That's the danger of being "in the middle". Because he clings stubbornly to the more passive role of nature "as is", even at the cost of life, he's just as, if not more vulnerable to the pull of ego, anger and ultimately the Dark Side. Which is why "Grey Jedi" can never be a thing. To be a Jedi demands a particular morality that emphasizes compassion and respect for life in all its forms. While Bendu is certainly a master in the fundamentals of life and the Force, he's not much good for anything else. He says so himself, being "unseen, unknowable, like a rock in a river".
In the end he stuck to his word. He was the one in the middle... so when he attacked, he killed Rebels too. But hey the assist was appreciated anyway so thanks Bendu!
@@kalvin187douglas he hits the Ghost with lightening but it doesn’t go down. He hits another fighter which definitely killed the crew. I assume others were hit off screen as well.
....... I will not be called a coward by the likes of you Kanan Jarrus! PERHAPS IT IS THE WILL OF THE FORCE *THAT THE JEDI AND ALL YOUR KIND PERISH... AND I SERVE THE WILL OF THE FORCE!*
@GrantKP does he? He doesn't view Bendu as neither a threat nor an asset. He could be a potential rival if provoked but if left alone its apathetic presence means nothing.
@GrantKP Which is why the "Grey Jedi solves everything" theory of the Force by fans is more of a power fantasy than reality in the mythos. People just wanna use Force Lightning while not being insane, but it doesn't really work like that for like 99% of Force users. Prolly because the Dark Side acts like more freaking cocaine x100 than an actual "side" of the Force lol
@GrantKP I never understood those who call everyone a grey jedi who is not a sith or a jedi.. there are literally a bunch of force wielder groups who are not jedi or sith.. how can Bendu be a grey jedi if he was never a jedi to begin with? not like the gery jedi thing is canon
@UCSGU5h7-d_9ft73VIlzXBkg he never said he belives in that it was the will of the force for all the jedi to be killed, he said "perhaps".. and he was not far from the truth as we just saw the dogmatic view of the jedi about the balance of the force.. Qui-Gon was the only jedi who followed the will of the force even if it meant to disobey the jedi order.. but my point was how can you be a grey jedi if you were never a jedi? That is like calling every dark side user sith.. is Kylo Ren a sith? Ventress? Savage? Pong Krell? Hell even Ezra used the dark side
Yep, apathy motivates him. He helped Kanan and Ezra because their imbalance was "loud" in the Force and he just wanted to sleep the ages away. He provided them the advice about the holocrons so they could end the conflict with Maul. But he was mad at being called cowardly, so he acted as a danger to everyone, kicking them off his planet. Then he humiliated Thrawn via prophecy and his ability to become a Force ghost. By Kreia's philosophy, he is like Jolee Bindo, squirreling away into a hermitage. Not really acting on the galaxy, not leaving a legacy or truly living, merely existing. But the Bendu is far more self centered than the old man.
There two ways of seeing bendu "being in middle" 1. He is there to assist both light and dark because they two sides of the same coin. ( Engaging with both sides) 2. He is there to stay out of the conflict of the light and dark. Just letting them deal with finding balance by themselves. (Avoiding both sides)
@@1987yk Well, if you consider Legends material, the Force is practically an eldritch jerk which manipulates events for incomprehensible purposes, so staying out of it all is actually very smart.
Doesn't have to be one or the other, all of the time. I don't take political sides, I agree with whoever I believe is right in a situation, and I call BS on whoever is wrong in a situation. I engage with both when I can, and I avoid both if necessary. A wise woman once said, If one is to truly understand then you will need the contrast, not adherence to a single ideology.
Seems that he carries just a small amount of pride within himself. A little bit of the dark leaking out of him once he was insulted by someone he already helped plenty.
Bendu is the complete opposite of Kreia. He is guided by the force's will entirely and only sees himself as a balanced force user. While Kreia wants the will of the force to be denied completely.
Abstention is not a neutral act. It is an action that aids the status quo. Doing nothing in the face of evil, and pretending neutrality, is evil at worst and apathy at best, and as a wise woman once said: "Apathy is death."
Well... yes but i dont think the Bendu has anything to do whith what happends to the rebels . What i mean is that he is neutral and has nothing to gain from what happens . He is neither good nor bad and if he can help he will but he will not get involved in a war that does not interest him
@@Joker11128 He is evil because he is allowing evil to continue. It'd be one thing if it was simple corruption or minor tyranny; but the Empire under Palpatine gleefully enslaves and genocides. That's an evil. And people with power that abide by that evil are just as guilty in perpetuating it.
Yeah kanan was in the wrong here, like bendu already helped these guys out all throughout the season and the moment he draws the line kanan gives him crap for it? You’d think a jedi would be better at negotiating, a being so connected to the force is not to be used like some common tag along for the war.
I think Kenan is one of those people who thinks good and evil are determined by which side you're on in a conflict. Its not. Like the people who think Stalin was good because he was on "our side" in the war.
