Matpat vs Zizek: the empire was right? Augustus and Palpatine
In a two part "Film Theory" episode on Youtube, Matpat argued that the empire was right. Zizek in the Parallax View makes the same argument. Their analysis will be the foundation to which I thoroughly demonstrate its realistic affect.
Matpat focuses on the logistical peacekeeping of the empire while Zizek points to Palpatine raging against feudalist Jedi order for a new world order. There are two intertwined debates: republic vs the empire and the Jedi vs the Sith. Ironically, many forum on reddit and quora already discuss this idea. It is as if Matpat and Zizek are repeating a tribal proverb. On Youtube there are other videos spewing the same idea with similar points. Yet when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Despite what the movie intends, there are many holes in it. Some of these revelations follow the Clone Wars and Mandalorian series where the republic fails in front of the viewer’s eyes compelling them to review everything they have ever known. Is the republic the goal? Are the Jedi the good guys? While the movies may direct our emotions in the rebel’s favour, it does not necessarily mean they are right.
It is important to point out the cinematic bias. The common hero’s journey places the Jedi as the extinct trying to overthrow the murderous empire. Lucas shifted the audience’s focus towards the rebels fighting a dangerous machine. Glossing over key details for the meta-narrational themes. The light side must defeat the dark side. The evil Sith must be vanquished. Blue lightsabers and a planet exploding space station. The objects in the premier arena sought sympathy with rebels plight for freedom across the galaxy. Overcoming the tyrannical empire through gracious passionate protesters. The protagonist’s hero journey must be completed. Defeating the empire and bringing hope to the galaxy. It is thrown in the face of the viewer. Creeping allegiance to the small town innocent boy tasked with the salvation of the world. His arduous journey is formally progressed with audience empathy.
Lucas’ setup of compelling characters invites the audience to ride alongside the ragtag group of diverse personalities for a singular mission. To take back the power for the people. The galactic empire has too long held its reign over the people across the galaxy. The rebellion needed to give that back to them. The overstepping of the empire was too much and needed to be quelled of its influence. The plot line is a hero story but does more to ensure the audience can distinguish between the good guys and the bad guys. The movie displays the rebel’s emotions and merits as their greatest virtues. The audience does not second guess the characters’ motivations. They are pure and rebelling against Darth Vader and his multitude of stormtroopers trying to capture them. Cheering for their escape and their victory. Tearing at the death of Ben Kenobi and Luke’s distraught reaction.
The cinematic boldness is quite marvellous. Listening to the dialogue and paying attention to key details tells a different story than first perceived. The audience is so caught up in the stereotypical nature of names and colours that it totally dismisses the ardent flaws in the rebellious plight. In the first scene of A New Hope, the small rebel ship is targeted by a larger imperial destroyer. Boarded by Darth Vader killing the rebels. The audience sympathises with Princess Leah giving the key information to R2D2 and C3PO ensuring it gets to Obi-Wan Kenobi. The audience is thrown into disarray from the onset. Hoping they get out safely, from the clutches of the evil empire. Yet in this misguided cheer, the dialogue says something different. Princess Leah is captured and interrogated where she promises that Alderaan her home planet is peaceful when reality it is the home of the rebel base. She lies to save her home but it is not as if they weren’t planning to overthrow the empire.
During Vader and Luke’s first exchange, Luke loses his arm and is holding tight on a poll while Vader reveals the greatest plot twist in cinematic history that he is Luke’s father and wishes to bring order to galaxy. Nothing of power or control just of ending the horrid conflict. The galactic empire was only trying to aid those struggling planets who suffered from the preceding campaign’s negligence. While from the original trio, this cannot be deduced articulately, it does still hold up in the theoretical imagination. There are clear attempts to dissuade the public from believing the empire to be good. The empire combined with the dark side Sith motif significantly poised the empire as an evil regime. Yet the constant use of dark side and the robed emperor pulling the strings adduced an antagonistic tone from the viewership. This retroactively presents the Alderaan attack as devilish and Vader’s speech as a coercive lie. There is no winning with the themes so embedded and so in the audience’s face.
Most ironically, at the end of the original Return of Jedi, celebration is only displayed on Endor, while speculation can be made across the world, it can also be assumed that others were not overjoyed at the rebels victory. Lucas did change this in the special edition fifteen years later to include other planets as well. The other planets needed the rebel’s help to ensure victory. Yet the specific planets displayed are in the central area and not in the outer rim. Those planets were the most harmed. Naboo was the home of the republic before its demise. The originals themselves portray a tyrannical yet pleasant empire. It is with the prequels that this only becomes more true. Even as more blue lightsabers and Vader’s prior life is shown, lurking in the darkness is the fall of the empire.
