This is the real purpose and point of The Bendu
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- čas přidán 19. 06. 2023
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I genuinely like how Bendu was so stubbornly neutral that when he did start taking action his target was everyone.
He’s literally the old grampa telling the kids and bullies to get off his lawn 😂
He's like Spider-Punk minus the cool anti-authoritarianism plus claiming that he's on nobody's side because he hates everyone.
@@ellugerdelacruz2555 No he's not, someone didn't pay attention to the movie, Hobie helped Miles and Gwen, and at the end he joins Gwen to save Miles and stop Miguel
@@ellugerdelacruz2555He's nothing like Hobie
@@ellugerdelacruz2555 did you actually just compare someone who supports the status-quo to someone who's whole thing is fighting the status-quo?
Imagine a conversation between Bendu and Kreia. Bendu is the embodiment of apathy but Kreia believes apathy is worse than death, because at least death allows new life to flourish.
Statement: Apathy is death
She would likely scold him for having all this power and doing nothing with it. Not really sure what Bendu would say in response
@@socialaccount0000 He'd probably point out that despite all she does, her will cannot shape the Will of the Force and she'll eventually be lost and forgotten. A real Ozymandias moment.
@DrTimes99
She'd then retort that he's not truly "remembered" at all since most of the galaxy has forgotten him and his actions do not outlive him because he takes no action at all, so he has no right to say such a thing lest he be a hypocrite.
She'd also add that perhaps his neutrality has less to do with the Force and more to do with wanting to be left alone in return for not wanting to be any part of anything.
@@DrTimes99this. And then be bored and disappear unless she insults him for being a coward
The Bendu feels a bit like being a rock. It's just existence. No temptation, no action, no friendships, no attachments. You just exist without purpose.
I like all the interpretations of what balance is in Star Wars. I especially like that all of them are wrong.
Fucking based take Plague!
Agreed.
I think the light side of the Force is the true version of the Force. Balance is maintaining the light.
The Dark Side seems to be the corruption of the Force.
The Jedi tried remaining neutral, like the Bendu, believing themselves to be light side users, but it only caused their downfall.
Whereas look at what Luke’s love and attachment for his father did, it saved Anakin, and Anakin was able to kill the Emperor. Obi-Wan, keeping neutral, trying to find “balance”, found it impossible to save Anakin. Luke’s love saved him though.
Kanan chose to sacrifice himself to save his friends out of love for them. In doing so, the Force itself granted him his sight back, to see them one last time.
It seems that “The Force”, is what we think to be the light side. The corruption of the Force, is what we call the dark side.
I don’t think there is a light or dark, just the Force, and the corruption of the Force.
I mean the whole reason Anakin was born was because the Force wanted to prevent the corruption from taking control. It birthed a keeper, someone to maintain and watch over the Force.
Anyone who uses the Dark Side ends up becoming corrupted as well. They get yellow eyes, pale skin, and they become a little deformed.
It seems true balance is the light side, and keeping the light in power seems to be maintaining balance. The Jedi knew this, but they tried fighting negativity with neutrality, which tipped the scales in favor of the dark side.
The Jedi should have been loving, compassionate, kindhearted, selfless. Instead they tried to remain empty, and emptiness cannot fight against one who is full.
May be a wall. May be in the ground.
@@brandenmarcum430 Well said.
But you can sharpen that rock to use as a weapon or throw it in a catapult to destroy, kill and protect(be foundation/wall of the house/shelter) again your in action has purpose to others
I wonder if Yoda encountered the Bendu at some point? It would be fascinating to watch them discuss the Force.
Bendu is like nature itself. Neither good or bad. It just is
This is probably my favorite analysis of the Bendu. Lucas made his story very much, "good vs evil, light vs dark," so having a character that said he was neither light nor dark I found both interesting, but also kinda lore breaking. But this depiction of him as apathy fits in perfectly with how he acts and how the themes of Star Wars works. Well done Thor.