@Lord Hendrickson they are war criminals when you actually look at how they tried to gain back control, commit genocide twice, while the emporer overthrew the republic he did "legally" he covered up his tracks, shut off the video in his room and left on the audio and cut out parts that sounded ridiculous so while it was a dictatorship pretty much legally things added up, the rebels are just terrorists who clearly can't even run a republic
@Lord Hendrickson jedi slime, it like in the elder scrolls you've got the imperials and storm cloaks the storm cloaks have no plan on how they'll govern skyrim if they do win, they have little political connections and are viewed as savages and morons by the political sphere because of this if they did gain control it wouldn't last very long as they would be steamrolled once again, under the imperials yes they opress in certain areas but like all governments do in real life anyway but business is generally booming, the citizens are safe from an invading force, and there is peace that is only disrupted by storm cloaks
I love Kanan here! He says to Bendu that there is no middle and though there are people who are morally grey, willing to either break the rules or just step aside, the life days otherwise and you need to pick a side
The jedi were initially destroyed because of their hubris a very sith trait to have. The sith won initially because they knew how the galaxy worked, but their arrogance knew no bounds. Bendu's power could tip either side in their favor, and this is why he chose not to participate. Petty squabbles, bureaucracy, rebel's, tyrant's, faith, and arrogance all fighting over whose right. If I had Bendu's level of power, and understanding I wouldn't fight either. Im glad that in the end he chose to attack as an amoral force of nature to both sides.
Just an observation, but even if he decided to participate to benefit one side or the other he has likely lived long enough to know that things will not end there. The sith and the Jedi have been fighting for ages and while the balance has tipped one way or the other time and time again, there has never been a complete victory for either side. Eventually opposition will rise to challenge the winner again and he would be attacked for participating in a previous struggle. He probably doesn't see how this conflict will necessarily be better then the ones before it or how his participation will put an end to the fighting between the two sides of the force. Most people in the Star Wars universe (most not all) believe that the battle they face is the one to end all battles and do not live long enough to see history repeat itself. That's just my thoughts.
@@emperorofinception3571 This is true. I recall one book series which I might have mentioned to you that has this very issue. One character who becomes important later on initially stays out of the conflicts. He repays those who help him and seeks to thwart or punish those who would manipulate or control him. He seems to have two aspects, light and dark. When being controlled by others and pulled from his solitude, he brings madness and death to all around him. When alone in his solitude he displays a much more lighthearted face, playing music and enjoying the nature in his place in the universe. At one point when he was asked by a character to allow them to return to where he had pulled them from before he asked why. Upon hearing their reason he stated that what they are doing will not end their conflict. They may defeat their enemy, but the dark will always find a way to oppose and challenge the light. Defeat the dark's greatest being and eventually another will rise to replace him. This proved true when mere minutes after the main antagonist was defeated, the next main antagonist emerged. Eventually this character became involved only when it became clear he could no longer maintain his neutrality and he made it clear he would only support them until this enemy is defeated. Once they are, he wants people to leave him strictly alone again as he was before.
@@lordofcreativity9637 I recall you mentioning that particular book series before and you are right. That character did stay out of things until he had no choice (repaying debts and frustrating supposed "followers" notwithstanding). He also eventually got involved since he would die as well, I will point out one important difference. Unlike the Bendu (whom as you so clearly stated would be hunted afterword's) this character is in a place where it is difficult to reach even if you do know where it is. He also has the benefit of knowing that those who might seek vengeance will end up being killed by the allies of the main character on his side of the universe. He has someone to act as his representative and who will ensure that those who seek to control him cannot do so. This character along with the main character will deal with their enemies on their side of the universe. Thus it is likely that in time he will be forgotten and left alone as desired. The Bendu doesn't have that luxury because Palpatine will not let any potential threats to his power live and even if he dies beforehand, the sith have very long memories. They never forget those responsible for their defeats in the past. Obviously he does not to spend the rest of his life fending off sith, bounty hunters, and whoever else wants his hide.
@@emperorofinception3571 This is true. It also helps that the Star Wars universe and the book series are worlds apart as far as technology including in information and knowledge about things. Most people make it their business to avoid knowledge that is not relevant to them (gossip aside), those who do know about certain things tend to guard it jealously making it difficult at times to gain accurate information. I imagine that in the Star Wars universe it is much easier to acquire information from one source or another when it is known especially if people take care to remember it.
Kanan: You can feel it can’t you ? My friends are dying Bendu : such is the fate of all living beings Kanan : not like this 😔 crushed by overwhelming evil I dropped a tear
"I am the BENDU! The ONE --" "--in the middle, so you keep saying. Look, I tried to live that way once, told myself the galaxy would go on with or without me, but when I saw innocents harmed and knew I had the power to do something about it, I couldn't just watch it all burn down around me! some things are worth fighting for!" damn that is a powerful line, I hope it did it's job and convinced SOMEONE to pick a side and quit being neutral on ANY issue, I don't even care what issue or side they take, just that they take ANY side.
