This is a really dark theory about the droids in ‘Star Wars’
Fan theories took the internet by storm in 2015, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. It’s just a few days into the New Year and we already have a doozy of a theory on our hands about Star Wars. But this is not your average Reddit conspiracy — it’s a smart, poignant one that will totally change the way you see the movies.
The theory revolves around the droids. You know, like our old pals C-3PO and R2-D2. Sure, droids are bots, but they’re so much more than that. They’re capable of self-awareness, emotions and “devotion,” to quote Luke Skywalker. These qualities and more make droids way more than robots. They’re more like people. Which makes the theory itself all the more disturbing.
Jonathan Last penned a long, well thought out piece for The Washington Free Beacon arguing that droids are slaves. And he makes some sound points that you can’t argue with.
Last says his grand realization came as he was comparing the Star Wars he knew and loved as a child to the Star Wars he now sees through adult eyes. Particularly the Jawas. Last says he always found them “unsettling” and “a little bit evil” as a kid, but could never quite figure out why. But the more he thought about it, he understood that droids are like slaves, and Jawas are like slave traders.
“Once you see this truth, it’s difficult to look at Star Wars the way you did as a child. You understand that the Jawas are slave-traders,” he writes. “More than anything, you come to realize how morally bankrupt the Rebellion really is — and how relatively enlightened the Empire is. Once you recognize that droids are slaves, everything you thought you believed about Star Wars shifts.”
Last makes some chilling comparisons between droids and slaves, including the use of restraining bolts (chains), how droids are kept in a sand-crawler (a slave ship), and how they’re lined up and inspected for purchase (the slave trade). He also notes that the droids aren’t welcome in the cantina. They’re refused service and are forced to wait outside.
Not convinced yet? Listen to the language used with droids. They talk about being “owned” and are handed from owner to owner without much thought. Not to mention the name C-3PO has for Luke: master.
“Behave yourself, R2,” C-3PO says to R2-D2. “You’re going to get us into trouble. It’s alright, you can trust him. He’s our new master.”
Wow. Kinda changes the way you see the movie, huh? The good news is, Last also discusses the characters who don’t treat the droids like slaves, so if you’re up for it, check out his entire post for more details. It’s worth a read.
(Image via Instagram.)