I think as kids, we liked the simplistic dichotomy but as we get older, the more nuance view is better. I think that's why Andor did so well and why some people like ideas like gray or unorthodox jedi
Lucas didn't make story story about "good vs evil", or "light vs dark". Lucas made a story about people, who could choose good or evil. The six films, that were made under his control, is prooving that point. Anakin and Luke are the same character, but one made desisions, that led him to darkness, the other made desisions, that brought him to the light.
@@windchardger_cz1352 important to note that both luke and anakin had a lot of darkness in them. luke was definitely very aggro when he walked into jabba's palace and iirc he even force choked one of the guards. he was also fully intent on killing Jabba and if Leia hadn't done it i feel like he might have. yet at the end of the movie he forewent vengeance against vader (he probably would have killed him if sidious would just shut up and stop gloating tho) and his selflessness helped vader finally (somewhat) redeem himself by killing the emperor and fulfilling the prophecy.
The Bendu sounds a bit like Tom Bombadil - powerful in his own environment, regards an Evil Artifact as just a thing, way too neutral to affect the story beyond the gifts he gives to people who come to him.
The saying you referenced at 5:12 is by Edmund Burke and is a favorite of mine. There's another one by him that has some applicability here as well I think: "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."
If I were to paraphrase Burke, I'd say, "None have done a greater mistake than those that do nothing because they believe that whatever they do can only do little."
And climate change enters the stage. 🫤🫥
I thought Bendu was one of the most intriguing characters introduced in Rebels. I like that he has an air of mystery about him that allows fans to speculate about his origin and purpose. I think Dave intended it that way, but I would love to get at least a small scene with Bendu in the Ahsoka series and that would be a fitting cameo. I believe his apparent ambivalence is because he sees everything as the will of force. The light and dark are what individuals make of it but for Bendu it is all just the force.
The whole concept of being "grey" and using the dark without being corrupted by it is an abomination to Star Wars.
If you turn on the lights - its light. The dark goes away. If you turn out the lights, the light is gone and there is darkness. The two cant co-exist.
While Bendu may give lip service to being "in the middle" his actions after having his ego hurt and lashing out was pure dark side. He's been corrupted despite what he claims.
I have a theory on the Bendu. Much like how the Mortis gods represent the aspects of the cosmic force, I like to believe/ theorise that the Bendu (anda couple other creatures) represent the living force.
Like, what if it wasn't just the Bendu, what if there was a creature of the light side and a creature of the darkside as well?
I remember in the original Episode 9 script, there was this creature called Tor Vallum who helped Kylo Ren master the darkside. It's a long shot but I theorised that maybe he was the creature who would've represented the darkside.
I think it's far, far more likely that the Mortis Gods represent the Living Force actually, considering Mortis was shown to be in a constant cycle of life and death; that it was constantly pulled between the light and the dark (represented by the daughter and son). The cosmic force is not so impacted (if at all) by the light and the dark, instead it simply exists as energy essentially.
@@thorskywalker
Ah, that makes. I just assumed that the Mortis gods were the cosmic force as non-force users can't see them nor can they go to Mortis (or at least make contact with it). Thus why I assumed their mysticism was beyond "living-being" comprehension, thus "cosmic".
But the explanation you gave of the force makes a lot more sense as since it's a divine entity, it really doesn't have an allegiance thus why anyone with a strong enough connection to it (sith, jedi, etc) can manipulate it and use it for their own gain.
It also aligns with what the movies say in that the force is in all living things and binds everything together, again showing how it's impartial and that everyone has a little bit of the force in them.
Thanks for the response :)
@@thorskywalker i like this idea. the mortis gods and their struggle against each other clearly impact the galaxy, as told directly to us. we also know that the cosmic force is more a collection of everything that ever was and will be, containing all points of veiw as well as all life. perhaps the bendu is the god of the cosmic force, a being of pure power who, in choosing a use for that power becomes part of the living force or some such thing. perhaps the cosmic force is more like a well of power drawn on through the light and dark sides of the living force. the reason there is no separation in the two is that the cosmic force can only be accessed those two ways. i know this is way more mechanical and exact than the force was ever intended to be, but i'm a sucker for well defined magic systems, and this is a fun idea to me.
