by God's Little Boy
© MakeshiftDarkroom.com 2025
Written 5/27/25

The Star Wars movies are a widely known part of popular culture and have been for decades. Star Wars is an enjoyable and entertaining escape from reality. Just about everyone gets a kick out of it. Over the years I have recognized certain truths and principles of Biblical Christianity that are analogous within the storyline of the fictional Star Wars franchise of films. Fiction, while not ideal to the reality of Biblical truth, can be used to convey principles of the faith, as with C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia.” Please forgive the silly sci-fi references here and permit it for the analogy I would like to make - which will be set forth in full Star Wars speak and understandable to many. I like to make analogies as they help communicate truths that are otherwise difficult for me to make practical and applicable.

Qui-Gon Jinn was a Jedi Master fully committed to the good side of the “Force” and fully resolved and established to resist the seduction of the “dark side." In episode 1 “The Phantom Menace,” we see Master Qui-Gon training his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was his padawan learner. Qui-Gon was a venerable yet maverick Jedi Master. He was a wise and well-respected member of the Jedi Order, and was once offered a seat on the Jedi Council, but refused the offer and chose to follow a different path. Adhering to a philosophy centered around the “Living Force,” he strove to follow the will of the Force even when his actions conflicted with the wishes of the High Jedi Council.

After encountering young Anakin Skywalker, Qui-Gon brought him before the Jedi Council claiming that Anakin was “the chosen one” who would one day restore balance to the Force (which he did ultimately). The Council initially refused Qui-Gon’s request to train Anakin to become a Jedi, which decision Qui-Gon “defiantly” refused to accept. He remained fully determined to see Anakin trained. Later in the film Qui-Gon was killed by a fatal wound in a light saber dual with the evil sith lord Darth Maul who was then quickly defeated by Obi-Wan Kenobi. Before his death Qui-Gon made Obi-Wan promise that he would train Anakin to become a Jedi. Later before Council member and Jedi Master Yoda, Obi-Wan insisted on keeping his promise to train Anakin - even without the council’s approval. Just before the Council reluctantly decided to grant the request Yoda coined the phrase “Qui-Gon’s defiance” recognizing it in Obi-Wan.

"Defiance" is a word with a strong and threatening tone that is often used in some negative sense, but Qui-Gon’s defiance was a blameless and harmless defiance of good intention based upon conviction, discretion, wisdom, and a commitment to better judgement and ultimate good. Though it was defiance, it was a clean defiance and was not based on evil or rebellion, which things would have the purpose of disorder and destruction from the dark side. This “soft” defiance insisted upon a different take or tack for a perceived better outcome and conclusion. Qui-Gon’s defiance was a defiance against what he believed to be a deviation from the truest tenets of the Living Force which he firmly held to in the liberty of personal conscience. It was not a defiance for the sake of defiance, which would have simply been rebellion rooted in self.

Not all defiance is bad, sometimes it is good, and profitable, even necessary, for the hope of a better ultimate end. Defiance is good when it defies poor or incomplete judgement or when it defies what should be defied. Differences and disagreements are not necessarily indicative of evil or wrongdoing within the complex dynamics of interpersonal dealings along life's journeys - no story worth telling is without them. Qui-Gon’s defiance was an adherence to personal conviction. It was the result of proving all things and holding fast to that which he believed to be good, with pure motives and an honest heart. He sought to do this carefully and safely without falling prey to the seduction of the dark side. He did not join the Jedi Order to become a problem.

Deep within themselves the members of the Council knew these things to be true of him. Qui-Gon was an anomaly, the Council didn't quite know what to do with him. They couldn't fully control him or bend him to their every wish, nor could they find sufficient cause to deny him his place within the Jedi Order. They simply had to let Qui-Gon be Qui-Gon within the Order. The Jedi Council, though made up of the most powerful and seasoned Jedi Masters, was still only a changing institution of finite powers doing their best to follow a mystery that none of them were capable of fully mastering. The wisdom and knowledge of the Force was not limited to the Council alone, but was found within the fullness of the Jedi Order. Part of wisdom is discerning and recognizing when sound counsel appears anywhere within the order, and receiving it as such. And Jedi Masters who have been sufficiently emptied of self shouldn't have too much trouble doing this.

The concept of the Force in the Star Wars movies is largely based upon a blend of eastern philosophy and religion. This Force concept created by George Lucas to empower the Jedi holds a very different cosmology to the one true Christian faith. Nevertheless, it is possible to see clear allusions to certain principles in Christianity such as sovereignty, providence, predestination, discipleship, spiritual discernment, spiritual authority, the will of God, and the battle against divine good and satanic evil.

Certain information was gleaned from Wookieepedia, a nosebleed geek website that compiles encyclopedic information regarding the entire Star Wars universe.

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