Darth Vader

This article is not intended to advocate violence; nor does it advocate pure non-violence.  We just found it amusing and pertinent. 

To change Darth Vader’s Heart,

We must first change our own

or Liberal Activist vs. the Empire

Words of wisdom from the Lost star wars script

Article by Derrick Jensen

I went to see Star Wars when I was in high school, which seems about the right time to see it.  I saw it again recently.  It’s not as good as I remember.  In fact, it’s pretty bad.  The characters are flat, the dialogue hokey, the acting nondescript.  But I still loved the ending, where Luke Skywalker remembers to “use the force” to blow up the death star (according to the official Star wars website):

was the code name of an unspeakably powerful and horrific weapon developed by the empire.  The immense space station carried a weapon capable of destroying entire planets.  The death Star was to be an instrument of terror, meant to cow treasonous worlds with the threat of annihilation.  While the massive station is evidence of the evil that was the Galactic Empire, it was also proof of the New Order’s greatest weakness—

the belief that technology and terror were superior to the will of oppressed beings fighting for freedom.

The website continues:

Using…stolen technical data, [rebel] alliance tacticians were able to pinpoint a crucial flaw in the Death Star’s design.  A small ray-shielded thermal exhaust port led directly from the surface of the station into the heart of it’s colossal reactor.  If the port could be breached by proton torpedoes, then the resulting chain reaction would destroy the station.

We all know what happened next: By using the Force, Luke was able to drop a proton torpedo right down the tiny port and blow up the Death Star.

You know, don’t you, that this wasn’t the movies original ending?  I have an extremely rare early draft of the Star Wars film script, never before published.  It may surprise you to learn that the early drafts were written by environmentalists.  In this version the rebels, of course, do not blow up the Death Star, but instead use other tactics to slow the intergalactic march of the Empire. For example: They set up programs to help people on planets about to be destroyed produce luxury items like hemp hackysacks and gourmet coffee for sale to the inhabitants of the Death Star. There are also plans afoot to encourage loads of stormtroopers and other citizens of the Death Star to take eco-tours of doomed planets.  The purpose? To show that these planets are economically important to the Empire and so should not be destroyed.

In a surprise move that will get viewers to the edge of their seats, other groups of rebels file lawsuits against the Empire, attempting to show that the Environmental Impact statement Darth Vader was required to file failed to adequately support its decision that blowing up planets would cause “no significant impact.”

Viewers will thrill to learn of plans to boycott items produced by corporations that have Darth Vader on the board of directors, and will leap to their feet in theaters worldwide when they see bags full of letters written directly to Mr. Vader himself asking that he please not blow up any more planets.  (scribbled in the margin is a note from one of the screenwriters: “for accuracy’s sake, when we show examples of these letters, it is imperative that all letters to Mr. Vader be respectful and courteous, and that they stress the need to find cooperative solutions to differences between the rebels and the Empire.  Under no circumstance should the letters be such that they would alienate or anger Mr. Vader.”

Now, you and I both know that all of this should be sufficient not only to bring the Empire to its knees, but also to make a damn fine and exiting movie.  The thing is: there’s more.  Thousands of renegade rebels, unhappy with what they perceive as toadying on the part of the mainstream rebels, decide, in a scene guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes of even the most cold-hearted theatergoers, to stand on the planets to be destroyed link arms (or, in some cases tentacles), and sing “give peace a chance.” They send DVD’s of this to Darth Vader and his boss, the Grand Moff Tarkin, to whom they also send wave after wave of lovingkindness. Some few rebels sneak aboard the Death Star and lock themselves down to various pieces of equipment. (early in this draft, the screenwriters include a long scene showing extensive training in nonviolent communication that is a prerequisite to joining the rebels.  Most writers had originally, by the way called it a rebel army, but several objected to the violence inherent in that word.  Next came “rebel force”, but nearly as many objected to that as well.  In any case, the nuanced scene of nonviolence training was dropped in later drafts and the infamous—and horribly violent—cantina scene was, incomprehensibly to some, put in it’s place.) Stirring debates are scripted as to whether or not rebels should voluntarily surrender on approach of the troopers. In a brilliant and brave touch of authenticity, the rebels were never able to come to consensus.

Once inside the Death Star, a splinter group breaks off from those about to lock themselves down. They burn a couple of transporters and use chemicals to etch “Galaxy Liberation Front” on the walls of the Death Star.  This group miraculously escapes back to the planet about to be destroyed, where they’re held by the peaceful protesters so they can be turned over to the troopers so as not to give Darth Vader the excuse he needs to blow up the planet.

Near the end of the movie another debate is held among the rebels.  As the Death Star looms directly overhead, some few rebels advocate picking up weapons to fight back.  These rebels are shouted down by the pacifist rebels, who argue that attacking those who run the Death Star is “jus another example of the Empires harmful philosophy coming in the back door.”  They state that the rebels who want to fight back are simply being co-opted by the need to control things. If we want to change Darth Vader’s heart, we must first change our own.  We must, above all else, have compassion for Darth Vader, and remember that he, too, was once a child.  Finally, Leia, Luke, Han, Chewbacca, and a couple of robots show up and tell the others they’ve found a way to blow up the whole Death Star.  The rest of the rebels—even those who’d previously been in favor of surgical strikes aimed at “removing” Darth Vader – are horrified.  They remind the unruly four that the Death Star has a crew of 265,675 plus 52,276 gunners, 607,360 troops, 25,984 stormtroopers, 42,782 ship support staff and 167,216 pilots and support crew. Each of these people on the Death Star has a family.  Do you want to make their children orphans?  The pacifists themselves begin to cry.  They say, voices firm behind sobs, “You cannot blow up the Death Star! What about the janitors? What about those who joined the empire’s armed services just so they could go to college? You – Leia, Han, Luke, and Chewbacca __ are heartless and cruel”

In the exciting final scene, a scuffle breaks out between Leia, Luke Han and Chewbacca on one side and the pacifists on the other.  At last the pacifists chase those four from the room – and from the film.  They are never seen again, which isn’t really important since they’re minor characters anyway.  The Death Star looms closer and closer.  Audience members chew their fingernails as they wait to see whether the letters and petitions and lawsuits will work their magic.  Viewers see lasers glow a hellish red. The camera switches to cover the endangered planet.  Suddenly a cheer will rise up from the audience as they see a small, bright speck emerge from the planets surface and speed into space. “YES!” they will roar, as they learn that all of the intrepid environmentalist protesters were able to get off the planet moments before it got blown up!

The final shot of the movie, revealing what a complete triumph this was for the rebels, will be a still showing an article on the lower left of page 43 of the New Empire Times devoting a full three sentences to the destruction of the planet.  The protesters got some press.

“HELL NO! Here’s to finding the reactor core- MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!”