By G. P. Avants

We all saw it coming. His unmistakable shadow was cast across the big screen. In the murky air of a volatile planet, Darth Vader loomed larger than life, though he was a harbinger of death. Rogue One took us to his castle on the fiery planet of Mustafa, where Vader equated his own brand of truth and justice. It’s sort of ironic that the planet that took his life as Anakin Skywalker became is HQ instead. Leaving his Jedi roots Vader is now helping the Empire use the Force to undo everything that they fought to establish.

The Empire thrives on propaganda and Darth Vader is their poster child, bouncer, and spin-doctor wrapped up in a black cape and ominous respirator. They have a knack for twisting the truth just like any all-powerful dictatorship. The word in the galaxy is that the Death Star doesn’t exist. There is no danger here just some routine weapon tests. Darth Vader’ threats are aimed at telling the Rebel Alliance it has no hope of winning. The Empire believes that there is no price too high to pay to maintain order.  There forces keep the peace by assuring that no one rebels shake up the status quo. So, Darth Vader squeezes the fear from the Empire’s enemies and propagates the lies their subjects have come to believe.

But the Rebels know the truth from the lies. It only takes a little hope to keep them going. They are outcasts, called traitors, pressed down and vilified. It has to be a hard life to go against an unforgiving system. It’s a thankless life so why Rebel?  They must know that the lies are weak and the truth worth living and dying for. (I compare the Rebels to those who suffer for their faith all over the world.) By not giving in to a tyrannical system and showing faith in action, they might even turn their enemies on the right track.

Their example attracted a certain boy named Luke who sparked a flame of hope. He in turn he didn’t fear the lies and faced Vader and the Empire blade to blade. From that fateful meeting, we all know that caped Mustarfarian finally stopped oppressing the rebels and repented of his ways. It’s all because a few stood their ground while others fled in fear.