How do you interpret the prophecy of the chosen one

I think George Lucas intended the "chosen one" to be an individual (Anakin), and restoring the balance of the force meant destroying the Sith. However, with the decision to make the ST, I suspect the "chosen one" has been retconned to mean a family (Skywalker family), and restoring the balance of the force now involves more than just destroying the Sith.

 

I just read this, my bad if that doesn't count.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Chosen_One/Legends

 

A being would be born of the Force that would end the dark times and restore balance to the Force.

That means Anakin was prophesied to destroy those who were spreading evil, being The Sith.

My thoughts are that he achieved this. That was Lucas' intention and to change that diminished Vader's story. The Force has just gone out of balance again.

However, there is certainly a possibility that Disney have changed this and left the Force out of balance because of an unresolved threat.

 

I think it was mentioned in a Star Wars: The Clone Wars featurette that the dark side of the force is like a cancer, and the light side is like the host's antibodies. Dark-side users impose their will onto the force, forcing it to do their bidding. The Jedi listen to, and strive to obey the will of the force via the midi-chlorians, carrying out its instructions. It is the dark side's unnatural nature that the force fights back against, corrupting the wielder's body despite giving them more power. Ironically, the very power they turn to in an effort to extend their life, instead strips them of it.

Over the years the Sith had become too powerful for the Jedi, and the light alone to defeat. In response, the force birthed a being of extraordinary talent, one who would have the means to get close to the Sith, and end both them and their religion. By eliminating the dark-side force wielders who had 'corrupted' the force, balance was restored to the galaxy. Essentially, balance was restored as the force's neutrality had returned to the galaxy, with the Jedi as their guide once more.

I also believe that the living force reflects the current conditions of the galaxy, as all living beings generate the force. More oppression, negativeness = more dark-side energy, more happiness, positiveness = more light-side energy. That is why the Jedi were weakened during the Clone Wars. Not just because of the Sith temple under the Jedi temple, or Sheev Palpatine's uncanny connection to the dark-side, but the state of the galaxy he engineered fed his power. That is why the Jedi were more powerful during TPM and ROTJ, as there was more hope in the galaxy.

That was my interpretation.

Now, in Star Wars: Aftermath, a possible source of the dark-side is mentioned. Considering that Lucas' unused ST ideas inspired some of the post-ROTJ stories, perhaps there is a source of the dark-side, and true balance can only be restored by destroying, or concealing\ trapping it somewhere. Colin Trevorrow said that Rey will have a galaxy wide effect on the universe; call me bonkers, but this could be it!

Plenty of other force-sects and alien enemies have been established that can take the place of the dark-side

 

Great post, agree entirely - apart from the last bit. I just can't get my head around the source of the Dark Side nonsense. The Dark Side is the greed, anger etc within us all and then this in turn creates the bad energy that is one side of the Force. If we're now saying that there is a physical source to this, well it's a massive difference to what Lucas laid out. It suggests a "Devil" type of power whereby personal responsibility for crimes is somewhat diminished - the Devil made me do it!

For me, the Dark Side will always be the negative emotions and feelings within us all that we must control to be good people. And if we don't control them then we do bad things that creates bad energy.

 

That's what I'm nervous about. If there is a source of the dark side, how much of a 'true source' is it? Is it like an individual energy field that only those with negative emotions can tap into, or is it more like an external 'force' that influences the force?

 

For me, if they do bring in this element from Aftermath I HOPE it is either one of two things:

1. The energy of another Dark Side user Snoke. And my hope is that it is Plagueis. It's just so powerful that Sidious can feel it and mistakes it for the source of his own power - he doesn't believe another evil being as powerful, if not more, as him could exist maybe.
2. It's a planet where something truly evil has occurred and imbued the environment with the bad energy of the dark side - much like the cave on Dagobah (which I hope is referred to in some way in the ST). This point could in fact tie in with the first point as the planets dark side energy could be what keeps Snoke/Plagueis alive.

 

The source of the dark-side may also refer to an ancient dark-side planet (not Moraband), that the dark-side teachings originated on. The ST is already covering some of the Jedi origins, so I wouldn't be surprised if they cover some Sith/ dark-side history as well.

 

I think the fact that the movies were ambiguous and hardly explicit on the matter, means they can take it either way. There is no absolute verification that Anakin brought balance in the force or that he is in fact the chosen one. At least no absolute verification on screen.

I still think this scene from ESB will be quintessential because it cannot directly refer to leia anymore. If leia would be the other hope, then why does she consider Luke to be the last hope in the Force Awakens:

Obi Wan: "That boy is our last hope"
Yoda: "No there is another"

There is a reason why the force is speaking through Obi Wan and Yoda in Rey's vision and why lines from the empire strikes back are reiterated. "You already know the truth.."
Abrams, Arndt, Kasdan and Johnson have already changed the game.

 

Anakin was the chosen one. As shown in the Mortis story of Clone Wars, he turned it down.

 

So your emphasis is on was. I cannot remember the exact plot of that episode. He turned it down? So that means he is canonically speaking not the chosen one?

--- Double Post Merged, Feb 1, 2016, Original Post Date: Feb 1, 2016 ---

In Empire Strikes Back Lucas hadn't decided who exactly the "other" was and whether or not Luke had a sister. When he wrote ROTJ together with Kasdan they decided for another big reveal in the style of Empire Strikes Back by making Yoda say "there is another skywalker" and then Luke figuring out that it is Leia.
What I'm getting at is that they can work around the whole chosen one theme and last hope theme and that there are enough narrative lacunae to insert Rey as "the other" and true "chosen one".

 

The chosen one brings balance between both sides. If the chosen one destroys the dark side entirely, then there is no balance. The Yin and Yang principle is a perfect example. The different sides are complement to each other. It's a balance between light and dark. That's why I don't think Anakin is the chosen one because he destroyed the last sith lord.

I want the chosen to bring balance to both sides. Rey has been able to tap into both sides. And Ben too!

I don't understand why Rey would need to be a Skywalker to be the Chosen One. The movie is called The Force Awakens because the Force awakened in Rey! The Force chose her. Yoda sensed it when Luke left to save Han and Leia. He said "there is another." He sensed that the Force will become silent and then awaken in someone else. Surely she must have a connection with the Skywalkers but not a family tie.

This next movie will be about Rey realizing her destiny and pursuing it. She has to learn how to bring balance using the Force. And she is already strong with the Force.

 

Well I don't really understand why Rey would not be a skywalker, but you would agree with me that the way she is presented in the movie (the tropes, motifs, themes and even the music) all points at her being a Skywalker. Wouldn't it be strange if they would make the sudden decision that she's not? By the way, Luke also tapped into both sides of the force, the dark and the light, so does Ben Solo and Rey does it as well. Anakin did it too, but like Ben Solo, he did it very badly.

 

To turn down your faith is a bit funny, I agree. It is like Augustine saying man's fate in general is predetermined but man can turn it down whenever he wishes. Determining your own predetermination is a contradictio in terminis.

Well I believe that was one of the episodes George Lucas was involved with. I always thought those 'force personified' episodes were a bit strange. It reminded me of university doctors tripping on LSD in the 60s. But perhaps @Darth Lexor Kai can explain what he means with: