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  1. #1
    The Fastest Post Alive! Buried Alien's Avatar
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    Default The deaths of Obi-Wan (IV) and Han Solo (VII): not analogous.

    One of the main criticisms of STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS is that some felt it was a retread of the original STAR WARS (EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE). Despite some structural similarities, I mostly disagree, as the tone of VII was far grimmer than the swashbuckling IV, but particularly untrue to me is the comparison made between the death of Obi-Wan in IV and the death of Han in VII.

    When Darth Vader cut Obi-Wan down in IV, we had been acquainted with Obi-Wan as a character for all of one hour. He was a new character in our consciousness, and while we could empathize with Luke's feelings of loss at the demise of his mentor, Obi-Wan simply had not been around long enough for his death to make that kind of deep impression upon the audience.

    By the time Han died in VII, however, the character had been a part of the public consciousness for thirty-eight years. Han Solo was a deeply embedded character in not only the STAR WARS mythos, but in broader pop culture. Therefore, his death had much greater impact in 2015 than Obi-Wan's did in 1977. As a component of the argument that VII was a replay of IV, the comparison between Obi-Wan's and Han's deaths does not ring true to me.

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  2. #2
    Oni of the Ash Moon Ronin's Avatar
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    No body did the Qui-Gon Jinn death at the hands of Darth Maul in THM to the death of Obi-Wan in ANH yet there it is. The "mentor figure" dies in the first episode of the trilogy seems to be a running thing in Star Wars. Though I do agree, Han's death had more meaning at the time the movie was released than both Qui-Gon's and Obi-Wan's did.
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  3. #3
    Ultimate Member ChrisIII's Avatar
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    Obi-Wan also pretty much intended to die, more or less-he pretty much gives up his guard immediately to better help Luke spiritually. It's kind of the same with Luke and Leia; they both kind of knew this was their final act.

    Qui-Gon and Han didn't really intend to die.
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  4. #4
    Oni of the Ash Moon Ronin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisIII View Post
    Obi-Wan also pretty much intended to die, more or less-he pretty much gives up his guard immediately to better help Luke spiritually. It's kind of the same with Luke and Leia; they both kind of knew this was their final act.

    Qui-Gon and Han didn't really intend to die.
    True but they still died in the first episode of the trilogy. And the circumstance of each death is different. Obi-Wan with his knowledge “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” gave up his mortal life so that the others may escape. Qui-Gon was beating in battle by a Sith lord. Han was killed by Kilo Ren for a rite of passage in his struggle to give into the dark side of the force. The reasons for each death are not really comparable.
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  5. #5
    Ultimate Member WebLurker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moon Ronin View Post
    True but they still died in the first episode of the trilogy. And the circumstance of each death is different. Obi-Wan with his knowledge “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” gave up his mortal life so that the others may escape. Qui-Gon was beating in battle by a Sith lord. Han was killed by Kilo Ren for a rite of passage in his struggle to give into the dark side of the force. The reasons for each death are not really comparable.
    Yeah, parallels, but different. Good way to keep a similar theme going.
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