Heck This Is Fucking Geniustic - Tumblr Posts

I’ve been seeing a lot of discussion (on Twitter especially) about Luke making Grogu choose between the armor and the lightsaber, between Din and the way of the Jedi. And there’s been a lot of “how dare Luke make him choose when it was his attachments to Vader and his family that saved the galaxy!” He’s a hypocrite, this isn’t like Luke at all, etc. etc.

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days and here is my take: Luke is completely in line with his character here. Luke’s attachments did not save the galaxy. Luke’s love did.

We have to separate attachment from love. It is not the same thing! Love, like Anakin says to Padme in AotC, is allowed by the Jedi, even encouraged. And yes, despite everything that comes after, he’s right. The Jedi are not loveless. The Jedi are not heartless. And it wasn’t Anakin’s love of Padme that led him to the dark side. It was his attachment to her. He could not let her go. He could not accept that Padme was a being separate from him, with her own fate, and that he could not possess her. His love turned selfish. His love turned into attachment.

Luke’s love, on the other hand, was selfless, and that’s why he saved the galaxy. He chose not to fight his father, not to fight Palpatine, and in doing so risked his own life. He loved his father, and he would not turn to the dark side for him, he would not let his father go even further down that path. After Vader saves him and asks Luke to take off his mask so that he might see Luke, Luke does it even though he doesn’t want to, even though it means his father will die. Luke has only love for his father, and knows that it is his choice to take off the mask, not Luke’s. Vader is dying anyway and Luke must let him go. Luke lets go of his attachment, but not his love.

Luke understands this and only wishes to pass on this lesson to Grogu. Grogu’s attachment to Din could lead to the dark side, and if Grogu chooses that attachment, Luke can’t train him. It is not unreasonable for Luke and it is not out of character. Luke isn’t forcing Grogu to choose the Jedi and that’s important—Anakin was never given that choice, and maybe things would have been different if he had. You could argue that he was given the choice as a child, but what kind of choice is it when the options are continued slavery or being a Jedi? I believe Luke will respect Grogu’s choice when he picks Din (he has to pick Din, right?!) and Grogu must then accept that Luke will not teach him because of that choice.

Now, is this the best way for the Jedi to proceed? With the no attachments rule in place? Honestly, I don’t know. Considering what happens later with Ben, maybe not. But it still stands that attachment does lead to the dark side, and it is right to guard against it. Attachment is not the same as love, and it is very easy for selfless love to turn to selfish love. It is a lesson all Jedi need to learn. Whether or not they accept that lesson is up to them.