Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed
Encyclopedia
Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed (TLR) is a TV documentary
which premiered on The History Channel
in May of 2007. It was produced by Prometheus Entertainment
in association with The History Channel and Lucasfilm Ltd. The executive producer and director was Emmy Award
-winning filmmaker Kevin Burns
.
The special focuses on how Star Wars
is relevant today and the history that inspired it, and also makes various connections to Greek mythology
. It consists of a number of interviews with well-known politicians, journalists, and critics, along with historical content and clips from all six of the Star Wars movies.
model of the hero's journey
as discussed in the book The Hero With a Thousand Faces
.
In Star Wars, two characters embark on the hero's journey, Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke
. Luke starts out as a nobody much like Dorothy
, Harry Potter
, and King Arthur
, and what he needs is a call to adventure. Luke would reject the call as did Moses
, but after the violent murder of his aunt and uncle he resolved to go. The Cantina scene is what Joseph Campbell referred to as the threshold crossing, meaning that you're no longer at home and your journey will be a dangerous one.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
, Yoda
and Qui-Gon Jin represents the importance of the hero's need for a mentor
. They discuss the etymology
of the word mentor, coming from the name of Mentor
, who watched over Odysseus
's son Telemachus
. It says that a key element to the mentor is that they give the hero a gift. In Luke Skywalker's case, it is Obi-Wan giving him a lightsaber
. The hero gives his life to stop evil. The importance of the Force is another topic, saying that any religious background
can associate, and it is basically believing in something higher, and that everything has a purpose. The mentor cannot stay forever, and it is crucial that they do not stay to help. Yet, the mentor is still within. This is shown by Obi-Wan's downfall in the hands of Darth Vader
, but Obi-Wan is still there inside of Luke.
The hero relies on the friendship of others. The show includes comparing Jabba the Hutt
to a dragon
, where he steals the damsel in distress
. The planet of Naboo
is spoken of in reference of Nabu
, the Queen of Wisdom in Babylon. Padmé Amidala
, who is from Naboo , is also said to be "the Queen of Wisdom". Luke and Leia are said to be like Apollo
and Artemis
.
Another large portion of the special was focused on Han Solo
. Han Solo's name represents him, Solo meaning "one". He is looked at like a western outlaw because he personifies independence, self-reliance
, and depends on no one but himself. In some parts of the Star Wars saga, it might seem like a Wild West town, where no one cares what happens as long as it is cleaned up. Tom Brokaw
describes the series as a "Western in the future".
There is one part that discusses the need for companions and faithful followers. The comic relief
of Star Wars is R2-D2
and C-3PO
. The two robots are compared to Abbott and Costello
and Laurel and Hardy
. Jar Jar Binks
, the childlike innocent, grows up throughout the films and gains responsibility, allowing for children to connect to him.
The journey of a hero is also of large importance. The hero must undergo tests that will make him stronger, sometimes having to face their worst fears or confront their nightmares. The extent to which Lucas used ideas from mythologist Joseph Campbell
is discussed by Jonathan Young
of the Campbell Archives.
For every hero, it says, there must be a villain
. Darth Vader is portrayed as the ruthless enforcer. Confronting the villain is a critical part of the hero's journey. The show says that there is a dramatic regard and excitement to choosing evil over good. When Palpatine
tempts Anakin with power, it is like the serpent tempting Eve
with the apple. When Anakin succumbs to the Dark Side, it is like the man who sells his soul to the devil. This is also compared to John Milton
's Paradise Lost
, where Lucifer
, a good Angel
, wages war on Heaven and is cast out, forcing him to his own place in Hell
. The battle on Mustafar
symbolises an apocalyptic
atmosphere and mirrors Anakin internally. When he has no humanity left and becomes the mechanical monster of Darth Vader, it is said to be like Frankenstein's Monster
.
Star Wars also reflects a cycle in our own history, the fall of the Republic and the rise of Dictator
s and corruption in government
. Palpatine seizes power gradually, and is compared to Adolf Hitler
and Saddam Hussein
. The Republic is shown as the Roman Empire
, such as pod races being similar to chariot races
. Citizens indulge in rituals of sacrifice and slaughter as well as gladiatorial combat. Palpatine's story reflects that of Napoleon. Another big part states that society is in a continual process of construction and self-destruction.
