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Symbolism in The Force Awakens

Discussion in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' started by Bluemilk, Dec 23, 2015.

  1. Bluemilk

    Bluemilk I AM the Senate

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    I was thinking about all the symbolism in this movie and some is on the nose and some isn't, but think about the first time we meet Rey, Finn and Kylo.

    Rey is a play on a Ray of light, but she is in the deepest part of a Star Destroyer in darkness the new in the old ways of the past. The Empire. She is wearing the only light in a darkened world of the ship and she is wearing a mask. To me the mask represented no identity. When she comes out and spend some time with her and get to know her she wears a helmet. Until the moment she meets BB-8 and begins her journey to finding her true self. Light is everywhere she goes.

    Finn also wore a mask and has no identity really until the moment he gets back from the village and Captain Phasma catches him taking off his helmet and that is when he was drawn to the light and begins transforming. He is like a guide and the courage that leads Rey.

    Kylo wears a mask. Not to hide his identity but it represents the dark side and light. When he has it on he is intimidating, threatening and menacing, but when he takes it off he is conflicted and innocent and is just Ben Solo, not who he wants to be but the light calls him and he wants to silence it forever.

    I'll write more later but thought I'd give everyone else a chance to give your thoughts on what kinds of symbolism you have seen.
     
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  2. Force238

    Force238 Rebel General

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    The sunlight disappeared just before Kylo killed Han.
    The superweapon got its power by draining the light from the sun.
    Both Rey and Kylo handed light sabres to "father" figures, but Rey was sincere in her act.
    Chewie feeling cold before they got into the Starkiller base.
    Rey "inheriting" the MF and Chewie after Han's death, and Rey arriving at the Resistance base to hug Leia instead of Leia's hoped-for scenario of Ben coming back. Symbollically Rey had taken Ben's place as Han and Leia's child.
     
    #2 Force238, Dec 24, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2015
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  3. ParzivalKatarn

    ParzivalKatarn Rebelscum

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    Rey's vision appears just in the moment Finn is leaving. The child Rey is calling for not being left all alone again...
    I agree that probably Rey is a play for "ray" (of light), also Rey translation is "king" in spanish (a clue about his father?)
    In the final scene (the steps scene) there is a lonely flower before she meets Luke (representing Rey's awakening and the "last hope"?)
     
    #3 ParzivalKatarn, Dec 24, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2015
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  4. TK-144

    TK-144 Clone

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    The only symbolism that I saw was that movie franchising has completely taken over as the main goal of entertainment rather than quality story development
     
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  5. Grand Master Galen Marek

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  6. TheWusster

    TheWusster Rebel Commander

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    Theme of desert vs. water planet.

    Rey lives on a desert wasteland, where water is a scarce commodity.
    In the beginning of the film she bangs her cantine to get the final drops of water out.
    She dreams of an ocean with an island.
    and at the end of the movie she arrives at her destiny, where luke waits on a planet made almost entirely of water.
     
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  7. FeniX-Minerva

    FeniX-Minerva Rebelscum

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    Too bad it's salt water. :p
     
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  8. harvywallbanger

    harvywallbanger Rebelscum

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    Right before Kylo kills Han the light is blotted out by a darkness. So much that Rey and Fin turn to look at it. Then he kills him. Has this been discussed before?
     
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  9. ArynCrinn

    ArynCrinn 1030th Lieutenant (Jr Mod)

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    Anything about it in particular? Other than the clear symbolism?
     
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  10. TheWusster

    TheWusster Rebel Commander

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    It was brought up in a couple other threads.
    "Symbolism in the force awakens" thread, and can't recall the other...

    But, it is certainly a very compelling parallel.
     
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  11. harvywallbanger

    harvywallbanger Rebelscum

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    Yes Kylo hands han his saber. At that time all the light is blotted out by a cloud of darkness. Rey and Fin look away from Han and Kylo to watch it. When they turn back around, Kylo kills him.
     
  12. ArynCrinn

    ArynCrinn 1030th Lieutenant (Jr Mod)

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    It's not a cloud of Darkness... it's the Starkiller completely swallowing the sun.
    They knew that as long as there was still light, they couldn't fire the weapon.
     
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  13. harvywallbanger

    harvywallbanger Rebelscum

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    Is this the first time we seen the force work for the bad guy? Its almost like it was the darkness that made up Kylos mind. That's how I seen it after watching.
    --- Double Post Merged, Jan 4, 2016, Original Post Date: Jan 4, 2016 ---

    Yeah I heard that I forgot what it pertained to. It was the starkiller base that caused the darkness not the force? Now I don't like it. I wanted the scene to have the force call to Kylo in a dark way.

    It was starkiller base causing the blackout is that confirmed?
     
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  14. Bosc

    Bosc Force Attuned

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    It's the Starkiller base sucking the power from the sun that's causing the literal blackness. It's a very good juxtaposition between the physical and moral darkness that's happening there. Much more powerful than some kind of Force darkness, imo.
     
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  15. harvywallbanger

    harvywallbanger Rebelscum

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    So it was just an effect to bring us in to the emotional feelings of Kylo.

    juxtaposition - I never heard that word before. I had to look it up.
     
  16. Bosc

    Bosc Force Attuned

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    In all honesty, I'm probably using the word wrong. I think of it as an intersection or a crossing. Really it means that opposite things are happening. But yeah... you've got literal light and metaphorical light and, at least for that moment, they are mirroring each other.
     
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  17. harvywallbanger

    harvywallbanger Rebelscum

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    Well whatever it was did it have an impact on Kylos decision? I guess that is my main question. Was he going to kill him or was it the darkness that blotted out the light that made him decide?
     
  18. Bosc

    Bosc Force Attuned

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    Oh, it didn't impact him. I'm sure of that. It was symbolism. The darkness showed us what Kylo was feeling, while at the same time forwarding the plot that Starkiller was that much closer to being armed and ready to fire. I think it was quite effective.
     
  19. Zven

    Zven Rebel Trooper

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    I noticed it the first time I saw it and it was absolutely amazing, it was probably one of the first things I talked about after leaving the theater, loved the light and colors during that scene. As deep and powerful as the scene is, it made even better.

    To me it was representing the Dark Side, and what a moment. Breathtaking.
     
  20. AstromechRecords

    AstromechRecords Jedi General

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    The opposite juxtaposition was when the resistance wins and Starkiller is turned into a literal Star .
     
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