I've always seen Star Wars as more fantasy than science fiction in that it's not really concerned with technology, especially not with considering how technology might affect society.
Blasters work just like guns, except people miss 90% of the time.
Light sabers work just like swords, except without all the messy blood. (Come to think of it, ditto with the guns!)
Military strategyg hasn't progressed beyond the 18th Century on the ground.
The only real attempt at something interesting technology-wise was an afterthought and it was pretty lame - midichlorians!
Originally posted by Emperordmb
I thought midi-chlorians worked because it gave us a standard for who can and cannot wield the power of the force. Plus it gave us the story of Darth Plagueis.
I do like the Darth Plagueis story. But midichlorians are only there to explain how the magic people do their magic. Even Darth Plagueis' experiments only lead to him being a more powerful magician, they don't seem to be something that can be replicated by non-Jedi.
Cloning is more of a real-deal technology that Star Wars treats with a little bit. But the movies at least don't really address the ethics of cloning. And the droids as well, thought the 'personhood' of Artoo and Threepio isn't really explored. It's just sort of there.
All the technology is basically there to serve the plot and the themes of the story. There is nothing wrong with that; my point is simply that the plot and the themes don't have much to do with technology. The themes of the story and much of the inspiration come from the past, not the future.
Originally posted by EmperordmbThat is exactly why it was awful.
I thought midi-chlorians worked because it gave us a standard for who can and cannot wield the power of the force.
Originally posted by Ace HamboneThis.
But midichlorians are only there to explain how the magic people do their magic.
Not every element of a story or plot needs to be explained. A lot of people seem to reflexively recoil at something remaining mysterious.
Originally posted by Emperordmb
But when something is explained, I'm not gonna flip shit and say "this is ****ing stupid, Lucas is raping my childhood!"
But yeah, no one's childhood was ruined. The OT still exists, so just watch that and forget the PT. Unless you're the kind of *sshole who likes disparaging the PT, then keep right at it.
But enough about me.