Lew Crippen
Senior HTF Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2002
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- 12,060
Even though I don’t think that any valid comparison can be made between these movies, I started playing, so I guess I’ll continue for a bit.
A major difference between the Star Wars world and Middle Earth is that in Goerge Lucas’ vision, power is overcome by equally strong power. Those without power are not able to succeed over those who are powerful.
So while Luke is shown to be a humble farm boy with aspirations, he is in fact the heir to a long, glorious tradition—one which aspires to master a power of the universe and that mastery can only be done by those who can feel and use this universal power. Now of course the mastery requires training and such—but it is a given that those who use the force for evil can only be beaten by those who also use the force—the universe of Star Wars is one where (almost) unlimited power exists and is controlled and used to achieve ends—both for good and for bad.
In Middle Earth, no such power exists (at least as a native part of that world). The ultimate construct for power was an artifact (the one ring) and it did not exist until made. And it could be undone by the destruction of the ring.
The point in Tolkien’s mythology is that great power is not required to overcome great power. In fact it is shown that wielding great power in Middle Earth is to become consumed by it—and therefore it is only by not exercising power that the destruction of great power can be achieved.