May 24, 2002

Grab your light sabers and get ready for the latest adventure through the galaxy. "Star Wars-Episode II-The Attack of the Clones" shot into hyperspace last week, predictably dethroning Spiderman from first place at the box office.

This latest sequel in the Star Wars saga from George Lucas reveals the continuing devolution of Anakin Skywalker into the dark side of The Force. Fans will have to wait several more years for the complete transformation, which will take place during Episode III, when the young and impetuous Jedi ultimately dons the black cape and helmet to become the malevolent Darth Vader.

The Star Wars phenomenon is multigenerational. I remember standing in line outside the theater in 1977, waiting to see the first movie, which was simply called "Star Wars" (now also known as "Episode IV, A New Hope.") If there were plans for it to become part one of a trilogy, I don't recall. But morphing into part four of a sextet wasn't initially in the crosshairs of anyone's blaster.

Almost a generation later, my two sons, ages 10 and 13, know more about the story line and its details than their dad, despite my having more than a 20-year jump on them. We bought them the VHS collection of the original trilogy one Christmas. After countless viewings, coupled with endless reruns on the cable channels, they now know more about the culture of Tusken Raiders and the geography of such places as Mois Eisley on the planet Tatooine than about real people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Star Wars tells the timeless epic struggle of good vs. evil. The recent episodes, I and II, are appealing in part because we know the end of the story. Good wins, and we can focus on the details without worrying too much about the outcome, even if at some points it seems uncertain.

In this vein, Star Wars is similar to The Lord of the Rings. Almost everyone has read Tolkein's trilogy at least once. Hence, the end of the story is known. We can relax and enjoy the unfolding of the events on the big screen leading up to the ultimate destruction of the ring and the crowning of Aragorn as the king of Gondor.

Our fascination with stories portraying the struggle of good vs. evil on a galactic and supernatural scale runs deeper than a blithe willingness to shell out eight bucks for a ticket entitling us to two or three hours of entertainment.

We are drawn to these movies because they strike a resonant chord in all of us. They are depictions of the real struggle of good vs. evil in our own lives and in the places where we live.

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places," wrote the apostle Paul. He understood that the real war for the souls of men was being fought in the unseen spirit world.

"The Matrix" provided a warped, albeit interesting, parallel to man's struggle with these forces. That movie's premise was that all of life's experiences are merely an illusion, lines of computer code, created by a race of aliens to fool us into thinking we are living normal lives when in fact we are human batteries, providing biochemical energy to our cruel extraterrestrial slave masters.

It is as though the writers of "The Matrix" took their cue from the Apostle Paul who explained, ". . .The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The Bible, like Star Wars, reveals the ultimate outcome of the war between good and evil. Good wins.

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com. Visit our website at www.amyfound.org.