The Dark Side:  The Fine Line Between Good and Evil

"MISTAKES: It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others."   DEMOTIVATORS poster with a picture of a sunken ship

What is the purpose of your life? Many spend their entire lives trying to answer that question. Sometimes we learn a lot by studying the lives of those courageous individuals that made a difference and triumphed over evil. We love superheroes and applaud when they save the day. But lately I have wondered what we can learn from the "bad" guy. As the poster I mentioned above says, could the purpose of your life be to show others how "not" to live? It is an important question that deserves consideration.  If you are not a Star Wars fan, I apologize for some of the references. But I think you will get my point if you hang with me. 

I have watched Star Wars for years, as far back as the first movie that came out in the late 1970's. I have always been intrigued by the characters and I even hung in there for the prequels of Episode I and II in the early 2000's. In the newer movies, the dialogue was cheesy and they obviously were developed to appeal to a younger audience. Then along came Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It was a much darker and serious movie. Almost everyone has heard of Darth Vader, the evil looming figure in the black robotic suit with raspy breath and the voice of James Earl Jones. Episode III reveals the creation of Darth Vader from a young Anakin Skywalker. Uprooted from his home planet in Episode I and trained to be a Jedi Knight, Anakin is given the weighty responsibility of being the “chosen one” that will bring peace to the universe. He is burdened with fear and anger and seeks approval and power to fill his emptiness. Along the way he falls in love with Princess Amadala, which is forbidden for a Jedi Knight. By the end of the movie, through the deception of the Sith Lord, he moves over to the dark side (aka bad guys) to save his wife from death. To lure him into his dark service, he was promised the power to suspend death by the emperor. It is the saddest of the Star Wars movies, rich with deception, death, and betrayal. It is a tragic tale that reminds me of the Greek tragedies and men and women of the Bible who failed in dramatic ways. 

I am intrigued by the “bad” guys, not because I aspire to be like them, but because I want to learn how things went so terribly wrong. Did all evil men start out with the intention of causing death and destruction? Did they all aspire to be evil when they grew up, similar to little boys wanting to be firemen or police officers? Are all evil people insane, or are they driven by fear and a need for approval just like us? What worries me more than anything is that there are usually only a few key events or choices that tip the evil person over the edge. These choices make the difference between a life of good or a life of evil. One road leads to destruction. The other leads to life. The downfall of Anakin Skywalker reminds me of Judas from the Bible. Was his deception and ultimate betrayal of Jesus planned from the beginning? Were there specific events that tipped him over the edge? Was it greed or fear or a longing for power? We will never know this side of heaven. 

I think the lesson from Darth Vader and other bad guys is this: we are all capable of life-changing and ultimately evil choices. When I see videos of people in prison or hear of those who are facing the consequences of their behavior, all I can say is “There but for the grace of God go I”. I pray that we can recognize when our choices are leading us down a path of destruction. I pray that I can be diligent and recognize when I am heading the wrong way. No one is immune to the scars and consequences of bad choices.

Sometimes when I watch a movie that demonstrates a battle between good and evil, I feel pity for the bad guy. It is not because I approve of his bad behavior, but because I know that we are one breath, one heartbeat, one bad choice away from being in their company. Happy endings are within our grasp. Let us not let them slip away.