A superior force: Star Trek is not the epic you are looking for

Home Opinion A superior force: Star Trek is not the epic you are looking for

This is a period of civil war.

Carrie Fisher, the actress who played Princess Leia, has won her first victory against the evil William Shatner. With the aid of special effects, historical correspondence, and pure mythos, she will defeat the USS Enterprise and restore freedom to the galaxy…

You can say “beam me up, Scotty,” until you’re blue in the face, but only the Milennium Falcon’s hyperspace jump inspired viewers to watch the original Star Wars movie from different parts of the theater, facing sideways, upside-down, and backwards. Star Trek is a convention — Star Wars is a phenomenon.

The musical themes of Star Wars characters have become cultural icons, like the Imperial March. Even the major theme of Star Trek cannot claim the wide appeal of this one musical trope.

Passing over their superior dialogues and characters, the first three episodes of Star Wars still triumph over the first series of Star Trek.

Star Trek’s phasers proved a neat sci-fi innovation, but the lightsaber revolutionized hand-to-hand space combat.

Shatner is right when he says that Star Wars borrowed the idea of hyperspace, but only Lucas’ effects fully expressed that idea. The original Star Trek jumps show vibration inside the ship, while in the jump of the Milennium Falcon, stars whiz past the audience and inspire a genuine thrill.

But Jedi do not live on special effects alone. To come of age, Luke must face Darth Vader, his father, in an epic struggle of freedom against tyranny.

Star Wars debuted in the middle of the Cold War. It takes no hyperspace jump to realize that the Empire corresponds to the USSR and the Death Star to Sputnik.

Star Wars portrays the 20th century struggle pitting old notions of freedom against a form of ideological tyranny similar to Fascism, Nazism, and Communism. The dehumanization of the imperial stormtroopers fits with the subjection of Europeans to Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin.

As Nazis followed strict orders, even killing Jews in concentration camps, so stormtroopers obey the Emperor, destroying the entire planet of Alderaan.

In contrast to Star Wars’ historical depth, Star Trek’s original series employs philosophical themes — wholesome in themselves — which take on a leftist bent.

Materialism, atheism, and socialism combine to render Star Trek an ideological critique of Star Wars. In the Star Trek universe, everything is material, technology replaces God, and the Federation government redistributes wealth.

Star Trek’s philosophy mirrors the atheistic materialism behind the 20th century tyrannies while Star Wars’ emphasis on freedom deriving from an “old religion” corresponds to the struggle against these totalitarian regimes.

Star Wars centers on the idea of the Force.

Yes, the Force has elements of eastern mysticism. Yes, it is not technically a god. Yes, it has both good and evil and hints at a dualism reminiscent of Zoroastrianism. But the light side of this life force also corresponds to the old religion of the West, Christianity.

The “old religion” strengthens the Rebellion and — when corrupted — the Empire. The Empire’s scientists scoff at Vader’s “old religion,” and the rebels say, “may the force be with you,” recalling the Christian refrain, “may God be with you.”

Hitler rose in the name of Christianity. Vader dominates using the dark side of the Force. The old religion of John Paul II, Margaret Thatcher, and Ronald Reagan united them against Communism. The Force enables Luke to destroy the Death Star and redeem his father.

While Star Wars makes no mention of God, its narrative turns on Darth Vader’s redemption. The Empire falls because Luke saves his father and his father kills the Emperor.

Were the Emperor to have escaped before the second Death Star exploded, the civil war would have continued. Without Darth Vader, the Rebels could not have won.

This redemption answers the backdrop of seemingly invincible evil. “I have a bad feeling about this” meets “there’s still good in him,” and as Luke embraces the fact that Vader is his father, evil turns to good.

Star Trek simply cannot rival this mythos.