(I'm going to be a little poetic here): there is no light or dark side of there force, but there is action and inaction, the passive Ashla and the active Bogan. The balance and the chaos are not good and evil, just state of being, the force itself is not morally good or evil, it's neither a tool nor a divine ruler, the force just is
Indeed “Kami shin” I always got the sense that things are not as simple as “Blame it on the will of the force” when things go wrong Or more accurately when things don’t go the way You want Perhaps the simple truth is that there is No will of the force Perhaps much like the universe the force doesn’t care It’s not suppose to care about superficial beliefs operating on a set of arbitrary rules created by sentient life But above everything else the force can take care of itself It needs no one to preach it, to practice it, or to believe in it. It is and will always be And just like life that creates it goes on with or without us Perhaps the force is only ever what You make of it Good or bad
"I am the One in the Middle!" Death Star shows up above then planet, some time after the rebellion got crushed, the Empire reigned supreme and the Emperor heard about the Bendu from Thrawn. "I take no sides!" Death Star fires a laser to a planet. "I will be long aft..." (spoiler!) Kanab's spirit: "You were saying?"
Honestly I don’t know why he expected any different. Bendu always professed to be neutral, between the light and the dark. They were fine accepting his off hand advice, but when it’s not to their benefit they shout at him? He’s always said he was impartial and never truly affiliated with anyone. They should have clocked that from the first meeting
The Bendu is the best and worst example as beings of the force. Yes, they're completely neutral and as such can access and use the force unlike any other force user in the galaxy, to understand it fully and completely. However, that same neutrality also prevents them from taking any action beyond reaction. A wise man once said 'The darkest places in Hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.' The Bendu did not intervene when the Jedi and Sith nearly tore apart the galaxy in titanic wars during the Old Republic, they did not guide the Jedi away from the path of dogmatic idleness and corruption, they did not aid anyone when the Sith took power and bent the Galaxy to their will under the Empire. The Bendu's reference to a 'rock in the river' is most apt, for a rock in the river is of little use beyond being stepped on to cross that river.
This is my favorite scene in all of Star Wars. I love the part where Kannan says, “No, but maybe we were meant to find it, and meant to find you.” It feels so magical, like life is happening how it is meant to, and the music adds so much to the scene. Kannan is my favorite Star Wars character. His blindness forced him to let go of his conscious self and act on instinct just as Obi Wan told Luke in Episode 4. Obi Wan said, “Your eyes can play tricks on you. Don’t trust them,” and with Kannan we see that idea come to fruition, and his connection to the force deepens even more so than when he had his sight. The idea that we do not see reality as it is independent of an observer has basically been proven by science, so our senses can play tricks on us and do not report objective reality. Anyway, the emotion Kannan pours into the scene and saying some things are worth fighting for is just beautiful. This is peak Star Wars.
In reality, there is no middle ground between the light and the darkness, no golden mean between good and evil. You either fully serve the light, or you serve darkness.
1:17 This quite literally is Kanan's entire arc in one sentence. He tried to hide from the conflict, but he realized he had the ability to help others who were in danger, to fight for those who cannot.
Makes sense, Bendu is kind of a direct opposite of Kreia. She despises that the fates of all living beings are defined and shaped by the cosmic Force and seeks its death. She hates when one surrenders themself to the fate, hence the aphorism - apathy Is death to her. Utter surrender to the Force. Bendu is the opposite, he knows and unquestionably serves the will of the Force, he knows that what is meant to happen, will. Despite the desires and denials of lesser beings.
You go Kanan. The Bendu is a coward. And for all his talk of being "the one in the middle," the second he is insulted he goes full dark side. Deciding to kill them all over being called a coward. Thrawn stopped a great evil from rising that day.
If you were living in your home and a bunch of people started fighting in it, making a mess of things, destroying said home, wouldnt you get pissed at everyone as well?
He also showed them he's good side ( helping them ) but then they want to use him essentially as a weapon for their own purpose so I see why he showed them he's dark side
I will not be called a coward by the likes of YOU, KANAN JARRUS! PERHAPS IT IS THE WILL OF THE FORCE *THAT THE JEDI AND ALL YOUR KIND PERISH, AND I SERVE THE WILL… **_OF THE FORCE!!!_*
His logic was utterly flawed. If Bendu was truly meant to be the middle, then he absolutely should actually have helped Kanan. To be in the middle means to be in balance. Consider how things were with the Ones. Daughter was Light, Son was Darkness, and Father was the balancer of the two, the middle. And if Light and Dark were to clash, it was the middle's responsibility to prevent the two from destroying one another and keeping them in check. Otherwise, it would lead to everything being out of balance. Yet what did Bendu want to do here? Nothing. He was allowing Light and Dark to clash, but the Darkness was crushing the Light. He was no longer acting in the best interest of balance or what he should be, the middle. By doing nothing, he showed favor to the Dark. In that perspective, that was siding with the Dark and is against the Light. So Bendu was going against balance, going against what he stood for, as the middle, by choosing to do nothing.
