Luke's evolution in three films shows him go from the loose clothes of desert farmer, to the modern clothes the Rebellion, then the fatigues of soldier and finally, the Jedi:
By RotJ, we assume that this outfit in not just Vader symbolism, but a choice to identify himself internally and externally as no longer an adventurer (Star Wars) or a soldier (Empire), but as a fully formed return to the best Jedi standard. In other words, this is the kind of thing the Jedi wore at their height.
When we come to the prequels, the costume designer decided to connect the Jedi of old with Obi Wan's costume (probably to make it easier to understand that Alec and Ewan are the same character). Consequently, the Jedi of old lose their tidy black uniforms that Luke adopts for the desert robes of a retired Ben in hiding, Jawas and Uncle Owen.
How do the Jedi operate? Our best clues are by watching Obi Wan in Star Wars. He eschews blasters as clumsy, but this isn't saying that a lightsaber is a better infantry weapon. What is better are the methods of the Jedi. Ben makes his way all over the Death Star without being seen, maims (but does not kill) at close range in the cantina and talks his way through roadblocks. Compared to the chaos of Han Solo's progress through the Death Star, it is clear why a blaster is clumsy, because it is noise and destruction and death. The lightsaber, like the Jedi themselves, is precise, defensive, quiet and gives options a gun cannot.
The Clone Wars scenes show huge battles with robed Jedi fighting like infantry troops using nothing but lightsabers, because Ben eschewed blasters. This is absurd:
Jedi use starfighters, speeders, blasters, rifles, tanks or whatever needed to get the job done. The lightsaber is just the preferred sidearm, rather than a pledge to die in a battle by bringing a knife to a gunfight. They are not monks, but technological knights with broad aptitudes for fighting with whatever is available. Great pilots, great soldiers, great leaders, great assassins, spies and ambassadors. Jacks of all trades.
The Jedi are knights - a type of nobility, not separate or aloof from society. They are people that look polished and inspirational.
I don't think Anakin killed all the Jedi, he just lost his way and the Jedi needed to kill him as their responsibility. That he survived, too disfigured to go back to his wife and at the mercy of the Emperor's medical care, is why he eventually became cruel, rather than just expedient in his pursuit of Jedi duties through the Dark Force. That would have been an amazing story to see him rise through the ranks of Jedi until they realized how he managed such perfection in the Jedi mission and decided to end him. Ben's statement about Vader killing him would have been that much more interesting if Ben didn't kill a monster, but just someone who was growing uncontrollably competent.
I would have very much liked to see this sort of subtle handling of the powers and politics of the last days of the Jedi, and Anakin's fall as an overachiever, rather than a Nasgul-like minion of evil. And I wish we could have seen what Jedi can do in mass when not fighting with swords in bathrobes, but put on some armor and got down to real business.
By RotJ, we assume that this outfit in not just Vader symbolism, but a choice to identify himself internally and externally as no longer an adventurer (Star Wars) or a soldier (Empire), but as a fully formed return to the best Jedi standard. In other words, this is the kind of thing the Jedi wore at their height.
When we come to the prequels, the costume designer decided to connect the Jedi of old with Obi Wan's costume (probably to make it easier to understand that Alec and Ewan are the same character). Consequently, the Jedi of old lose their tidy black uniforms that Luke adopts for the desert robes of a retired Ben in hiding, Jawas and Uncle Owen.
How do the Jedi operate? Our best clues are by watching Obi Wan in Star Wars. He eschews blasters as clumsy, but this isn't saying that a lightsaber is a better infantry weapon. What is better are the methods of the Jedi. Ben makes his way all over the Death Star without being seen, maims (but does not kill) at close range in the cantina and talks his way through roadblocks. Compared to the chaos of Han Solo's progress through the Death Star, it is clear why a blaster is clumsy, because it is noise and destruction and death. The lightsaber, like the Jedi themselves, is precise, defensive, quiet and gives options a gun cannot.
The Clone Wars scenes show huge battles with robed Jedi fighting like infantry troops using nothing but lightsabers, because Ben eschewed blasters. This is absurd:
Jedi use starfighters, speeders, blasters, rifles, tanks or whatever needed to get the job done. The lightsaber is just the preferred sidearm, rather than a pledge to die in a battle by bringing a knife to a gunfight. They are not monks, but technological knights with broad aptitudes for fighting with whatever is available. Great pilots, great soldiers, great leaders, great assassins, spies and ambassadors. Jacks of all trades.
The Jedi are knights - a type of nobility, not separate or aloof from society. They are people that look polished and inspirational.
I don't think Anakin killed all the Jedi, he just lost his way and the Jedi needed to kill him as their responsibility. That he survived, too disfigured to go back to his wife and at the mercy of the Emperor's medical care, is why he eventually became cruel, rather than just expedient in his pursuit of Jedi duties through the Dark Force. That would have been an amazing story to see him rise through the ranks of Jedi until they realized how he managed such perfection in the Jedi mission and decided to end him. Ben's statement about Vader killing him would have been that much more interesting if Ben didn't kill a monster, but just someone who was growing uncontrollably competent.
I would have very much liked to see this sort of subtle handling of the powers and politics of the last days of the Jedi, and Anakin's fall as an overachiever, rather than a Nasgul-like minion of evil. And I wish we could have seen what Jedi can do in mass when not fighting with swords in bathrobes, but put on some armor and got down to real business.