There aren't 2 forces. There is only 1 force. The "living" force, the "cosmic" force - its all the same thing. Bendu saying he was "in the middle" didnt mean the middle between light and dark. It meant he was riding the fence and not taking sides - which is what the video essentially explained.
@@ChiefDJS one thing can have multiple pieces, perhaps it's something more along those lines, the same, but with prices that make a whole.
The Bendu is such an interesting alien creature
I know
💯💯💯💯
I think the Bendu is somewhat related to the eastern philosophy concept of "wu wei" or the path of no action. In some beliefs it is total stillness and absence that represents the highest form of being, and Bendu may be practicing a similar philosophy.
I have always seen Bendu as a personification of the force of nature, as you could say that nature is truly in the middle, on one hand it creates life and everything around us and provides for it, but on the other hand it's completely unbending and uncaring and can destroy that life it created without a thought. It won't really fight back against forces that hurt it, but once it does strike, it strikes unconditionally, killing and destroying everything in its path (think volcanos or other natural calamaties). Nature doesn't pick sides, but will rather wait out anything that is happening around it, as nature is not a thing that can be destroyed but is a law, and it will, sooner or later, take back what has been taken from it.
Yea Hawaiian mythology depicts volcanoes as both creators and destroyers. I think this is the take I agree with most.
One should respect volcanoes but not try to emulate them in their philosophy lmao.
You can't build a hospital today and blow another one up tomorrow and call yourself enlightened
I disagree with this. If he was but a force of nature, he would not claim to be in the middle between harmony and discord, nor would he throw an obviously Dark Sided temper tantrum to kick the kids off his lawn. Instead he would be firmly on the Light Side. Bendu to me seems like a being that wants to exile himself from the rest of the reality, and takes the path of least resistance to get there: He has a single unbending principle, and serves whichever side serves it better.
Disagree.
Jedi serve nature, Sith do not.
When talking about the light side and the dark side, people often try to justify the dark side by making comparisons of light and dark, life and death, and saying that therefore the dark side is needed for balance.
But when it comes to *life and death,* the Jedi are for both. The Jedi welcome death, and consider it an honor to become one with the force. Jedi do not fight against the circle of life, they protect it.
Meanwhile, how do the Sith represent death when their very nature is to defy it? Sith are opposed to nature because they reject the cycle, and try to make themselves immortal.
Nature destroys and nature kills, but it does not do so out of hatred. It does not do so out of greed or self-preservation. The Sith and the Dark Side are antithetical to nature. The Bendu is wrong.
@@mpnuorva 100% agree, he had a temper tantrum when Kanan questioned him. That's not the behavior of some sage in the middle, that's arrogance and self-importance. Also, you're right in pointing out how his tantrum seemed fueled by the dark side. Bendu was lashing out
This is a really tricky question.
I’d say that nature itself is truly unbiased. It has principles, form, & forces, but it simply lets “it’s nature’ play out.
But then there is what I will call the ‘spirit of nature’ which is how sentient being perceive nature (down to their very bones & marrow). This is biased towards life, since without nature there would be no life. So, for those about to die, we salute you oh great spirit of nature!
Strange, but here the relative outweighs the absolute.
"So you chose to do nothing! But apathy is death, and worse than death, for a rotting corpse at least feeds the worms."
- KREIA
Bah, that crazy crone nearly got half the Galaxy killed with her Forcicidal tendencies. What does she know?
@@GreaterGrievobeast55Kreia is a crazy lady who doesn't know shit
My 1st thought when I saw Bendu fornthe 1st time was apathy as well. I really like how he attacks everyone in sight when he's finally pushed into action.