I feel his purpose is just remain completely neutral when it comes to fighting. He was willing to assist Kanan in previous encounters, but never through combat. I have a feeling if Maul had come seeking advice he would have assisted him as well so long as he was polite about it. If he really was trying to "preserve balance" he wouldnt have remained hidden on this world for thousands of years. By being in the middle, I feel like he just means staying out of the conflict between the dark and the light, whereas the trio on Mortis were actively trying to tip the scales of balance of the force toward their specific preferences, the Bendu himself is balanced, and will make no effort to tip the scales toward either side. Tldr: Imo, The Bendu himself is balanced, and he doesnt care what the rest of the world is trying to do, unless the force wills it, he wont lift a finger
@@shermanthemerman well Bendu is an idiot. "Perhaps it was the will of the Force that all your kind Perished" Uh no. The Will of the Force WANTS and NEEDS the Sith to go extinct otherwise there will never be true balance. Infact Bendu is wise as hell, wise as Kreia infact, but is issue comes from interpreting the Force in the wrong way. Allowing one side to completely obliterate the other isn't what the Force would want. In the words of Darth Traya: "So you would do nothing? Apathy is death- Worse than Death. Because atleast a rotting corpse feeds the beast and insects" and Bendu needs that reminder
Balance always meant the Light Side or The Force would win out. The Force is life and death, the cycle of existence. The Dark side is selfish, hatred, and prolonging life far longer than it should. To act selfless is the way of the Jedi and the Force, to act selfish even out of love leads to the dark side. But you are right about the Bendu doing nothing. With all his power and knowledge, what did he do? He could have impacted the war or help either the Jedi or Sith. But instead he chose to sit on his planet and do nothing until Kanan and the Rebels came. He chose to be Apathetic and allowed the Galaxy to burn around him and that is even worse than choosing either side.
Nathan Rivers but what is the Bendu doing with his knowledge and power? Has he tried to change the Jedi? Or stop the Sith from killing millions and causing even more to suffer? He just sits on his dusty planet and did nothing. That’s even worse than what the Sith and Jedi stand for
So many people misinterpret Bendu's character as a wise old sage, perfectly balanced and in the middle. But really he represents a being who really is too scared to pick a side and only cares for his own well being, and only realizes the error of his ways when the war comes to his doorstep.
Odd how people will read into this some excuse for moral choices in their own lives. Here we have someone who is in fact a selfish coward for some nonsensical philosophy of neutrality. There is good and evil. Cold, heartless, selfishness is played out well when he gets angry enough to lash out in a violent temper tantrum. Like an entitled brat with a nuke. From a character development perspective, this was pretty good.
that's the point, Bendu is making fun of centrists and the stupidity of their logic, he is like the real people who say "yah i know that conservatives raided the white house but they are just as bad as liberals" and then refusing to show anything we have done nearly close to that scale
@maksymilianziele28 While the Bendu is a neutral player, that does not mean he would not protect himself when faced with a threat. If the Death Star fired on his planet, he would strike back as a force storm much how he did in the show.
@michaelbennett7561 The Jedi and Sith both try to enforce their will upon the galaxy. Being in the middle is to check yourself. That you do not have the right to use that power over others, even if you think its for a greater good.
Gets called a coward once, flips out and becomes a cloud of death...
Bendu may be in the middle but he's got some serious anger issues to iron out.
he is only the statistic middle, because he tends towards both extremes.
That's the danger of being "in the middle". Because he clings stubbornly to the more passive role of nature "as is", even at the cost of life, he's just as, if not more vulnerable to the pull of ego, anger and ultimately the Dark Side.
Which is why "Grey Jedi" can never be a thing. To be a Jedi demands a particular morality that emphasizes compassion and respect for life in all its forms. While Bendu is certainly a master in the fundamentals of life and the Force, he's not much good for anything else. He says so himself, being "unseen, unknowable, like a rock in a river".
he got triggered rofl
Those with real power will never tolerate being called a coward. The semblance of power is nothing.
In the end he stuck to his word. He was the one in the middle... so when he attacked, he killed Rebels too. But hey the assist was appreciated anyway so thanks Bendu!
@@1987yk the wars of the jedi and sith have caused chaos in the galaxy for millions upon millions of years since the first great schism.
Wait I forgot abit of this episode but he also killed some of the rebels too?
@@kalvin187douglas he hits the Ghost with lightening but it doesn’t go down. He hits another fighter which definitely killed the crew. I assume others were hit off screen as well.
@@IsaacHozz Also a dornean gunship. Either by Bendu or the imperial blockade offscreen.
....... I will not be called a coward by the likes of you Kanan Jarrus! PERHAPS IT IS THE WILL OF THE FORCE *THAT THE JEDI AND ALL YOUR KIND PERISH... AND I SERVE THE WILL OF THE FORCE!*
yes that is what he said
@GrantKP does he? He doesn't view Bendu as neither a threat nor an asset. He could be a potential rival if provoked but if left alone its apathetic presence means nothing.
@GrantKP Which is why the "Grey Jedi solves everything" theory of the Force by fans is more of a power fantasy than reality in the mythos. People just wanna use Force Lightning while not being insane, but it doesn't really work like that for like 99% of Force users. Prolly because the Dark Side acts like more freaking cocaine x100 than an actual "side" of the Force lol
@GrantKP I never understood those who call everyone a grey jedi who is not a sith or a jedi.. there are literally a bunch of force wielder groups who are not jedi or sith.. how can Bendu be a grey jedi if he was never a jedi to begin with? not like the gery jedi thing is canon
@UCSGU5h7-d_9ft73VIlzXBkg he never said he belives in that it was the will of the force for all the jedi to be killed, he said "perhaps".. and he was not far from the truth as we just saw the dogmatic view of the jedi about the balance of the force.. Qui-Gon was the only jedi who followed the will of the force even if it meant to disobey the jedi order..
but my point was how can you be a grey jedi if you were never a jedi? That is like calling every dark side user sith.. is Kylo Ren a sith? Ventress? Savage? Pong Krell? Hell even Ezra used the dark side
"I am unseeable, unknowable! Like a rock in the river."
