Image from Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

Who said Gandhi didn’t wield a lightsaber? In a comment on yesterday’s post What Color Is Your Focusing Crystal?, Barbara asked about the ending to the cliffhanger video. The last we saw was Luke Skywalker cutting off Darth Vader’s hand, then realizing that he was walking down the path to the dark side.

First, a recap of the situation.

Our hero Luke Skywalker is in a terrible bind. He has set out to try to convince his father, Darth Vader, to abandon the dark side, believing that there’s still good in him. But Vader has no interest in turning, and wants Luke to join the dark side. The key to doing so is to get Luke to give in to anger.

The Emperor wants Luke to embrace his hate by killing Darth Vader. If he does, he’ll be converted to the dark side and take Vader’s place alongside the Emperor. Luke had resisted so far except for a brief loss of control (the clip in the previous post). But then he regained his composure, threw down his lightsaber, and refused to fight, saying that he’s a Jedi, and he will never join the dark side.

Then this happened (rated PG for sci-fi action violence):

It worked out well for Luke, but he had no reason to expect that a happy ending was even possible. It was a miracle that his father decided to turn good after 30 years of being the second most evil person in the galaxy. Luke was prepared to die because that was a better alternative than turning to the dark side.

Are there situations where it’s best to refuse to fight, and accept the consequences? While people usually err on the side of not fighting enough, I think sometimes it’s best to just let it go.

When someone cuts you off in traffic, don’t fight them. Don’t give in to hate, because nothing good will come of it.

When someone falsely accuses you of having ulterior motives, don’t fight them. You can’t convince them with words anyway.

When someone tells you you’re bound to fail, don’t fight them. They may be wrong and they may be right, but your fight is not with them.

By all means, fight when you have to, when the potential benefits outweigh the costs. But don’t let someone draw you into a fight that’s not worth it. A Jedi is wise enough to choose his battles.