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In the Star Wars universe we only ever encounter a mono-theological world, with the one Jedi religion and its counterpart the Sith, who are essentially fallen angels and as such part of the same belief system. Poignantly, Anakin Skywalker ends up in a lake of fire just like Milton's Satan in Paradise Lost. And just as pertinently, like Milton's Satan, he even takes up residence in the Star Wars version of this Pandemonium (on Mustafar) as we discover in Rogue One, thus essentially making his own Heaven of Hell and Hell of Heaven. What's more, we can be fairly sure that this is a correct interpretation since there are surprisingly few true epics (in the classical sence) which exist. These include The Iliad, Paraside Lost, and one day (when the Trilogies are complete), will include Star Wars. An epic is usually a story told in 10 or 12 books (or films) which spans generations and continents and features humanity's struggles with religion, war, the elements, good and evil and so forth on a macro or universal scale.

We start in Episode IV with a sort of negative secular humanism (embodied by Han Solo and his faith in blasters). The vacuum left by the demise of the Jedi religion has been filled with a secular scepticism, which will eventually be challenged and overcome first by Ben Kenobi and his supposedly 'larger world' and then by Luke Skywalker. It's pure monotheism which entails either belief or disbelief with no competing religious philosophies or belief systems. This works well in the pared down minimalistic world of Episodes IV to VI but in the expanded universe of Episodes I to III it is initially surprising that we encounter no competing religious voice in an entire galaxy. With the exception of the Gungan scared place and Jar Jar's passing mention of the gods in The Phantom Menace, there's not so much as a shrine, a priest, a splinter religion or anything that suggests or alludes to the existence of any alternate theological viewpoint. In fact, when we take Jar Jar's comments upon the Force into account we can surmise that the Gungan religion probably venerates the Force and is merely a primitive derivative of the dominant religion rather than an opposing belief system.

I think the reason for this is that what we are looking at is a quasi-Christian religion which is intentionally reminiscent of US style Christian democracy. The immaculate conception of Anakin, fulfilling the Jedi prophecy of the Chosen One, with his mother Shmi Skywalker cast in the role of the Virgin Madonna and, as oppressed members of society in a desert world in which slave ownership is commonplace, it is all too reminiscent of the Judeo-Christian Middle East of 2000 years ago which embodied an epistemological crossroads between the prophesy of the Old Testament and the advent of the New Testament. In turn the Jedi, their religion and their fallen saviour Anakin underpin the power and voice of the Senate, giving it the flavour of a Christian democracy which is recognisable as being akin to the US political system.

The fight between good and evil in Episodes IV to VI has ceased to be an enthralling spaghetti western. Now in Episodes I to III we are firmly in the territory of a religious allegory in the service of a political ideology. The gap between showing us a new world in Episode IV and telling us how the world should be in Episode III is vast.

Notably, in order to take complete political power Palpatine first has to take religious power by destroying the Jedi. In the universe of Episodes I to III Church and State are inextricably entwined despite the outward show of secular democracy in the senate.

It is also of note here that the portrayal of Jabba the Hutt in Episode I gives him almost the feel of a Roman governor in a secular desert province overseeing gladiatorial games, and in Episode II, we do actually get gladiatorial games on Geonosis. It's Christians against Romans plain and simple. This is the conflation of the Roman persecution of Christians with a contemporary political system, and the message is that this is a Christian battle for the survival of a democratic political system. When Palpatine gives the command to execute order 66, this simply reinforces that this is the destruction of a quasi-Christian political system by the manifestation of an anti-Christ. The omission of one digit does not distract our attention one bit from the Number of the Beast triggering the demise of a religion, a democracy and a civilisation all in one go.

There is one notable exception to the monotheism which I've argued for above; namely the primitive religion of the Ewoks. The lovable, fierce teddy bear-heads have their own gods and belief system which is under the guidance of their shaman Logray (why he's referred to as a Medicine Man, when he's a bear I have no idea). It is a belief system that is quickly subsumed by the Rebel interlopers on Endor. C-3PO takes on the role of a false god or idol, with Luke playing the role of the benevolent missionary who, with a few Jedi tricks, manages to subsume Ewok belief into the Jedi epistemology and co-opt them into the fight against the Empire. Benevolently or otherwise the Ewoks are 'turned', brought under the sway of the Jedi religion and the values of a civil democracy, no less effectively than Palpatine's turning Anakin to the Dark Side. The only alternate religious voice we have is patronised as primitive, cute and cuddly and ultimately consumed by the monotheistic world view of the re-emerging Republic. It's a sort of passive colonialism.

See also Gungans, Inferiority and Cultural Imperialism in Star Wars The Phantom Menace.

It is also possible (however improbable it sounds) that C-3PO is not actually a false god, but something more akin to a real god in that he is carrying around with him the secret to the creation of life itself. See my article on The Significance of C-3PO in the Star Wars Movies.

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All Star Wars action figures, vehicles, collectibles and Star Wars toys shown on this website are the 3.75 inch scale and from my own private Star Wars collection unless otherwise stated. Where possible original vintage accessories have been used but in some instances I have placed Kenner Star Wars figures with either reproduction weapons and accessories or for Hasbro figures close approximations have been used. This is mostly the case for modern Star Wars lightsabers where the correct item can be very difficult to identify on some ocassions. Vintage Star Wars action figures are shown with their original weapon or accessory when I have them. When a vintage Kenner action figure is shown with an accessory which is not original I have tried to point this out where possible.

All of the Star Wars action figures shown were purchased second hand, usually incomplete, and in bulk. They have been reunited with their original weapons and accessories where we could get hold of them.

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