A genuine state of peace is accompanied by tranquility. Anyone who experiences peace is free from pain or suffering of any nature. Peace is often viewed as the opposite of war and can be experienced on two levels. One can experience both internal and external peace when a conflict is resolved without the need to resort to violence. A solution practice, peace is a foundation of humanity that brings people and their inhabited communities together. Some cultural practices and traditions strive to achieve peace and welcome the idea of its effects on both body and mind. Inner peace offers a sense of clarity to daily life. It enhances a sense of calm and strengthens focus. On a global scale, there has been an outcry for world peace since the early documentations of human history. Time has proven that the idea of reaching a consistent state of peace on an international level has presented unique challenges due to the ongoing clash between national and international leaders. Circumstances of extreme suffering or conflict can be taken as a stark reminder of why peace across the world is a necessity.
Star WarscreatorGeorge Lucas once said, “It’s like poetry, sort of. They rhyme. Every stanza kind of rhymes with the last one. Hopefully, it’ll work,” when presenting the parallels between his Original Trilogy and the Prequel Trilogy to an executive production team. In a way, the poetry that exists in theStar Warsmoviescan extend to the real world — our world — that was so instrumental to its creation: much like how our world cannot yet attain peace, neither can a galaxy far, far away. There have been, of course, moments peppered throughout the franchise during which the galaxy was able to breathe a sigh of relief and revel in peaceful times. However, moments of peace are continually disrupted by the spark of conflict and the commencement of war. The quest for serenity across the stars remains ongoing, sparking hope that it will one day return again. Naturally,Star Wars, as the name suggests, is built on a foundation of conflict and struggle, which is ultimately why peace can never be attained in the galaxy.
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There Will Always Be Socio-Political Conflict Across the Galaxy
In order to achieve peace, there must be an absence of civil unrest.Star Warshas not known a moment of quiet since its earliestLegendsonwards, and just as the franchise was founded on real-world issues, it will continue to feed on conflict. Rebellions, after all, are built on hope. Without the rebellions that have caused magnitudes of change across the galaxy, there would not be strides made towards addressing issues that threaten to overrule the underprivileged communities of different planets. Time and again, socio-political disturbance has established itself as an immortal piece ofStar Warshistory that show no signs of finding its end. Whether it’s the Jedi versusthe Sith Lordsor the rebels versus the Empire, there will always be two sides fighting against each other.
Periods of turmoil that have resulted in wars have pillaged communities throughout time, costing the destruction of nations and planets that cannot be undone. Societies cannot find themselves seeing eye-to-eye with legislative restrictions in order to successfully co-exist. The Imperial Army of the Galactic Empire refused to release its oppressive grip over those who called out for their freedom. Pushback from rebellion forces is a direct answer to their unrelenting, unforgiving hunger for control. Because of the unremitting attitudes, beliefs, and ethics of the major associations that loop themselves in endless contention, the galaxy strays away from finding the peace it seeks.
“Peace” Has No Singular Definition
The concept of peace is not always a unanimous thought. PerCinema Blend, there is no one simple definition of peace inStar Wars; each culture, creed, and religion has solidified its own idea of what peace consists of. To the Jedi, peace may present itself as being one with the Force. Their pacifism and their connection to rich spirituality bind their envisioned serenity directly to religious connotations. Jedi were firm in their beliefs that their quest for peace was the only way, though their mission did not fully resonate with every single being that inhabited the cosmos. They were missionaries, in a way, whose objectives didn’t always appeal to those who host opposing views and were unsure of the Jedi were to be the established peacekeepers. In fact, manyStar Warsproperties have explored the idea thatJedi were actually villainsin the lives of many across the galaxy. Their tenacious intention to share the Way of the Force across the galaxy can, in this way, be to blame for the constant counter-productivity of securing it.
Those who do not find themselves in the ranks of prominent organizations that participate in the crossfire of ongoing frictions are seemingly forgotten from the equation of galactic goodwill.Star Warshas made note that suffering has a strong thematic pull over its narrative structure. For others, the concept of peace was not as intense as finding enlightenment. It could be viewed as liberation or freedom from injustice. It does not have to be a grand feat that sweeps across the galaxy, but is such a personal feeling that even the end of the smallest suffering can be deemed to be peaceful. The franchise has sampled what peace may look like throughout its waves of history that ebb and flow throughout it. Just as the “wave” of peace may reach the “shore,” it is jerked back into the sea of disharmony.
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A Want for Reformation Must Be Present
For peace to be possible, there must be a galaxy-wide shared desire to bring it to fruition. TheStar Warsuniverse is so infinitely diverse that to see even the slightest sliver of galactic peace, all sectors of every planet must be satisfied. Religious affiliations and societal customs across a variety of intensely unique backgrounds must find themselves in harmony for peace to fully manifest. Galaxy-wide reconciliation would require the dismissal of all rivalries and forms of hatred. The concept of releasing grievances in exchange for benefiting humanity was not a possibility for those who did not feel a natural need to do so. Those who are laden with greed and self-interest must set aside their desires and want to view change in the galaxy.
Star Warsknows that there is the possibility of redeeming the fates of even its most unforgivable villains, and yet chooses to plunge itself into the uncharted waters of moral discord. The Sith had no desire to sacrifice their power for peace. Their insatiable lust for power is an immediate threat to self-reformation. While the Jedi press on with their own crusade for peace, they were too blinded by defeating the Sith in order to consider that changing their ways could benefit the greater good of the galaxy. They had a want for self-reformation from their own point of view. Peace across the galaxy must apply toallthe galaxy, not just major allegiances that will benefit from peace being sought out for themselves.