Best space moose in all Star Wars
Timelord space moose ape.
"The opposite of love is not hate, but apathy".
Would like to point out that since, in the Clone Wars, both sides were controlled by one person, it was literally pointless to fight.
I always interpreted Bendu as a neutral isolationism absolutist, an ancient enlightened being that draws on all of the Force indiscriminately. Bendu has no desires, no fear, love, etc. which allows him to do so. What he did on Atollon was the equivalent of "I'm sick of your shit, get off my lawn!". By all accounts he is neutral, like Force Switzerland, but won't hesitate to fuck up a good or bad guy if they piss him off.
Here’s the thing tho like Thor says there is no middle.. wanting to be left alone is selfish lol. But then again is being the good guy and doing things for others also selfish… like phoebe says “there’s no such thing as a selfless good deed." Maybe it’s all the middle lol
@@Pokane1998 ... And this was my response to Thor's take about there being no middle. The Bendu isn't a normal being, it's an ancient mystical Force thing as far as what we know. Bendu can be put in the same category as the Mortis Gods and those Force Sisters that Yoda met with as far as I'm concerned. It's pretty clear to me anyway that he exists outside of the standard good/evil dichotomy and is on some higher plane of existence.
This might not be the most appropriate comparison but think like Greek or Norse gods and their dealings with regular mortals. Bendu is under no obligation to do anything, but chose to passively guide Kanan/Ezra for awhile and offer up some wisdom. When Kanan asked him to actively get involved he got pissed cause he's not about influencing either side... so he takes action, but everybody's liable to catch hands.
In Bendu's perspective, Kanan was that one entitled friend that asks for some favor he has no right to ask for. You know the type. Bendu's like "oh yeah? sure!" (turns on friendly-fire). Be careful what you wish for little shit!
Another idea to pile on top off the ideas here, if Bendu is neutral in all things, no one should be able to piss him off or rile him up. And this is something that I find so frustrating when storytellers attempt to create the "true neutral" character in a dichotomy. The storyteller can't properly represent the neutral character because they don't understand what that is. They start piling on reasons why or why not and ignore the neutrality of the character. The perspective of "oh this is good and this should happen" vs "this is bad and shouldn't happen" are all "meh" to an actual neutral character.
@@Zedekk2004 Once again I refer to my comparison to Greek gods. Those mfers did some wild shit to mortal humans for no reason. And there's plenty of unsolicited wrath to go around over the slightest transgressions, or even just for the fuck of it.
These characters are clearly modeled/inspired around various real life deities/cultures from our world. And if you're familiar with mythology, they all have... issues to say the least. All of these myths and stories were written by humans, shockingly. I guess the only truly altruistic, neutral entity I can think of this second would be Buddha, and that's the exception to the rule.
There's also the phrase "anger of the gods" to keep in mind. You could also apply this to the Christian God... dude's kind of a dick tbh. But they want you to think he's a loving God, etc. sooo... which one is it? Wrathful or Loving? Maybe there is no "true neutral" that exists, as is evidenced by like every myth and scripture about deities.
I'd like to think that Bendu did a pretty good job at being "neutral" during his appearance. Like I said earlier, he passively guided our protagonists for a little while, but when asked to actively participate in influencing an event he maliciously complied with no regard for anyone in his way. That's mostly neutral in my opinion. You could argue that being True in this sense, Bendu would never have revealed himself to Kanan in the first place, but then we wouldn't be having this discussion because he wouldn't exist to us.
@@cd5sircoupe I don't think I clarified my beef with the neutral character. The writer, who is human, cannot fathom the neutral character because of the writers own egocentric bias, "this is good" and "this is bad". I understand your comparison to Greek gods, (the Bendu being a god type character) but none of them (greek gods) ever claimed to be neutral, they are always just doing what they want for their own egocentric purposes and they get triggered when another god/goddess disses them or some human is acting all high and mighty. Your attempt to compare power base with power base doesn't automatically conclude that because the greek gods were this way the Bendu must be this way as well. The Bendu claims he is neutral, the greek gods and goddesses do not.