Thrawn: *Sheeeeeet look at what I found*
Bendu: I am unseeable, unknowable!
Thrawn: bouta be unalive too
Bendu: _laughs_
Thrawn: "You know what? I don't want to be on this planet anymore"
Drax is bendu confirmed
“SO YOU WILL DO NOTHING!? APATHY IS DEATH!”-Kreia
Apathy is death
Yep, apathy motivates him. He helped Kanan and Ezra because their imbalance was "loud" in the Force and he just wanted to sleep the ages away. He provided them the advice about the holocrons so they could end the conflict with Maul. But he was mad at being called cowardly, so he acted as a danger to everyone, kicking them off his planet. Then he humiliated Thrawn via prophecy and his ability to become a Force ghost.
By Kreia's philosophy, he is like Jolee Bindo, squirreling away into a hermitage. Not really acting on the galaxy, not leaving a legacy or truly living, merely existing. But the Bendu is far more self centered than the old man.
There two ways of seeing bendu "being in middle"
1. He is there to assist both light and dark because they two sides of the same coin. ( Engaging with both sides)
2. He is there to stay out of the conflict of the light and dark. Just letting them deal with finding balance by themselves. (Avoiding both sides)
He doesn't assist. For him there is "only the force" and he "serves the will of the force".
@@Intreductor Only the force is a balance between the light and the dark sides of it.
@@1987yk Well, if you consider Legends material, the Force is practically an eldritch jerk which manipulates events for incomprehensible purposes, so staying out of it all is actually very smart.
Doesn't have to be one or the other, all of the time. I don't take political sides, I agree with whoever I believe is right in a situation, and I call BS on whoever is wrong in a situation. I engage with both when I can, and I avoid both if necessary. A wise woman once said, If one is to truly understand then you will need the contrast, not adherence to a single ideology.
For such an omnipotent being he sure got triggered easily
Seems that he carries just a small amount of pride within himself. A little bit of the dark leaking out of him once he was insulted by someone he already helped plenty.
1:54
Kanan: You'd rather hide... like a coward.
Bendu: THE BOULDER TAKES ISSUE WITH THAT COMMENT!
When you piss off the 4th doctor
☠️
Bendu is the complete opposite of Kreia.
He is guided by the force's will entirely and only sees himself as a balanced force user.
While Kreia wants the will of the force to be denied completely.
Because, apathy is death!
@@tom091178 worse than death, because at least a rotting corpse feeds the beasts and insects.
Based Kreia
in other words, anti-centrism
Before we saw the light side version of Bendu. Now we see his dark side.
Bendu had such a great voice actor. So damned epic!
You can't get a much more epic voice than Tom Baker!
He took it personally
For being a so old and wise creature he is easily offended by a mere “coward”
2:24 - When buddy starts using the Dead Lights from IT, then perhaps it's time to apologize and leave. QUICKLY!
Well given he's blind ... I doubt he noticed 😆
Those spiders are now live action
Yes
And they're terrifying
They just shipped them from Australia
@@wormybobcat3706 wait what
@@Alextherelic1 they didn’t use cgi for this scene
Abstention is not a neutral act.
It is an action that aids the status quo.
Doing nothing in the face of evil, and pretending neutrality, is evil at worst and apathy at best, and as a wise woman once said:
"Apathy is death."
Well... yes but i dont think the Bendu has anything to do whith what happends to the rebels . What i mean is that he is neutral and has nothing to gain from what happens . He is neither good nor bad and if he can help he will but he will not get involved in a war that does not interest him
Define evil.
@@dextercochran4916 Emperor Palpatine. Period.
@@Joker11128 He is evil because he is allowing evil to continue. It'd be one thing if it was simple corruption or minor tyranny; but the Empire under Palpatine gleefully enslaves and genocides. That's an evil. And people with power that abide by that evil are just as guilty in perpetuating it.
@@stephenjenkins7971 DEUS VULT!
There is no middle ground. There is only light and darkness and people having to chose them.
There are three things all men must fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle soul
"Let me tell you something, you ain't bout to come to my hood disrespecting my ass"
Yeah kanan was in the wrong here, like bendu already helped these guys out all throughout the season and the moment he draws the line kanan gives him crap for it? You’d think a jedi would be better at negotiating, a being so connected to the force is not to be used like some common tag along for the war.
Well Kanan isn't exactly the most wise or accomplished jedi
I think Kenan is one of those people who thinks good and evil are determined by which side you're on in a conflict. Its not.
