I’m listening to blank check, and while they mention that 1) there’s a prophecy about bringing balance to the force which dovetails neatly into the answer of their main question 2) what is the phantom menace about?
- what I’m used to hearing about the prophecy from the movies is that everyone assumes somebody will help the light side beat the dark side, But I always assumed the actual interpretation of bringing balance to the force was equalizing the power dynamic between the light side and the dark side, even though I don’t think I ever heard that mentioned.
You have a Jedi council, in a position of power, ostensibly with the most powerful Jedi around, who are depicted as sitting around and endlessly debating about things until decisions made outside of the council that take matters out of their hands. The force is not in balance because the light side is so much more powerful than the dark side (there are countless light side Jedis and it seems like far fewer dark side sith) that they just sit around squabbling all day, and when Anakin turns to the dark side, He balances the force by killing the next generation of Jedis and leading the revolt that leads to so many Jedi deaths, which actually does bring balance to the force, if the force is composed of the light side in the dark side.
- this dovetails into the main question of the first dozen episodes of blank check, where they’re trying to answer what the phanto menace is about. They take it for granted that palpatine is the phantom menace, which never fit into place as I understood a phantom menace.
I feel like the answer they stumbled onto and dismissed the conclusion that the phantom menace is about the inefficacy and danger of stagnant yet intact power structures. Tgat the naboo Royal structure and galactic Senate and Jedi council are all stagnant seats of power that cannot solve problems or progress because they have become figureheads stuck in endless debate.
The “phantom menace” is the breaking down of the potency of democratic republics and their subsequent vulnerability because of their complacency after establishing dominance.
That just makes a lot more sense as a phantom menace to me then a physical guy plotting in the background.
Any thoughts?
The “phantom menace” is literal, its literally referring to the Sith. After the new Sith Wars in about 2000-1000BBY under the Sith lord Darth Bane the order was reduced to two members by Banes own hand. The order was then hidden from the Jedi who thought they had defeated their enemy forever. After a thousand years of the mantle changing hands we end up at Palpatine who is considered the peak strength of the Sith order but is totally undetected as the mysterious Sith lord even though he regularly spoke with and was around the highest of the Jedi masters
I really believe in using Occam’s razor for all things Star Wars. Lucas was a giant mess. He made shit up on the fly and would leap at any chance to retcon himself.
The phantom menace is as simple as you say. I also believe that “the prophecy” was another bullshit trope he stole. It’s vague bc he had no idea what to do with it. Convenient that fans would end up arguing about it for decades.
I’m reading through the Path of Destruction trilogy now, and I love how it sets up all these little things for the prequels.
If you haven’t you have to read Darth Plagueis, by far the best star wars book I’ve read so far
Thanks, so there is a literal label of “phantom menace” somewhere in the canon?
Or it’s assumed because of the hidden nature of the sith that they are a phantasmal menace lurking behind the Jedi for a long time?
Since you seem familiar with the lore, all jedI assumed that the sith were completely gone? That there were no sith left in the galaxy, as a result of this maneuver by bane?
What do you think about my interpretation is bringing balance to the force, that Anakin did bring balance to the force by killing the stagnant Jedi system?
And again, since you know the Lord, is there any common theory that that’s what the prophecy was referring to?
I think you’re trying to read a bit too much into the phrase “phantom menace” its really just a poetic description of a hidden enemy referring to the Sith.
As for what the Jedi thought happened, its described in the Darth Bane trilogy of books in detail. In brief after Darth Bane destroyed the entire Sith order in one move he made it seem as if the last survivor was killed by a group of Jedi while he and his apprentice disappeared. The Jedi had no evidence the Sith survived but rumors persisted over the years that’s how Yoda and Mace Windu knew of the Sith Rule of Two established by Bane.
And yes Anakin did bring balance to the force but not just because he brought down the Jedi Order. He was also redeemed by his son and destroyed Sidious and therefore the Sith order. Both groups had drifted so far away from what their power came from that neither could remain intact if the force’s will was followed