Imagining a World with Real Jedi

I’ve been reading about J.W. Rinzler’s The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back here at Suvudu, and I’m hoping to get my hands on it very soon. The Empire Strikes Back was the first Star Wars film that I was old enough to truly understand on my own upon its initial theatrical release, and it had a huge impact on me. Like most little boys, I loved pretending to be Luke Skywalker, and I’m almost ashamed to admit to the amount of time I devoted to trying to develop my own Force powers, like levitating objects with my mind alone. As a kid, I really wanted to be a Jedi, but as a grownup, I have my doubts about how good it would be to live in a world where Jedis are real.

At first blush, the idea of an order of psychic warriors dedicated to peace, justice and really eccentric hair styles sounds pretty sweet. But is it? None of us are really good guys, right? I mean, you’re probably not evil, but for example, getting out of a ticket after running a red light is a pretty tall order already, and that’s with the regular, non-telepathic cops we’ve already got. Imagine beginning to argue your case, only to hear the crackling buzz of a lightsaber being drawn. Where can I send that payment again, officer?

Then there’s the matter of the summary judgment that Jedis regularly dispense by the edge of those same lightsabers. They’re judge, jury and executioner. When you think about it, your average Jedi is more Charles Bronson than Mahatma Gandhi. Try explaining your philosophical and ethical objections to the death penalty while dodging the flaming sword of Jedi justice. For a bunch of guys who preach against the dangers of dealing in absolutes, Jedis seem oddly at ease slicing through anybody they consider evil. What’s more, their actions are extra-judicial. It’s not like Luke Skywalker brought the Emperor or Darth Vader to face a civilian court.

No, I don’t think I’d like to live in a world with real Jedis, any more than I would like to share my neighborhood with dragons or vampires. One of the most attractive things about heroic fantasy and science fiction is that it is a lot neater than real life. The dividing line between good and evil is easy to see, problems have solutions, and the unintended consequences of our actions reach only as far as the last page in the story.
Notice that I said “heroic” fantasy and science fiction. Not all F/SF is like this. For example, take the actions of anti-heroes like Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melinboné, initially created by the author as a reaction against heroic fantasy. He’s no good guy, but neither is he entirely evil. Elric is probably more like the average reader than Qui-Gon Jinn.

Then again, that’s no failing on the part of the authors of heroic fantasy. There’s no reason why one’s entertainment should reflect the moral turpitude of the real world. As a matter of fact, sometimes we’re driven to be a little better by the impossibly high standards of our heroes. They lead by example, even if we fail to always follow in their footsteps.

I love Star Wars, and wouldn’t really want to see it redone as a tale of moral ambiguity and questionable heroes. We need our Jedis, especially since most of us carry a little bit of the Dark Side with us every day.