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THE FORCE OF FATHERHOOD



June 17, 2022
Reflect   -   6min read

*Contains major spoilers for the Star Wars saga and The Mandolorian.

At the conclusion of The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker finally confronts
the evil Darth Vader in a lightsaber battle. Vader beckons Luke to embrace the
dark side of the Force, joining him in bringing order to the galaxy—but Luke
refuses. Vader asks Luke if Obi-Wan Kenobi told him about his father and Luke
responds that Vader killed him. Vader then delivers one of the most iconic lines
in movie history: “No, I am your father.”

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While the Star Wars universe is full of aliens and laser swords, the stories are
really about the basic desires of humanity: hope, freedom, and family. More
specifically, Star Wars shows us the importance of fatherhood. Many of its
stories are driven by the relationship between a father and his children. The
most significant example is the one seen above, between Luke and Vader. Vader
attempts to lure his son to the dark side so they can rule the galaxy as father
and son, while Luke seeks to return his father to the light. Other examples of
father and child storylines involve Jango and Boba Fett, Galen and Jyn Erso, Han
Solo and Ben Solo/Kylo Ren, and Din Djarin (the Mandalorian) and Grogu (Baby
Yoda). In the Disney+ series Disney Gallery lead producer and writer of various
Star Wars projects, Dave Filoni, explains how fatherhood is integral to the
entire story arc from Episodes I through VI:



In Episode I, Qui-Gon Jinn takes in the fatherless Anakin Skywalker not just as
the boy’s teacher, but also as a surrogate father. When Qui-Gon dies, Obi-Wan
honors his master’s request to accept the child as his own apprentice. However,
Obi-Wan is more of an older brother to Anakin than a father. This allows the
evil Emperor Palpatine to fulfill Anakin’s desire for a father and seduce Anakin
to the dark side. One must wonder, if Qui-Gon had not been killed by Darth Maul
and had trained Anakin instead of Obi-Wan, would this have prevented Anakin from
turning to the dark side, thus sparing the galaxy the immense suffering and
oppression brought on by the Empire?

Fatherhood is still a major theme in recent Star Wars projects, such as the
popular Disney+ series The Mandalorian. Din Djarin, the titular Mandalorian, is
a bounty hunter tasked with delivering Grogu to his client. The entire series
revolves around Mando trying to balance his reputation as ruthless bounty
hunter, his loyalties to his Mandalorian coven, and his self-appointed duty as
caretaker of the child. What happens when these three roles come into conflict?

The Facts of Fatherhood
Why do we resonate so much with the connection between Din Djarin and Grogu? Why
is it so shocking to learn that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father and why
is it so satisfying when Luke brings his father back to the light? It’s because
good stories tap into our deepest desires and the deepest truths about reality.
Star Wars does this when it illustrates the importance of fatherhood.

As proof, let’s look at some statistics about how children suffer when their
fathers are absent. Fatherless children are four times more likely to live in
poverty and are more likely to have behavioral problems, commit crimes, and be
imprisoned. They are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol and are twice as
likely to be obese and drop out of school. Around the time of the writing of
this article, America suffered another horrific school shooting in Uvalde,
Texas. Most school shooters come from broken families, having either strained
relationships with (or outright lacking) their father. The same was true of the
Uvalde shooter.

However, the opposite effect also occurs when a man is involved in his
children’s lives. Such children will be better behaved, have greater confidence,
and perform better in school. They will be less likely to abuse drugs and
alcohol or become incarcerated. Fatherhood also benefits fathers, as it gives
men greater motivation to live a healthy lifestyle and avoid risky behaviors.
Fatherhood develops character in men, teaching them patience, responsibility,
and selflessness. It gives men meaning and purpose, increasing their self-esteem
and self-worth. The benefits of fatherhood run both ways, to men as well as to
their children.

The Choices of Fatherhood
The Star Wars saga also shows us how fatherhood presents men with difficult
decisions. In The Force Awakens, Han Solo knows he must confront his son and
attempt to bring him back to the light, even though it ultimately costs Han his
life. Vader could have allowed the Emperor to kill Luke so that Vader could
continue ruling the galaxy beside his master. But Vader chooses to sacrifice his
own life to save his son’s. Din Djarin has a stellar reputation as a bounty
hunter and good standing with his Mandalorian community; yet everything changes
when he encounters the helpless little Grogu. He could deliver the child to his
client, receive payment, and move on to the next task like a good bounty hunter,
but he doesn’t. Mando abandons the bounty hunter code and risks excommunication
from his community to rescue Grogu and take the child as his adopted son.

What are the types of difficult fatherhood choices that men face in the real
world? A man can choose to work longer hours to purposely avoid the
responsibilities of fatherhood or he can pass up valuable overtime to spend time
with his family. When faced with an unwanted pregnancy, a man can leave his
partner, pressure her into getting an abortion, or step up and accept
fatherhood. A man can also choose to take in a child who is not his
biologically, either through adoption or mentorship. The choices of fatherhood
can also be more mundane, like a man deciding to turn off the television or put
down his phone to go play with his children. Some choices are life-altering and
some are simple, but the decision to be a father always involves sacrifice and
responsibility.

Conclusion
It is easy to see fathers as just the other parent or even as unnecessary. But
fathers have a critical role in the development of their children and provide a
tremendous influence in their lives. Imagine how many of society’s ills would be
improved if neglected children had the benefit of a father or father figure. Or,
on the other hand, how many people’s lives would have been worse without a
loving father. The importance of fatherhood can never be overstated. While the
characters of the Star Wars universe believe the Force is the greatest power in
the universe, we know there is something much stronger: fatherhood.

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 * This Article Corresponds To:
 * Possible Discussion Questions
 * Recommended Resources

 * Understanding the Culture, chapter 12: “Family”
 * Understanding the Culture curriculum, 12, pp. 341

 * What are some of the ways that a father or father figure (or lack of) have
   affected you?
 * What do you think is the unique role that a father has in his children’s
   lives?
 * What are some of the mundane but important choices that fathers make on a
   daily basis?

 * National Fatherhood Initiative
 * Are Fathers Necessary? – Dennis Praeger
 * The Tremendous Value of a Husband and Father – Greg Smalley
 * Fatherhood: The Core of the Universe – Glenn T. Stanton

Note: External links in this post are provided as a convenience for
informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an
approval by Summit Ministries of any of the products, services, or opinions
expressed.

Share

 * Christian Worldview
 * Culture
 * Other Worldviews

Timothy Fox

Timothy Fox has a passion to equip the church to engage the culture. He is a
part-time math teacher, full-time husband and father. He has an M.A. in
Christian Apologetics from Biola University as well as an M.A. in Adolescent
Education of Mathematics and a B.S. in Computer Science, both from Stony Brook
University. Tim lives on Long Island, NY with his wife and children. He also
blogs at freethinkingministries.com, and you can follow him on Twitter at
@TimothyDFox.


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