Is it the rise of fascism in the 1930’s? Or perhaps the despotic regimes behind the Iron Curtain for decades after the Second World War?
Incredibly, Lucas has admitted that it was something much closer to home.
It seems almost impossible to believe, but it involves the unspeakable evil of photocopy machine supplies, biros and (dare we say it?) staplers.
It turns out that it isn’t just Luke and Kylo Ren who are working through their daddy issues. Even the very last, dying, line from Darth Vader in Episode 6 echoes real life.
George Lucas said that both himself and Steven Spielberg acknowledged that they were continuously addressing the father-son dyanmics in their own lives through their work on screen.
Lucas revealed that his father had pushed very hard for him to join the office supply company he had built from scratch.
This is echoed in Vader’s classic line “Join me and we can rule the galaxy (or local office supplies market) as father and son.”
George Lucas Sr may not have been offering to share crushing all freedom and liberty in the galaxy, but it was still an offer that the director admitted crushed his spirits and dreams.
Not only is the Galactic Empire a symbol for the end of hopes and dreams, the black figure at its heart is also directly related to Lucas’ own turmoil as a young man.
The sense of disappointing his dad is the dark shadowy father (aka Darth Vader) that looms over the original three films.
‘Vater’ in German even means father and Lucas has frequently confirmed that Darth is a play on ‘dark.’
And that is still not all.
The fact that he is reported as saying that he himself did not know that Vader would turn out to be Luke’s father until he was refining the script of The Empire Strikes Back confirms that it was his own father issues that most heavily influenced the character and the name.
Lucas Sr was vocally opposed to his son following a career in film, but died happy to see the enormous success that Star Wars brought.
George Lucas said: “He was extremely happy… I succeeded at something and was able to support myself. That was all he really wanted, and that’s what he got — only much more than he expected.”
And Vader’s last line to Luke? “You were right.”
Daily Express :: Entertainment Feed
