The greatest stories are more than just stories – and the greatest film franchise of all time is, of course, so much more than just a film franchise. The Star Wars universe explores some of the biggest themes of human existence – the battle between good and evil, the need for hope in the face of overwhelming odds – but there is another, subtler lesson to be taken away: the importance of teachers and role models.
“Mentoring relationships is a running theme throughout the films,” says Dr Danny Hinton, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Wolverhampton. “From Obi-Wan Kenobi’s (all too brief) mentoring of Luke, to Luke’s own mentoring of Rey in The Last Jedi, the motif of a wise, experienced mentor providing support and guidance to their protege is a recurring one.”
David James Lees, an ordained Taoist monk, business coach and co-founder of life coaching system Wu Wei Wisdom, believes this lesson has practical applications in the real world. “A good mentor will encourage and inspire, rather than rigidly instruct,” he says. “They will broaden your horizons by challenging you to move beyond your comfort zone. They will support you so you can learn from your mistakes. They will encourage you to question, explore and follow your passion.”
We’ve analysed nine key quotes from Star Wars mentors to see what lessons we can learn for our own lives …
1. Believe in yourself
The Star Wars lore: ‘Do or do not – there is no try’
As Yoda teaches Luke how to harness the Force in The Empire Strikes Back, the Jedi master foreshadows a certain sporting slogan. “If you’re motivating someone to achieve a big goal, research suggests telling them to simply try their best isn’t an effective strategy,” says Hinton. “Rather, you should foster their belief that, if they put the effort in, they can raise that metaphorical X-Wing from the swamp.” In other words – just do it.
2. Take a chance
Or: ‘Someone has to save our skins. Into the garbage chute, flyboy’
Princess Leia’s resourcefulness, quick thinking and bravery have a lot to teach us. In A New Hope, with her “rescuers” Luke and Han in trouble, it is Leia who seizes the initiative and saves everyone’s skin. As Lees says: “Sometimes you have to stop overthinking and strategising and start taking decisive action.”
3. Nothing is impossible
Or: ‘Never tell me the odds’
Han Solo may not be a conventional role model, but he acts, in a subtle sense, as mentor to both Luke and – later on in The Force Awakens – Rey. His outburst to C-3P0, after the droid points out the folly of hiding in an asteroid field, shows us that sometimes long shots do come in. Or, as Hinton says: “Sometimes the odds are against us, but we shouldn’t necessarily let that stop us from trying. Han realises that knowing that the chances of survival are slim won’t help, so he chooses (quite rightly) to ignore them.”
4. Don’t sweat the small stuff
Or: ‘Luminous beings are we. Not this crude matter’
In the face of everyday worries, it is good to remember that there is a bigger picture, as Yoda tries to explain to Luke in The Empire Strikes Back. “You are more than a collection of physical cells,” says Lees. “You possess an awesome ‘spiritual’ energy that transcends the limitations of your body and mind. By tapping into this hidden potential, you’ll achieve greater vitality, happiness and flow in your life.”
5. Act on impulse (sometimes)
Or: ‘Feel, don’t think. Trust your instincts’
As mentor to Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon Jinn is the man who taught the man who taught Luke to teach Rey … This advice, to Anakin before his pod race in The Phantom Menace, can also work in the real world. “Our brains have evolved in such a way that we’re able to make sense of novel situations quickly,” explains Hinton. “If you happen to be confronted by a mugger, for example, trusting your instincts and running is probably a better bet than trying to think clearly.”
6. Think for yourself
Or: ‘Who’s the more foolish? The fool? Or the fool who follows him?’
Obi-Wan knows that sometimes the real fools are those who do as others say, just because they’re in charge – and that’s why he imparts this wisdom to Luke and Han Solo after hiding from stormtroopers on the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope. “It can be all too easy to blindly follow leadership along a dangerous path,” says Hinton. “As Obi-Wan says, having the courage to question them can potentially avoid disaster.”
7. Be careful what you wish for
Or: ‘I’m responsible now, the price you pay for being successful’
Although scheming smuggler Lando Calrissian is a dubious mentor at first glance, he serves as a reminder to Han that getting what you want does come at a price. “Success has a yin and a yang,” says Lees. “Success requires you to take responsibility, be accountable for your actions, and accept that life won’t always match your expectations.” This includes trying to make deals with Darth Vader.
8. Learn from your mistakes
Or: ‘All mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like. It’s the only way we grow’
As Padme Amidala tells Anakin in Attack of the Clones, awareness of your own failures serves as a valuable lesson to all of us. Rather than despair of our shortcomings, we should learn from them. “Accept feedback not as personal criticism, but as an opportunity to learn something new about yourself,” says Lees. “Be open to consider an outsider’s opinion of you – this shows great strength of character.”
9. Be nice
Or: ‘Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering’
Yoda nails the path to the dark side – both in the Star Wars universe and in our own relationships. “It’s important for us to be aware how our negative emotions impact upon others,” says Hinton. “If we aren’t, the danger is this negative emotion breeds further negative emotion within them, and so the cycle continues.” Or to put it another way – be nice to each other. And we can’t think of any better lesson than that.
10. With age comes wisdom
Or: ‘That’s not how the Force works!’
Han’s exasperated outburst to Finn when his young protege suggests simply “using the Force” to lower the shields of the Star Killer Base in The Force Awakens, reveals something very interesting about how as we grow older, we grow wiser. The former hothead who scoffed at the very idea of the Force in A New Hope now not only believes (“It’s all true,” he says earlier in the film) but understands it enough to appreciate that it’s not some magic power to be used like an “open sesame” spell. Han’s journey from reckless space cowboy to fully-fledged mentor is complete.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is released on 14 December – click here to buy your tickets
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is ©2017 & ™ Lucasfilm LTD