The Legacy Revealed shows many connections between the Nazis and the Empire
. Examples shown are that Vader's own troops, Stormtroopers, share the same name with Hitler's. The black, white, and red used in many scenes with the Empire are the same colors of the swastika
, and that Darth Vader's helmet is similar to that of the German Army's
. The Republic also embraced diversity
, while the Empire did not. There are no women in the Empire, showing that there is no purity or life.
According to the show, the Rebels win in the end because of their trust in something else, in themselves, rather than technology. This is illustrated when Luke turns off his targeting computer during the attack on the Death Star
and uses the force to guide him. In the end, there is a Christian-like redemptive moment, where Luke overturns the Dark Side and brings salvation to his father. Once Vader dies, Luke burns his body on a pyre
, like in The Iliad
where Priam
burns Hector
's body.
The last scenes of the show feature a few politicians such as Nancy Pelosi
. They talk of people that join together for a common goal and power always belongs to the people. Star Wars is then said that even though there are strong mythological influences in it, it becomes a mythology all its own.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
which premiered on The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
in May of 2007. It was produced by Prometheus Entertainment
Prometheus Entertainment
Prometheus Entertainment is an American production company, created by Kevin Burns in 1999, specializing in documentary, reality, and non-fiction television programming and specials.-Series:* Ancient Aliens, 2010* Bridget's Sexiest Beaches...
in association with The History Channel and Lucasfilm Ltd. The executive producer and director was Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning filmmaker Kevin Burns
Kevin Burns
Kevin Burns is an American television and film producer, director, and screenwriter. His work can be seen on A&E, National Geographic Channel, E!, Animal Planet, AMC, Bravo, Travel Channel, Lifetime, and The History Channel.-Early life:...
.
The special focuses on how Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
is relevant today and the history that inspired it, and also makes various connections to Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
. It consists of a number of interviews with well-known politicians, journalists, and critics, along with historical content and clips from all six of the Star Wars movies.
Synopsis
The first main subject of the special discusses the origins of films as they were written in the early 1970s, during a time of political upheaval and social unrest. When Star Wars was released it reaffirmed the notion that there is such a thing as good versus evil and evil must be defeated. The films made use of Joseph Campbell'sJoseph Campbell
Joseph John Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work is vast, covering many aspects of the human experience...
model of the hero's journey
Monomyth
Joseph Campbell's term monomyth, also referred to as the hero's journey, is a basic pattern that its proponents argue is found in many narratives from around the world. This widely distributed pattern was described by Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces...
as discussed in the book The Hero With a Thousand Faces
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
The Hero with a Thousand Faces is a non-fiction book, and seminal work of comparative mythology by Joseph Campbell...
.
In Star Wars, two characters embark on the hero's journey, Anakin Skywalker and his son Luke
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
. Luke starts out as a nobody much like Dorothy
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...
, Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
, and King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
, and what he needs is a call to adventure. Luke would reject the call as did Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
, but after the violent murder of his aunt and uncle he resolved to go. The Cantina scene is what Joseph Campbell referred to as the threshold crossing, meaning that you're no longer at home and your journey will be a dangerous one.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
, Yoda
Yoda
Yoda is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, appearing in the second and third original films, as well as all three prequel trilogy films. A renowned Jedi master, Yoda made his first on-screen appearance in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back where he is responsible for...
and Qui-Gon Jin represents the importance of the hero's need for a mentor
Mentorship
Mentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
. They discuss the etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
of the word mentor, coming from the name of Mentor
Mentor
In Greek mythology, Mentor was the son of Alcimus or Anchialus. In his old age Mentor was a friend of Odysseus who placed Mentor and Odysseus' foster-brother Eumaeus in charge of his son Telemachus, and of Odysseus' palace, when Odysseus left for the Trojan War.When Athena visited Telemachus she...
, who watched over Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
's son Telemachus
Telemachus
Telemachus is a figure in Greek mythology, the son of Odysseus and Penelope, and a central character in Homer's Odyssey. The first four books in particular focus on Telemachus' journeys in search of news about his father, who has been away at war...
