SPECULATION The Connection Between Balance and the Whills.

For me it's just about the complexity in finding out how to do the right thing. It's not black and white. But only a true Jedi can find the answers...
"Without the Jedi, there can be no balance in the Force".

 

I think there is a definite homage to a new new story being told. And that the old sides of light and dark can no longer be there. There has to be some in between. Some balance in the Force.

 

First off, for anyone wondering what the Aurabesh here says...



...it says A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Perhaps it's the fact that this - from research - isn't an official Star Wars product, but this thing is riddled with flawed Aurabesh: I only translated the first three words, but a (aurek), g (grek), m (mern), and e (esk) are all mirrored, so I'm not quite sure what's going on there.

I had originally thought that this book could indeed be the Journal of the Whills, and this image seemed to further that belief, yet, as I stated before: this is not an image of an official Star Wars product. Upon further questioning and observation, though, it's become apparent to me that there are far too many similarities between this image and the book cover shown in the trailer to ignore (such as the use of red ink, aged paper, the use of the Jedi insignia in roughly the same position, and the double red lines bordering the cover, for starters).

I'll be posting an image captured from the trailer that I've enhanced and sharpened myself to give us a clearer look at just what it is we're looking at here (hold fire), and have further speculated myself on this book cover, it's state and its meaning since we first saw it last Friday.

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 20, 2017, Original Post Date: Apr 20, 2017 ---

So, a few things I wanted to point out about this:
• the edges of what is the bottom of the book are burned, most likely meaning it was standing on a shelf during a fire (and the bottom of the book caught fire); I believe this book was retrieved by Luke* from the burning temple that we see in the trailer, along with the other books shown.


(Note too the grass and, to the right, what seems to be a building or structure not destroyed by fire, but by sheer force)

• the print on the front is, seemingly, handwritten, and, upon closer inspection, not written in Aurabesh, but a different language form entirely, and, considering the curved nature of this form when compared with Aurabesh (which is very angular), I think that this form is either coded...or an ancient form of language. Personally, I lean towards the latter, judging from this being written on a paper-like material and being bound together by ties. Another thing to note is the multitude of rings surrounding the Jedi insignia, and the first ring in from the language form seems to be a ring of eyes: perhaps symbolising the search for truth or knowledge, or perhaps, with this book in hand, even the attainment of the aforementioned. The fact even the language form is a ring surrounding the other rings perhaps signifies the importance of the insignia the rings surround, reminiscent of a circumpunct (a dot within a circle). The language form seems somewhat reminiscent of Legends Sith language form;


I also think it looks somewhat reminiscent of the language form included in McQuarrie's original art for the Temple on Yavin 4;


• what I find most intriguing is the colour scheme. Sure, it's possible that this cover has faded significantly, but blue, red and gold doesn't seem entirely random: blue is a lighter colour often associated, through lightsaber/Kyber Crystal colour, with the Light, whereas red, for similar reasons, is often associated with the Dark; does the gold, then, symbolise the Balance referred to by Rey in the trailer?

Other things of note to do with the trailer and this book include the interior surrounding the books on a shelf (one of which also seems to have a binding enscribed with ancient text) being reminiscent of the roots of a tree, similar to the interior at the end of the trailer where we see Luke's silhouette (you can also see Rey's staff in the latter):



*the reason I believe this to be Luke reading through the book in the trailer, and not Rey, is the inclusion of this brown leather glove (likely to be covering his robotic right hand):


I've suggested this before, but I'll do so again now: Luke has probably been searching out the first temple, and judging from the ancient form of language enscribed on the cover of this book (written, most likely, by the Whills or ancient Jedi), for more information on the ancient Jedi (or perhaps even the Whills), and possibly even to study the Prophecy of the Chosen One introduced to us in the prequels.

 

Well one of the versions of Lucas' drafts had the story told from the Journal of the Whills.

In Rogue One showed the Guardians of the Whills.

There were Shaman of the Whills in the clone wars mentioned.

Taken together my thought is that the Whills interest is in knowledge they are lore keepers and the guardians protect the secrets.

I think that its the Jedi that are required for balance.

 

At first I thought the book cover Jedi artist forgot to use archaic ink lol, but it could be that the gold has been frizzled by heat, and I guess it would turn to blue.

I'm not so sure on the prophecy. After all, it was only Jedi Seers that fortold them, and I believe there were many. The Chosen One prophecy has two meanings/possibilities. Maybe in this book there is more ancient prophecies that could've been lost to the Jedi Order.

"You refer to the prophecy of The Chosen One?"
"A prophecy…that misread could have been."

Either way I hope the book think has the proper answers. I'm so into this wherever it goes.

 

All I can think is how excited the person in the props dept was when they were asked, "Could you make an ancient Jedi codex?"

 

@Joe12Hawk
Great comparison to that Sith language.

When I first saw it in the trailer, it reminded me of the scribblings of a Naboo fighter's cockpit:



I do like your comparison more, as it ties into existing (whether it's canon or not) lore.

 

Color schemes in Star Wars have always been fascinating... but with respect to your blue = light, red = dark, and gold = balance, what do you make of this:

Spoiler

Snoke is said to be clothed in very rich gold robes with red accents...



Does he somehow represent a vision of balance?

I doubt it, but we all know colors have important symbolism in the Star Wars universe.

 

Let's not forget this entry from the Journal of the Whills, either, introduced to us in Empire's End:

The truth in our soul
Is that nothing is true.
The question of life
Is what then do we do?
The burden is ours
To penance, we hew.
The Force binds us all
From a certain point of view.

I think what's most interesting from the book is not the inclusion of this particular verse, but rather the fact that the Journal is common enough to be read by an esteemed - but not, I assume, head - member of the Church of the Force via video, yet is rare enough - or, perhaps, considered too important - to not be taken by the pilgrims depicted in this particular interlude.