Star Wars Archetypes

Today we'll be closing the Star Wars posting with an brief look at the different characters within the Star Wars Universe. They all fit into different mythological archetypes that have been used and reuses many times.

An archetype is defined as a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated. The categorizing of archetypes for psychological purposes was advanced by Campbell's predecessor Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. He noted many different archetypes. Here are some of the main ones.

-The Child
-The Hero
-The Martyr
-The Wise Old Man
-The Great Mother
-The Damsel in Distress
-The Trickster
-The Devil

So let start looking at the characters of Star Wars and see what archetypes they fit into.

Princess Leia- Leia represents the feminine in the male dominated Star Wars Universe. Primarily she's the protective caring nurturing mother but takes on many forms in the various films. In the First film she's the classic damsel in distress when she's captures by the empire and has to be rescued by Luke and Han Solo. She then reveals herself to be a bit of a female warrior as she fights her way off the Death Star. In the second film she takes on a more military leadership role but also a romantic lover role and she and Han Solo begin a relationship. In the final film it is revealed that she is the twin sister of Luke. As such she becomes his female counterpart with all the same potential and strength he has.

Han Solo- Han is perhaps the most beloved character in the Star Wars Universe. Mainly because he's a bad boy and everyone loves a bad boy. To be more formal, he the cynical anti-hero and also a bit of a cowboy relying on guns and sheer ballsy courage to get him through situations. He is strong and independent as his name SOLO suggests which highlights the journey this hero must. In the first film Han is a shape shifter, a character who the hero isn't sure he can trust. A man who's intentions and true loyalties are hidden. Han doesn't want to care about the rebellion or fighting the empire. He only cares about himself and dealing with his own problems. But he comes to care about Luke and his mission and ends up joining the rebellion. And so Han's overall quest is to learn to care about others more than himself. In the second film this journey continues as Han the warrior must learn to love. He and Leia begin a shaky relationship which leads him to sacrifice his life to protect her and his friends. In the final film Han is fully realized. He is the lover to Leia and a respected general in the rebellion. Not too shabby for a once scruffy smuggler.

Chewbacca- Chewie represents the animal companion. Many times the hero befriends a beast who helps them along their journey. They help remind the hero of his connection to the natural world.

R2-D2/C3P0- These two droids are part comical relief and part everyman. They act and react in their universe much like we would too if we were thrown into the Star Wars films. They are the fools who cower and run but also are heralds who issue challenges and announce the coming of change in the hero's life.

Vader/Emperor/Boba Fett- These character are the Shadows of the Star Wars story. The representations of darkness in the hero's life. They are nearly always the road block in the way of the hero completing their quest.

Yoda- Like Obi-Wan, Yoda is the basic Old man mentor archetype. However he has other roles too. When he first meets Luke he' a trickster pretending to be a senile swamp creature. Then we discover he's actually a threshold guardian. In this role, Yoda protects secrets and wisdom from the hero until the hero proves himself worthy for such gifts. This wisdom is not just the ways of the Force but also the truth about Luke's family and father's downfall. He is also an oracle who can see beyond the present and into future possibilities.