. It says that a key element to the mentor is that they give the hero a gift. In Luke Skywalker's case, it is Obi-Wan giving him a lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
. The hero gives his life to stop evil. The importance of the Force is another topic, saying that any religious background
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
can associate, and it is basically believing in something higher, and that everything has a purpose. The mentor cannot stay forever, and it is crucial that they do not stay to help. Yet, the mentor is still within. This is shown by Obi-Wan's downfall in the hands of Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
, but Obi-Wan is still there inside of Luke.
The hero relies on the friendship of others. The show includes comparing Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt is a fictional character in George Lucas's space opera film saga Star Wars. Designed as a large, slug-like alien, his appearance has been described by film critic Roger Ebert as "Dickensian," a cross between a toad and the Cheshire Cat....
to a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
, where he steals the damsel in distress
Damsel in distress
The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
. The planet of Naboo
Naboo
Naboo is a fictitious planet in the fictional Star Wars universe with a mostly green terrain and which is the homeworld of two societies: the Gungans who dwell in underwater cities and the humans who live in colonies on the surface...
is spoken of in reference of Nabu
Nabu
Nabu is the Assyrian and Babylonian god of wisdom and writing, worshipped by Babylonians as the son of Marduk and his consort, Sarpanitum, and as the grandson of Ea. Nabu's consort was Tashmetum....
, the Queen of Wisdom in Babylon. Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala is a fictional character in the Star Wars science fiction franchise. She first appeared on film in the 1999 feature film, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as the young queen of the planet Naboo. In subsequent prequel trilogy films, Padmé represents Naboo in the Galactic Senate...
, who is from Naboo , is also said to be "the Queen of Wisdom". Luke and Leia are said to be like Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
and Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
.
Another large portion of the special was focused on Han Solo
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...
. Han Solo's name represents him, Solo meaning "one". He is looked at like a western outlaw because he personifies independence, self-reliance
Self-Reliance
Self-Reliance is an essay written by American Transcendentalist philosopher and essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson. It contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's repeating themes, the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow his or her own instincts...
, and depends on no one but himself. In some parts of the Star Wars saga, it might seem like a Wild West town, where no one cares what happens as long as it is cleaned up. Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
describes the series as a "Western in the future".
There is one part that discusses the need for companions and faithful followers. The comic relief
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
of Star Wars is R2-D2
R2-D2
R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga...
and C-3PO
C-3PO
C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
. The two robots are compared to Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
and Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
. Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character from the Star Wars Saga , and the television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His primary role was to provide comic relief, but many reacted negatively to his character...
, the childlike innocent, grows up throughout the films and gains responsibility, allowing for children to connect to him.
The journey of a hero is also of large importance. The hero must undergo tests that will make him stronger, sometimes having to face their worst fears or confront their nightmares. The extent to which Lucas used ideas from mythologist Joseph Campbell
Joseph Campbell
Joseph John Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work is vast, covering many aspects of the human experience...
is discussed by Jonathan Young
Jonathan Young
Jonathan Young is a psychologist who became the founding curator of the Joseph Campbell Archives.-Background:Young developed an interest in the teaching functions of stories through early exposure to folklore. He was one of six children in a much-traveled family...
of the Campbell Archives.
For every hero, it says, there must be a villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
. Darth Vader is portrayed as the ruthless enforcer. Confronting the villain is a critical part of the hero's journey. The show says that there is a dramatic regard and excitement to choosing evil over good. When Palpatine
Palpatine
Palpatine is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Star Wars saga, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid in the feature films.Palpatine first appeared as the unnamed Emperor of the Galactic Empire in the 1980 film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back...
tempts Anakin with power, it is like the serpent tempting Eve
Eve (Bible)
Eve was, according to the creation of Abrahamic religions, the first woman created by God...
with the apple. When Anakin succumbs to the Dark Side, it is like the man who sells his soul to the devil. This is also compared to John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
's Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse...
, where Lucifer
Lucifer
Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
, a good Angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
, wages war on Heaven and is cast out, forcing him to his own place in Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
. The battle on Mustafar
Mustafar
Mustafar is a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe. It is depicted in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.The planet is covered by hundreds of volcanic caldera, most of which are in a state of constant eruption...
symbolises an apocalyptic
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
atmosphere and mirrors Anakin internally. When he has no humanity left and becomes the mechanical monster of Darth Vader, it is said to be like Frankenstein's Monster
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
.