Like the people who think Stalin was good because he was on "our side" in the war.
ah, yes, the one who indescriminately murdered people fighting for survival against unrelenting evil is the one in the right
@Lord Hendrickson they are war criminals when you actually look at how they tried to gain back control, commit genocide twice, while the emporer overthrew the republic he did "legally" he covered up his tracks, shut off the video in his room and left on the audio and cut out parts that sounded ridiculous so while it was a dictatorship pretty much legally things added up, the rebels are just terrorists who clearly can't even run a republic
@Lord Hendrickson jedi slime, it like in the elder scrolls you've got the imperials and storm cloaks the storm cloaks have no plan on how they'll govern skyrim if they do win, they have little political connections and are viewed as savages and morons by the political sphere because of this if they did gain control it wouldn't last very long as they would be steamrolled once again, under the imperials yes they opress in certain areas but like all governments do in real life anyway but business is generally booming, the citizens are safe from an invading force, and there is peace that is only disrupted by storm cloaks
Someone lost their teacher like composure lol
I love Kanan here! He says to Bendu that there is no middle and though there are people who are morally grey, willing to either break the rules or just step aside, the life days otherwise and you need to pick a side
The jedi were initially destroyed because of their hubris a very sith trait to have. The sith won initially because they knew how the galaxy worked, but their arrogance knew no bounds. Bendu's power could tip either side in their favor, and this is why he chose not to participate. Petty squabbles, bureaucracy, rebel's, tyrant's, faith, and arrogance all fighting over whose right. If I had Bendu's level of power, and understanding I wouldn't fight either. Im glad that in the end he chose to attack as an amoral force of nature to both sides.
He keeps balance by staying out of it
Just an observation, but even if he decided to participate to benefit one side or the other he has likely lived long enough to know that things will not end there. The sith and the Jedi have been fighting for ages and while the balance has tipped one way or the other time and time again, there has never been a complete victory for either side. Eventually opposition will rise to challenge the winner again and he would be attacked for participating in a previous struggle. He probably doesn't see how this conflict will necessarily be better then the ones before it or how his participation will put an end to the fighting between the two sides of the force. Most people in the Star Wars universe (most not all) believe that the battle they face is the one to end all battles and do not live long enough to see history repeat itself. That's just my thoughts.
@@emperorofinception3571 This is true. I recall one book series which I might have mentioned to you that has this very issue. One character who becomes important later on initially stays out of the conflicts. He repays those who help him and seeks to thwart or punish those who would manipulate or control him. He seems to have two aspects, light and dark. When being controlled by others and pulled from his solitude, he brings madness and death to all around him. When alone in his solitude he displays a much more lighthearted face, playing music and enjoying the nature in his place in the universe. At one point when he was asked by a character to allow them to return to where he had pulled them from before he asked why. Upon hearing their reason he stated that what they are doing will not end their conflict. They may defeat their enemy, but the dark will always find a way to oppose and challenge the light. Defeat the dark's greatest being and eventually another will rise to replace him. This proved true when mere minutes after the main antagonist was defeated, the next main antagonist emerged. Eventually this character became involved only when it became clear he could no longer maintain his neutrality and he made it clear he would only support them until this enemy is defeated. Once they are, he wants people to leave him strictly alone again as he was before.
@@lordofcreativity9637 I recall you mentioning that particular book series before and you are right. That character did stay out of things until he had no choice (repaying debts and frustrating supposed "followers" notwithstanding). He also eventually got involved since he would die as well, I will point out one important difference. Unlike the Bendu (whom as you so clearly stated would be hunted afterword's) this character is in a place where it is difficult to reach even if you do know where it is. He also has the benefit of knowing that those who might seek vengeance will end up being killed by the allies of the main character on his side of the universe. He has someone to act as his representative and who will ensure that those who seek to control him cannot do so. This character along with the main character will deal with their enemies on their side of the universe. Thus it is likely that in time he will be forgotten and left alone as desired. The Bendu doesn't have that luxury because Palpatine will not let any potential threats to his power live and even if he dies beforehand, the sith have very long memories. They never forget those responsible for their defeats in the past. Obviously he does not to spend the rest of his life fending off sith, bounty hunters, and whoever else wants his hide.
@@emperorofinception3571 This is true. It also helps that the Star Wars universe and the book series are worlds apart as far as technology including in information and knowledge about things. Most people make it their business to avoid knowledge that is not relevant to them (gossip aside), those who do know about certain things tend to guard it jealously making it difficult at times to gain accurate information. I imagine that in the Star Wars universe it is much easier to acquire information from one source or another when it is known especially if people take care to remember it.
Kanan: You can feel it can’t you ? My friends are dying
Bendu : such is the fate of all living beings
Kanan : not like this 😔 crushed by overwhelming evil
I dropped a tear
"I am the BENDU! The ONE --"
"--in the middle, so you keep saying. Look, I tried to live that way once, told myself the galaxy would go on with or without me, but when I saw innocents harmed and knew I had the power to do something about it, I couldn't just watch it all burn down around me! some things are worth fighting for!"
damn that is a powerful line, I hope it did it's job and convinced SOMEONE to pick a side and quit being neutral on ANY issue, I don't even care what issue or side they take, just that they take ANY side.
Tom Baker, 80 years old here and sounding absolutely terrifying.
The Doctor would not refuse to help them survive, disgraceful.
