitor. Obi-Wan fled and distributed Anakin's two children among friends and relatives to keep them safe. Then he hid. It was no longer safe to be a Jedi, one of the guardians of peace and freedom. Those times were over. 

Until a certain young man intercepted a message from Princess Leia and there was a chance to hope. 

Because there was a chance to save Anakin, athough no one, least of all he himself, knew it. He did not deserve to be pulled from his painful life of the Sith Lord Darth Vader he had become. He had made a rebellious choice and done things on his own terms. 

Yet in the end, he received the opportunity for something different, something better. 

Redemption.

It's similar with us. We chose to do things our own way, to walk the paths we wanted, instead of walking by God's commandments. We were darkness, when God had made us to be light. But he gave us the choice, and we chose sin. 

Then he sent his Son to pay the price for our wrongdoing. And that Son redeemed us with his blood. And now we have a glorious inheritance.

But we're different from Anakin Skywalker, though. For one thing, the redemption in Star Wars is a story, and the redemption in our lives is a reality. For another, our redemption is far greater and brighter. We did nothing to merit salvation and receive life through Jesus's death. But Jesus atoned for us and rose from the dead and we will be with him for eternity. 

And this is why Star Wars resonates so deeply with so many people; we identify with it. This is why storytelling is so important; it shows people truths in an alternate setting, and we return to those stories to understand the truth.

"The stories are true. All of it." -Han Solo

This is Star Wars -- a tale of light and darkness and redemption and hope. 

"What chance do we have? The question is, what choice?" -Jyn Erso

May the 4th be with you.