There is where to focus on the Jedi and their failures, yet for now the last piece of dialogical evidence is from the Palpatine’s first inaugural address. Where he like Vader says to Luke, that the empire will have a new constitutions of laws not politicians, justice and a security. Palpatine did follow through with this from the originals alone. None of this is sad from a mad man. This does not sound like a disturbing overlord. Yet Palpatine’s insidious plotting trickery and mischievous nature make him unsettling to the audience. He plays on Anakin’s fears and brings him to the dark side. He handles a red lightsaber and shoots lightning marking him as an adversary of the beloved Jedi. He seems maniacal and ruthless but his plans are serene and sincere. Do not just a book by its cover, read the title page. Looking past his devious behaviour is a heroic attempt to salvage the political corruption.
The empire is akin to Augustus. Not only are the visual imports recording a black and white picture. Guiding the viewer to pick the intended good guy and bad guy. Hiding the truth beneath the surface. It did not take much for the audience to sympathise, since the viewership has an intuitive disgust for tyranny. In an age bolstered by anti-communist rhetoric from its initial airing till today. The idea of an empire harkens negative feelings. The empire is always painted as the bad guy. Controlling the universe is a perceptive con. Yet this is Nietzsche’s criticism. Democracy is not what it’s cracked up to be. It makes incredible strides in freedom but the political framework is imperfect. While Americans may fondly praise the two hundred years of democratic freedom it has had these blunders and is on the democratic backsliding list. Democracies have backfired and their successors were not always the good guys. After WWI, the Weimar Republic was formed in Germany and within the ensuing decade it fell to the fascist Nazi empire.
Imperial rise does emerge out of nowhere. It arises from republic failures. Backsliding democracies are not arising from right wing fanatics. Someone needs to elect them. The people are tired of the normative failures. Trump’s election was due to his predecessor’s failures. He was different, not a politician and willing to say the unseemly things. While Trump nor other backsliding democracies have devolved into totalitarianism, this may be due to the historical fears of imperial control. Populists are the newfound emperors. While they do not have supreme power in presidential systems they due gain much influence and in parliamentary systems the prime minister has even more power. Trust is not in the system but in the person. Populism is a middle-ground to ensure democratic liberty with a representative that listens. A leader who breeches the clutches of the political landscape. Educational propaganda does ferment anti-tyrannical power even when it is successful. Today individual freedom is more important than political corruption.
Augustus’ regime is most important to recall. The people loved his reign. Wished him to continue forever. The republic was corrupt and Augustus was a just emperor. He was not perfect and there were bad emperors who succeeded him down the road. Tyrannical might exceeds patriotic values. There are imperfections and tragedies under the imperial rule. While men like Cato in his ironclad stoicism prevailed against corruption it was not enough to stop his fellow political pundits. While he protested Caesar’s rise, the public was a fan. Following Julius Caesar’s death, Augustus rose as the first great emperor transitioning to an empire. He restored peace and brought prosperity to Rome. Whether or not he was honest about his intent, he did elevate the public’s life. He advanced trade and liberated religious life. Though a tyrant with no one to answer to he brought order to formally chaotic corruption.
Other tyrannical leaders such as Napoleon and Mussolini come to mind. Napoleon took over after the end of the Reign of Terror. While he killed many people and left France crushed he did take charge to foster might following the tumultuous revolution. His Napoleonic Code was to reassume order and civli liberties. He established reforms and sought to stabilise France. Mussolini though usually placed alongside Hitler in WWII fascist tropes, was not all too bad. His anti-semitism wholeheartedly untrue, if anything he saved many of them but could not overpower the Nazi regime if he were to save Italy at all. Yet Nazi influence collapsed the fascist party placing Jews at risk. Mussolini was a tyrant but he aided in bringing Italy to its promised hope. The people were happy with his leadership saving them from the depression away from the cruel monarchy.
Many of the known benevolent dictators were in the twentieth century. Pasha in Turkey, Tito in Yugoslavia, Yew in Singapore and Rene in Seychelles. While Rene is the only leader to unseat a democratic system, it wasn’t as if Seychelles was around long enough for the political elite to become corrupted buffoons. Yet today, there are many emerging populists. The inefficiency of the preceding government inspires one person to take charge and in the case of the previously mentioned individuals, their successes brought peace and prosperity to their nations. While it did not follow the separation of powers mantra, liberal expression was executed. It did not need Lockean philosophy to ensure civil rights. Augustus and Aurelius did that as well. Democracy seems like a good idea but it is not always a good idea. Tyrants are imperfect but they at times less corrupt because their image is public and/or unlimited power has an empathetic side to the people.
Palpatine’s galactic empire was not the greatest version of power. Much of its genuine good is explored in the extended canonical universe. From the originals themselves it is clear that the corrupt senate pummelled the galaxy into darkness for the empire to salvage it. The same is true of tyrannical leaders. Throughout time, democratic regimes have fumbled only for a charismatic leader to lead the troops to the promised land. While extended dictatorships has even more problems, it is clear that something needs to change. Political corruption is well known and revealed on the internet for all to see. Populist leadership is gaining traction, what will life be like in the upcoming decade is only a vision debating the efficacy of populist empowerment against institutional dread.
No comments:
Post a Comment