Furthermore, I know and understand those characters (Greek god/godesses) are part of the dichotomy and are used as exagerated caricatures of a moral code which is suppose to support the culture/religion. My problem is when the writer attempts to create this neutral character and through arguments, coersion, and confrontations, eventually cause the neutral character to lash out in anger or whatever to show that "see the neutral character is just like us they will act out just like us, eventually." When in fact the writer could just write the neutral character as staying neutral, and in turn maybe have one of the other characters learn something from the neutral character. A neutral character doesn't just give up on what they claim they are because another person came around and said: "Hey what about war and killing? Isn't it bad, and shouldn't you help us out (in other words help fight the war on our side) because I say I'm one of the good guys?"
I have yet to see a well written neutral character that doesn't fall into the whole "I've been worn down by your arguments and now see things your way" kind of thing. And I realize that isn't what happens with the Bendu in this story. He lashes out at everyone regardless of what side they are, but my question is, does he even need to do that? Why not make him nonreactive and wise and powerful enough to say "You all are wrong and here's why..." And that is the problem with neutral characters we cannot see past our own perspectives of how the world should be. I do agree with you about they did do their best to keep the Bendu neutral. I'm just disappointed in the direction it went because they could have done something else imo.
Everything that gets added to Star Wars mythology which moves the "Overton window" of the Force from being between "the Force" and "the Dark Side" to an idea of it being between "light" and "dark" is stupid. Man, post-Lucasinian Star Wars is such a great example of how tacking on random philosophical changes for the sake of having something new to sell can really undermine the entire point of a work of art.
I always liked Bendu’s philosophy. He’s the stoic of the Star Wars universe. And like stoic philosophy, there is a distinction between apathy (not caring at all) and not allowing oneself to succumb to negative emotions, that may only cause more strife. Having Kanan essentially insult and guilt trip him into fighting annoyed me. Calling someone a coward whose own moral compass tells them not to fight is not cowardice. As fundamental as the dichotomy of light vs dark, good vs evil is to the Star Wars universe. We need characters like Bendu to illustrate that the galaxy and people in it, are often grey.
I never liked kanan doing that either. The bendu's already keep the sith holocron safe, helped kanan see through the force, and in a round about way Help him and Ezra through some of their issues. He's already done more then be helpful to people who are basically trespassing on his world, then kanan ask him to fight in a war he has nothing to do with and probably knows nothing about.
Except as Thor quoted, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. I agree he certainly favors the Jedi as far as helping Kanan and Ezra, but sitting back and doing nothing when the Empire attacks and blaming them isnt helping either. Kanan only asks for the Bendu to help them escape, once they escape the empire will have little reason to stay.
wont be surprised if he somehow the Bendu shows up in the "new beyond/new space" that thrawn and ezra are trapped in
It would probably be pretty trivial for him to at least project his image or voice like Luke did or even teleport entirely
This is a vastly more negative look at the Bendu than I ever felt warranted. I always saw the Bendu as a kind of cosmic being whose always been in existence, or at least has been there on a scale similar to the Mortis Gods. He freely provides wisdom and teaching to anyone who comes to him, but understands his role in the universe isnt an active one. His force storm showed everyone why he isnt active, because truly being in the middle and agressive means everyone is a target, and he knew that wasnt the best way.
In the end, being in the middle isn’t a choice for the Bendu, it’s what he is fundamentally. It was never reasonable for Caanan to ask him to intervene, and doing so, shows how little he actually understood about the Bendu. As the force storm raged and everyone was being attacked Caanan understood why the Bendu refused to intervene.
It's not like he was asking him to join the Rebellion, only to help them escape. Kanan may not have fully understood, but he wasn't wrong either. Like it or not, when evil rolls up, you either you fight back or you roll over and die. There is no virtue in that.
