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Family Dynamics / Childhood

Discussion in 'General Movie Discussion' started by Han Duet, Feb 5, 2015.

  1. Han Duet

    Han Duet Clone

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    There could be a thesis written on this topic (in fact, I'm willing to bet that someone probably has) but I've been pondering the fact we've yet to see a 'traditional' family relationship or a main character who's had what we might consider a typical upbringing. For example:

    • Padmé Amidala: Queen(!) at the age of 14 with no obvious signs of parental involvement. Responsibilities and power far, far beyond what is generally expected of a teenage girl. Married in secret at a young age to a young man who was not supposed to marry, being a member of an order that forbids such entanglements. Relationship with husband eventually disastrous (in the extreme). Either didn't live long enough to know her own children (PT) or knew her daughter for a time but died when she was very young (OT)
    • Anakin Skywalker: When we meet him in TPM, he has a single parent family (fairly standard), and is also a slave (significantly less so). Is a mechanic already and actively involved in the very dangerous sport of pod racing. Taken away from his mother by a man who becomes a father figure (briefly) before being murdered. He is then trained by someone who comes to be like a brother to him, almost kills him and then is killed by him (awkward). His mother is also murdered and, though he has relations remaining, they are plainly not close. Understandably desperate for love and stability, marries (against the code of the order he is now a member of) and is also manipulated by a man who 'takes him under his wing' only in order to serve his own ambitious dark purposes. Is plainly excited about the prospect of fatherhood, but such hopes are doomed from the start.
    • Darth Vader: On a subconscious level and despite all that led to 'Anakin' becoming 'Vader' (particularly the murder of the Jedi younglings), it seems that the desire to be a father never fully left him. It has to be noteworthy that the only father-son (or, indeed, father-child) relationship we have seen so far is between Vader and Luke (though Vader and Leia do interact, they are unaware of their relationship when they do). Though twisted, it could be argued that Vader's desire for his son to 'join him' comes from a lingering sense of paternal obligation. In the end it's this bond that brings Vader around and familial ties are quite literally responsible for saving the galaxy (which makes it a shame that there don't appear to be more of them!)
    • Luke Skywalker: Though of all the characters he had the most recognisable unbringing (indeed, one that was far too 'normal' to satisfy his wanderlust), he still did not know his parents. Raised by his aunt and uncle, it's noteworthy that he maintained his father's surname of 'Skywalker' rather than being raised as a 'Lars.' Luke's aunt and uncle are murdered (as seems to be the theme with these things and in very similar circumstances to those surrounding his grandmother's death on the same planet). In another echo of Anakin, the Jedi who becomes a mentor / father figure is then soon murdered by a Sith. Learns that his father is not a dead Jedi as he had thought he was, but instead a Sith Lord. Also learns that the woman he had clearly had some romantic feelings towards is actually his twin sister. All in all, not your usual family fare.
    • Leia Organa: Like her brother, she had a stable upbringing, but, again, not a typical one. Her adoptive parents being royal, she was raised as a crown princess and, like her mother before her, had a lot of political influence at a young age. She is still a young woman when we are first introduced to her, and soon we see her watch, helpless, as her home planet is destroyed (...by a man who, as it happens, is her biological father). She is then rescued by her hitherto unknown twin brother.
    • Han Solo: Though we learn nothing of his family during the course of the films, the extended universe reveals him to have been an orphan with a childhood which appears to have been tougher even than Anakin's (though a slave, Anakin was at least loved as a child). Certainly we see no evidence of actual family ties in the OT, though he is shown to be quick to form familial bonds (which he acknowledges with actions rather than words): several times he abandons plans of repaying debts and his general sense of self-preservation to come to Luke's rescue and he and Chewie are plainly family by bond.
    • The Jedi in general: Taken from their parents at a young age and trained by a single mentor before they reach a stage where they become a master themselves and the cycle repeats itself. The Jedi order are not permitted to marry or having children.
    With all this in mind, I'm extremely interested to see how things will pan out in TFA. If Han and Leia have children and have raised them, it will be the first example in the saga of a 'traditional' family unit- but even then I can't see things being that simple! And what of Luke? Has he decided to spurn the old Jedi way of things (which, let's face it, didn't go too well for them), in favour of continuing the 'force strong' Skywalker line?

    I'd be very interested to hear if anyone has any thoughts on this!
     
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