@@micahbell5572 Umless it was the 8th, pre time war
(I'm going to be a little poetic here): there is no light or dark side of there force, but there is action and inaction, the passive Ashla and the active Bogan. The balance and the chaos are not good and evil, just state of being, the force itself is not morally good or evil, it's neither a tool nor a divine ruler, the force just is
Nope try again
Indeed “Kami shin”
I always got the sense that things are not as simple as
“Blame it on the will of the force” when things go wrong
Or more accurately when things don’t go the way You want
Perhaps the simple truth is that there is No will of the force
Perhaps much like the universe the force doesn’t care
It’s not suppose to care about superficial beliefs operating on a set of arbitrary rules created by sentient life
But above everything else the force can take care of itself
It needs no one to preach it, to practice it, or to believe in it. It is and will always be
And just like life that creates it goes on with or without us
Perhaps the force is only ever what You make of it
Good or bad
"I am the One in the Middle!"
Death Star shows up above then planet, some time after the rebellion got crushed, the Empire reigned supreme and the Emperor heard about the Bendu from Thrawn.
"I take no sides!"
Death Star fires a laser to a planet.
"I will be long aft..."
(spoiler!) Kanab's spirit: "You were saying?"
Honestly I don’t know why he expected any different. Bendu always professed to be neutral, between the light and the dark. They were fine accepting his off hand advice, but when it’s not to their benefit they shout at him? He’s always said he was impartial and never truly affiliated with anyone. They should have clocked that from the first meeting
Facts. He goes on either way
Trying to get Switzerland to join your side as they are somehow the strongest nation. On earth
This aged like milk since the Swiss joined against Russia over Ukraine.
The Bendu is the best and worst example as beings of the force. Yes, they're completely neutral and as such can access and use the force unlike any other force user in the galaxy, to understand it fully and completely. However, that same neutrality also prevents them from taking any action beyond reaction. A wise man once said 'The darkest places in Hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.'
The Bendu did not intervene when the Jedi and Sith nearly tore apart the galaxy in titanic wars during the Old Republic, they did not guide the Jedi away from the path of dogmatic idleness and corruption, they did not aid anyone when the Sith took power and bent the Galaxy to their will under the Empire. The Bendu's reference to a 'rock in the river' is most apt, for a rock in the river is of little use beyond being stepped on to cross that river.
Bendu sounds like an earth bender, one that follows the 3rd path.
May the force be with you.
Marty McFly: Did you just call me... chicken?
This is my favorite scene in all of Star Wars. I love the part where Kannan says, “No, but maybe we were meant to find it, and meant to find you.” It feels so magical, like life is happening how it is meant to, and the music adds so much to the scene. Kannan is my favorite Star Wars character. His blindness forced him to let go of his conscious self and act on instinct just as Obi Wan told Luke in Episode 4. Obi Wan said, “Your eyes can play tricks on you. Don’t trust them,” and with Kannan we see that idea come to fruition, and his connection to the force deepens even more so than when he had his sight. The idea that we do not see reality as it is independent of an observer has basically been proven by science, so our senses can play tricks on us and do not report objective reality. Anyway, the emotion Kannan pours into the scene and saying some things are worth fighting for is just beautiful. This is peak Star Wars.
1:57 TRIGGERED
Wow, this escalated quickly.
In reality, there is no middle ground between the light and the darkness, no golden mean between good and evil. You either fully serve the light, or you serve darkness.
Ya bendu killed a lot of rebel troopers you owe us a big apology bendu
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you've chosen the side of the oppressor.
“Then this solider invoked the spirits of the wind”
A ghost in the trenches would fit perfect over this entire scene
I like how Bendu is kind of like a contrast to Yoda…
How so?
@@joshcoy6748 Well with all the lessons he up front about it for one thing.
@@timezerohour8864 I see.
Another play on how appearances can be deceiving. With this lumbering animalisitc behemoth actually being another sage being.
1:17 This quite literally is Kanan's entire arc in one sentence. He tried to hide from the conflict, but he realized he had the ability to help others who were in danger, to fight for those who cannot.
Kannan is a true jedi tbh.
For being so old he got mad really fast
So you will do nothing? Apathy is death, worse than death.
Oh, he fell to the Dark side pretty quick.
😅
"Coward, any day"
1:54 You’d rather HIDE like a COWARD
Triggered the shat out of Bendu lmao
Apathy is Death - kreia
Makes sense, Bendu is kind of a direct opposite of Kreia. She despises that the fates of all living beings are defined and shaped by the cosmic Force and seeks its death. She hates when one surrenders themself to the fate, hence the aphorism - apathy Is death to her. Utter surrender to the Force.
Bendu is the opposite, he knows and unquestionably serves the will of the Force, he knows that what is meant to happen, will. Despite the desires and denials of lesser beings.
You go Kanan. The Bendu is a coward. And for all his talk of being "the one in the middle," the second he is insulted he goes full dark side. Deciding to kill them all over being called a coward. Thrawn stopped a great evil from rising that day.
If you were living in your home and a bunch of people started fighting in it, making a mess of things, destroying said home, wouldnt you get pissed at everyone as well?
He also showed them he's good side ( helping them ) but then they want to use him essentially as a weapon for their own purpose so I see why he showed them he's dark side
Your a jackass for this comment
Everyone loves to say that they’re in the “middle” and they “don’t pick sides.” Everyone chooses a side once it starts to get real.
