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Few franchises have been as successful as Star Wars with a global reach and story that has been going on for about 50 years. The movie franchise has incredible characters, emotional scenes, and fascinating ethical dilemmas.
The best movie franchises are more than action flicks, as the best stories teach us a lot of life lessons. And Star Wars has a bunch of lessons for us. Even though the events take place a long time ago in a universe with Jedi, troopers, and various creatures, there are a few key takeaways that got the fans thinking.
In short, Star Wars has taught us fans about the importance of friendship, family, and fear as a motivator. Today we bring you the best life lessons taught by the Star Wars franchise. If you want to revisit all the incredible saber fights and duels, make sure to watch Star Wars movies in correct order, as it might be confusing for some audiences.
Lesson 1: It is never too late to right your wrongs!
In Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader has to make a choice: he can either choose power and show his loyalty to the dark side or save his son Luke from destruction.
From the moment Darth Vader joins the dark side, he has committed heinous acts against the rebels. However, at the end of the film, Vader sees the Emperor inflicting suffering on his son. Despite representing pure evil and incapable of doing a good deed, Darth Vader chooses to save his son.
He kills The Emperor and saves his son, suffering fatal injuries during the skirmish. It teaches us that even if you think it is too late and you are far too gone, there is still hope. We may not be able to make all our wrongs right at the same time, but take baby steps, and one day you will find yourself back into the light.
Lesson 2: Fear is an extreme motivator
Another great life lesson taught by Star Wars is that fear is an intense motivator. For example, before Vader turned to the dark side, he was a young Jedi Knight known as Anakin Skywalker. Anakin held high morals and was known in the galaxy as the protector of people.
That was until fear led him to the dark side. He feared losing Padme, the love of his life, as he had dreamt of her painful death countless times. Anakin allowed fear to lead him into paranoia, and he could no longer make rational decisions in life. He would get influenced by anyone who promised to alleviate his fear. So, when Palpatine asks Anakin to join forces in return for saving Padme, he agrees. However, they still fail to save Padme.
It teaches us that we cannot let fear run our lives. Fear of failure, losing everything is part of life. Those who live in fear never achieve anything as they isolate themselves from opportunities and have no motivation left to explore and try new things.
Worst of all, fear leads to bad decisions that prove fatal. So, don’t lead with fear. Instead, be curious and hopeful.
Lesson 3: Everyone has a good and a bad side
Star Wars franchises show us that it’s never black and white when it comes to people, as everyone has a good and a bad side. Throughout the movie franchise, we see good characters tempted by evil and vice versa.
Even heroic Luke Skywalker was tempted by The Emperor’s offer to join the dark side towards the end of Return of the Jedi. Before going to battle, The Emperor tries his best to convince Luke into joining the dark side. We can see on Luke’s face the temptation for a flickering moment, but he snaps out of the promises and temptation and declines the offer.
So, it shows us that everyone has a good and a bad side to them. Life is all about choosing between good and bad. There are good things like love, family, happiness, courage, and more. Then there are bad attributes like greed, jealousy, anger, and fear. You cannot label people as good or bad. There is a constant battle between the good and the bad. It’s up to us what we choose.
Lesson 4: Don’t lie to yourself. You know what is right.
Another important lesson taught by the Star Wars franchise is that we always know that is the right thing to do. Listen to your heart and stop making excuses. In Star Wars Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Yoda says to Luke that you have learned everything there is, and now you know what you need.
It shows that when it comes to making divisions, don’t lie to yourself as deep down you know what is right and wrong. Even if the road ahead is difficult, you must listen to your heart and make the right decision.
There you have it. These are the four significant life lessons taught by the Star Wars movie franchise. It’s safe to say that the franchise has helped people shape who they are today. Let us know what you have learned from Star Wars.
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