What Makes A Star Wars Story A Star Wars Story?

2) Conflict Between Father And Child (Literal And Figurative)

The entire Star Wars universe hinges upon the relationships between individuals and their father-figures; whether those father figures are literally the biological patriarch in question, or simply a male authority figure that holds influence over a younger character – father-child conflict runs through every plot arc, and every character development in the franchise.

From the fatherless Anakin, to Anakin and the Skywalker twins; from Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, to Anakin and Emperor Palpatine; from Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, to Luke and Yoda; from Galen Erso and Jyn Erso, to Luke Skywalker and Owen Lars; From Saw Gerrera and Jyn Erso, to Supreme Leader Snoke and Kylo Ren; from Han Solo and Kylo Ren, to Rey and whoever left her on Jakku – the sins and sometimes overbearing nature of the father are constantly re-visited on the child.

The message throughout those relationships is clear – from the perspective of the ‘good guys’ (the Rebel Alliance), compliance is bad, while rebellion is good. The Empire seeks uniformity and compliance throughout the galaxy, so as to cement their power-base for future generations. Anakin Skywalker and Kylo Ren reject the Alliance and comply with the commands of the Empire – each immediately escalating the conflict and causing death and destruction.

The Rebellion, on the other hand, seek to liberate and free the galaxy from tyranny. But, each film requires the hero(es) to examine their relationship with their father figures, in order to find the strength to fight on – either in opposition to what that father figure symbolises, or in support of it. This goes a long way to creating the element of trans-generational trauma.