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in period of moral crisis maintain their neutrality."- Dante
So yea- f&^# BeNdU.
How did bendu view the rebellion and the empire
I will not be called a coward by the likes of YOU, KANAN JARRUS! PERHAPS IT IS THE WILL OF THE FORCE *THAT THE JEDI AND ALL YOUR KIND PERISH, AND I SERVE THE WILL… **_OF THE FORCE!!!_*
If you think bendu is right here you really lost the plot
There’s a lot of authoritarian apologist in the SW community
His logic was utterly flawed. If Bendu was truly meant to be the middle, then he absolutely should actually have helped Kanan.
To be in the middle means to be in balance.
Consider how things were with the Ones. Daughter was Light, Son was Darkness, and Father was the balancer of the two, the middle. And if Light and Dark were to clash, it was the middle's responsibility to prevent the two from destroying one another and keeping them in check. Otherwise, it would lead to everything being out of balance.
Yet what did Bendu want to do here? Nothing.
He was allowing Light and Dark to clash, but the Darkness was crushing the Light. He was no longer acting in the best interest of balance or what he should be, the middle. By doing nothing, he showed favor to the Dark. In that perspective, that was siding with the Dark and is against the Light.
So Bendu was going against balance, going against what he stood for, as the middle, by choosing to do nothing.
I feel his purpose is just remain completely neutral when it comes to fighting. He was willing to assist Kanan in previous encounters, but never through combat. I have a feeling if Maul had come seeking advice he would have assisted him as well so long as he was polite about it. If he really was trying to "preserve balance" he wouldnt have remained hidden on this world for thousands of years. By being in the middle, I feel like he just means staying out of the conflict between the dark and the light, whereas the trio on Mortis were actively trying to tip the scales of balance of the force toward their specific preferences, the Bendu himself is balanced, and will make no effort to tip the scales toward either side.
Tldr: Imo, The Bendu himself is balanced, and he doesnt care what the rest of the world is trying to do, unless the force wills it, he wont lift a finger
@@shermanthemerman well Bendu is an idiot. "Perhaps it was the will of the Force that all your kind Perished" Uh no. The Will of the Force WANTS and NEEDS the Sith to go extinct otherwise there will never be true balance. Infact Bendu is wise as hell, wise as Kreia infact, but is issue comes from interpreting the Force in the wrong way. Allowing one side to completely obliterate the other isn't what the Force would want. In the words of Darth Traya: "So you would do nothing? Apathy is death- Worse than Death. Because atleast a rotting corpse feeds the beast and insects" and Bendu needs that reminder
Balance always meant the Light Side or The Force would win out. The Force is life and death, the cycle of existence. The Dark side is selfish, hatred, and prolonging life far longer than it should. To act selfless is the way of the Jedi and the Force, to act selfish even out of love leads to the dark side.
But you are right about the Bendu doing nothing. With all his power and knowledge, what did he do? He could have impacted the war or help either the Jedi or Sith. But instead he chose to sit on his planet and do nothing until Kanan and the Rebels came. He chose to be Apathetic and allowed the Galaxy to burn around him and that is even worse than choosing either side.
@@TheNorthie All of ya are full of shit. The Bendu is right about everything, his view of the Force makes perfect sense.
Nathan Rivers but what is the Bendu doing with his knowledge and power? Has he tried to change the Jedi? Or stop the Sith from killing millions and causing even more to suffer? He just sits on his dusty planet and did nothing. That’s even worse than what the Sith and Jedi stand for
1:06 You pass butter
No
The moment when you realise the guy is being true neutral not because he has to be but because he’s powerful enough to choose to be
1:57
Hmmm
So many people misinterpret Bendu's character as a wise old sage, perfectly balanced and in the middle. But really he represents a being who really is too scared to pick a side and only cares for his own well being, and only realizes the error of his ways when the war comes to his doorstep.
Odd how people will read into this some excuse for moral choices in their own lives. Here we have someone who is in fact a selfish coward for some nonsensical philosophy of neutrality. There is good and evil. Cold, heartless, selfishness is played out well when he gets angry enough to lash out in a violent temper tantrum. Like an entitled brat with a nuke. From a character development perspective, this was pretty good.
As a wise women one said "Apathy is death, worse then death, for even a corps feeds the beasts and insects."
I don't like Bendu
I dont like you. Space moose covered in shroomshale is cool.
that's the point, Bendu is making fun of centrists and the stupidity of their logic, he is like the real people who say "yah i know that conservatives raided the white house but they are just as bad as liberals" and then refusing to show anything we have done nearly close to that scale
@@Gnomie445 do you mean you like his design or his philosophy? because if #2 then he exists to make fun of you
@maksymilianziele28 While the Bendu is a neutral player, that does not mean he would not protect himself when faced with a threat. If the Death Star fired on his planet, he would strike back as a force storm much how he did in the show.
@michaelbennett7561 The Jedi and Sith both try to enforce their will upon the galaxy. Being in the middle is to check yourself. That you do not have the right to use that power over others, even if you think its for a greater good.
To be fair, both sides suck
1:58 TRIGGERED