Reply to Adrian D's post "Anakin Skywalker - Jesus of Star Wars"

I have to agree with how you viewed Anakin's role as a Jesus figure in Star Wars, Adrian. I too watched Star Wars on Friday night, however unlike you I am not a fan of the franchise. This was my first time ever watching Star Wars so I had no pre-conceived notions for how to view any of the characters, and once the film was finished it was apparent to me that George Lucas did go for the role of Anakin Skywalker as a Jesus figure in 'Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace'.

As I was leaving the theatre it was already clicking in my mind all the ways that Anakin had fulfilled the role of a Jesus figure in this film, and this was largely because of the lecture we had this past week. Your application of Kozlovic's 25 Characteristics of Christ Figures to Anakin solidified my view of Anakin as a Jesus figure. As I recall, Anakin is also referred to as "The Chosen One" multiple times throughout the film. "The Chosen One" is a line that is commonly heard in many other films that also choose to go down the Jesus figure, or saviour, route.

A common example of this can be found in the film clip we viewed in lecture this week, The Matrix. The Matrix uses a Jesus figure of their own, Neo, to advance their storyline. Neo is referred to multiple times as "The One". I feel like this concept of using a Jesus figure in a film is a lot more prevalent than I initially thought. I have always noticed that films have a character in a saviour role in them that often follow the same general path, but I never really had a name or concept to apply to this way of viewing a film. With the aid of Kozlovic's characteristics I can now identify and analyze these characters for what their actual purpose is.

Something I notice now that I think about these films with a Jesus figure in them, they appear to do really well in the box office as well as in the critics chair. The Matrix and Star Wars are prime examples of this. It appears that everyone loves a good plot where a saviour is necessary to save mankind. It is almost as if Kozlovic's characteristics are a basic guide to creating the main character in a blockbuster film. Everybody loves a hero.

http://tebowmania316.blogspot.com/2012/02/anakin-skywalker-jesus-of-star-wars.html