Thank you, Thor. This is a thoughtful video. The Bendu and his discussion with Kanan is one of the more profound moments in Star Wars, as it highlights issues in the philosophy of the force commonly held by the Jedi.
The Bendu represents a faulty stand point, which is almost kind of Buddhist in a way. His goal is to simply exist with an extinction of desire--an ideology the Jedi move dangerously close to at times.
Kanan, moved to frustration by this, speaks to two significant truths: 1) There are some things in life that are worth fighting for, regardless of who you are or where you're from, and 2) It is wrong to see someone in need and to not help them when you have the power to do so. Kanan was spot-on, and he in that moment was closer to being like the original Je'di than the modern Jedi ever were (except maybe Qui-Gon).
Interesting interpretation. I thought of Bendu as being the indifference of nature itself. He literally becomes a storm. Storms aren’t acting for good or evil, they simply exist and react to the conditions that create them. The Ashla and Bogan, Light & Dark sides of the Force, are wielded by people. The Bendu is not wielded, is not tamed, is not domesticated, is not concerned with the petty squabbles of the beings in the Galaxy. I thought that’s what he meant by he’s the one in the middle and developed that based on things he says throughout his appearances. But that was just my interpretation. Thanks for sharing yours!
Well the Bendu is an interesting character/being. My question is; Is he the only one in the middle or are there more like him? Are there more of his spices? If yes are they all force sensitive?
i think he is sort of a mortis god for the cosmic force, as the others are for the various aspects of the living force. this implies that the cosmic force is pure, only access by the light and dark sides of the living force, which draw upon the cosmic force. if he is a mortis god, this would imply that there are not more of him, as there are not more of the mortis gods.
If he is a Mortis God, he would be like the Father, but he is different than the Father, so I would say that yes, there are probably more like them.
@@jymbeautuesday the father I think was less of a representation of balance so much as he was a chosen one stand in. We were told after all that he needs Anakin to keep the others in balance. I think he's more cosmic warden than representation of the force.
Whatever the Bendu did or didnt do, he did help Kanen cope with his blindness. Not only cope, but to 'see' using the force. I'm glad he survived the Imperial barrage.
i think bendu knew what thrawn was up to a few weeks earlyer, ie thrawn alliances, thus didnt want to interfear thrawn recruting the ghost crew to the chiss............. but kanan forsed his paw/claw
Apathy maybe, but there's too much soul in his character to, he tends more to neutrality. Much like the Buddha in his search for true detachment, he still experiences joy and rage but they pass through him. His rage passed in seconds as he "died" and that suggests he wasn't even attached to his solitude. Also wonder what the Bendu reference may have to do with the O.G. Je'dai
There are lots of force users that are not Jedi or Sith. Miraluka, the Ewok shamans, the wills and the ones, etc. While there is some differentiation between magic and force powers, particularly in Jedi Survivor. its probably just different training. The Bendu may not be alone in his apathy..
As the great philosopher Neil Peart said: "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."
Taking about The Bendu and the light and dark endlessly repeating the same problems, lines up with Baylon in Ahsoka episode 6 when he was talking towards the end.
I deeply appreciate your continuing understanding of the intended nature of the force. Too much these days it is degraded and washed away with the whole "yin-yang" misconception becoming more and more prevalent.
Probably because every single time George Lucas was involved with the development of the Force he characterized it as a yin-yang. There is almost no textual evidence to support what Thor is saying; the only characters in the Star Wars lore who are able to achieve internal balance are the characters who are capable of using both the Darkside and the Light. Yoda and Obi-Wan are too dogmatic to believe in the possibility of redemption, and their plan was to have Luke kill Vader without telling him who he is. The Sith are too maddened in their lust for power to ever walk back what they are. Both the Jedi and the Sith are depicted as being in the wrong in Return of the Jedi, and Luke's actions in that movie prove as such. You ever think it was weird that both the Jedi and the Sith wanted the same thing for Luke, just for different reasons? They both wanted Luke to kill Vader; but Luke's connection to his father through his unconditional love for him prevented him from doing that, and he found a solution the Jedi wouldn't believe was possible, which was to save him through the very thing they thought caused him to fall in the first place: love.
