Originally posted by Darth Sexy
How about as far as the big picture is concerned Escape?
What big picture? We're all completely aware of the problems that you have with Jacen Solo and his current strata of acquired power; but the fact remains that a cogent storyline requires for an adversary to be a challenge for Luke Skywalker. The Emperor is dead, the Galactic Empire is a shadow of its former self. Just who do you think is going to rise to the challenge? Jacen has moments of brilliance and, yes, it is frustrating to see him written as incompetent some of the time, but the fact remains, he has to be a threat to Luke. It's kind've like Harry Potter. Dumbledore was made out in the books to be the only one Voldemort feared and (equipped with the Elder Wand), the only one whom Voldemort really doesn't have a realistic chance of beating in combat. Yet during the course of the series, Voldemort is always a step ahead and by HBP was winning the war against Dumbledore. Why? Because he's more cunning, he's sneakier, and can strike where Dumbledore is weak. Solo compensates for his weakness to Luke with vastly superior military might and the law and, yes, in a tactical sense, he's certainly smarter than Luke, and willing to go to greater lengths. Luke can't fight Jacen on Jacen's terms without the risk of becoming like Jacen.
When you look at it, it is rather clever. And it's interesting to see Jacen pretty much lose all the time and, yet, in the "grand scheme of things", he's still winning.