Star Wars also reflects a cycle in our own history, the fall of the Republic and the rise of Dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
s and corruption in government
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
. Palpatine seizes power gradually, and is compared to Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
. The Republic is shown as the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, such as pod races being similar to chariot races
Chariot racing
Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine sports. Chariot racing was often dangerous to both driver and horse as they frequently suffered serious injury and even death, but generated strong spectator enthusiasm...
. Citizens indulge in rituals of sacrifice and slaughter as well as gladiatorial combat. Palpatine's story reflects that of Napoleon. Another big part states that society is in a continual process of construction and self-destruction.
The Legacy Revealed shows many connections between the Nazis and the Empire
Galactic Empire (Star Wars)
The Galactic Empire is one of the main factions in the fictional universe of Star Wars. It is a galaxy-spanning regime established by the series' lead villain, Palpatine, to replace the Galactic Republic in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The Galactic Empire is introduced in Star Wars...
. Examples shown are that Vader's own troops, Stormtroopers, share the same name with Hitler's. The black, white, and red used in many scenes with the Empire are the same colors of the swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
, and that Darth Vader's helmet is similar to that of the German Army's
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
. The Republic also embraced diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
, while the Empire did not. There are no women in the Empire, showing that there is no purity or life.
According to the show, the Rebels win in the end because of their trust in something else, in themselves, rather than technology. This is illustrated when Luke turns off his targeting computer during the attack on the Death Star
Death Star
The Death Star is a fictional moon-sized space station and superweapon appearing in the Star Wars movies and expanded universe. It is capable of destroying a planet with a single destructive super charged energy beam.-Origin and design:...
and uses the force to guide him. In the end, there is a Christian-like redemptive moment, where Luke overturns the Dark Side and brings salvation to his father. Once Vader dies, Luke burns his body on a pyre
Funeral Pyre
"Funeral Pyre" is The Jam's thirteenth single released on 6 June 1981. Backed by the B-side "Disguises", a cover of a Who track, it reached #4 in the UK Singles chart....
, like in The Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
where Priam
Priam
Priam was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and youngest son of Laomedon. Modern scholars derive his name from the Luwian compound Priimuua, which means "exceptionally courageous".- Marriage and issue :...
burns Hector
Hector
In Greek mythology, Hectōr , or Hektōr, is a Trojan prince and the greatest fighter for Troy in the Trojan War. As the first-born son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba, a descendant of Dardanus, who lived under Mount Ida, and of Tros, the founder of Troy, he was a prince of the royal house and the...
's body.
The last scenes of the show feature a few politicians such as Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
. They talk of people that join together for a common goal and power always belongs to the people. Star Wars is then said that even though there are strong mythological influences in it, it becomes a mythology all its own.
Featured interviews
- J.J. Abrams
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- Stephen ColbertStephen ColbertStephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
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- Edward L. Hudgins
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- Dr. Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr.
- Joss WhedonJoss WhedonJoseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
- Leon WieseltierLeon WieseltierLeon Wieseltier is an American writer, critic, and magazine editor. Since 1983 he has been the literary editor of The New Republic.Wieseltier was born in Brooklyn, New York and attended the Yeshiva of Flatbush, Columbia University, Oxford University, and Harvard University, and was a member of...
- Dr. Jonathan YoungJonathan YoungJonathan Young is a psychologist who became the founding curator of the Joseph Campbell Archives.-Background:Young developed an interest in the teaching functions of stories through early exposure to folklore. He was one of six children in a much-traveled family...
See also
- George LucasGeorge LucasGeorge Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
- Greek mythologyGreek mythologyGreek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
- Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
- Star Wars sources and analoguesStar Wars sources and analoguesStar Wars, the popular science fantasy saga, and cultural touchstone, is acknowledged to have been inspired by many sources. These may include Hinduism, Qigong, Greek philosophy, Greek mythology, Roman history, Roman mythology, parts of the Abrahamic religions, Confucianism, Shintō, and...
External links
- Documentary's webpage at History.com