That's like the whole point of Return of the Jedi. Luke used the Darkside to defeat Vader, but chose to stop before he went too far, throwing his lightsaber away in a rejection of what both the Sith AND the Jedi wanted for him. Anakin is depicted as the Chosen One precisely because of his ability to tame the conflict between the Light and the Dark in the Mortis arc, the Clone Wars arc that had the most direct involvement from Lucas. Repeatedly, throughout the canon, the Darkside is associated with passionate emotional states, while the Lightside is associated with temperance and wisdom. Those two things are not mutually exclusive, and most Buddhists--which people like to pretend the Jedi are based on--would tell you that. Indeed, the very first Buddha even encouraged marriage, and the passionate, but not sensual/hedonistic, enjoyment of life, which the Jedi expressly forbid.
The idea behind it all being that wisdom without passion is lifeless detachment, static, stoic, and unchanging, and we see how such detachment undermined the Jedi. If one is dispassionate about life, that is tantamount to a living death; the Rebellion couldn't have happened if people in the galaxy adhered to the Jedi's teachings. They wouldn't have been allowed to be angry at the Empire, they wouldn't have been able to take the necessary action. But at the same time, passion without wisdom leads to impulsivity and selfishness, and even madness, which is what we see in the Sith. The Jedi are like a rock, stubborn and unmoving, where the Sith are like a raging fire, something that consumes everything it touches. Balance is like water, or air, free flowing and capable of moving with the environment it finds itself in.
People think Buddhism, and thereby the Jedi, are supposed to be like the rock. They are not. They are supposed to be like the water or the air, finding balance between their passions and their wisdoms.
@@roberthesser6402excellent synopsis
@roberthesser6402 you miss a few key points here. One Lucas has stated that balance was the absence of the Dark Side. Two, Luke did use the Dark Side in RotJ, but the point isn't that using Dark Side is ok, but that he ultimately found balance within himself and rejected the Dark Side. You are correct that love is what ultimately saved him and Vader.
Minutes earlier i had just watched Ep 14 Season 1 of Clone Wars, with the overly obstinate Lurmen leader dealing with this exact video topic.
A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good bearded moose fungi to do nothing 😄
I loved Doctor Bendwho.
I have always seen the Bendu as an extemely old and wise force sensitive being that has CHOSEN to remain in the middle. He is there because he chooses. He wants his own being to be in perfect balance of light and dark. Why? Who knows? I mean he says all that about how he was witnessed the power struggles time and time again so maybe he is just weary? Like he sits in the middle because he's very old and doesn't want to fight anymore? Certainly he is CAPABLE of being more dark or more light if he wanted to...we can see everything else that he chooses to do because he wants to etc... Such an interesting being . But that's my take. He's equivalent to the grumpy old man that yells at passerby to "Get of his lawn" but will also smile and give out Halloween treats to the same kids... But who is too old/tired perhaps even lazy to really get behind a cause.
They kinda tried to do this earlier with the Mygeeto arc in the clone wars. The eldest lemur refused to pick a side until he was absolutely forced to somewhat side with the republic.
Pacifism in itself is an extreme. It doesn't matter if he willingly did nothing, the separatists were going to kill them anyway. When evil sees you as something to be stepped on, you have to fight back. Even if it means picking a side. What helps is knowing which side is clearly the right one.
I like to think that the Bendu helped Kanan out of curiosity, boredom, and maybe a little bit of frustration. After all, Kanan did wake the Bendu up from his nap due to his imbalance. The Bendu was there when Sabine let out all her emotions with Kanan. So for me, the Bendu watched and interacted with the group without any thought of what could come
Bendu is what a force user living by itself on a remote planet, who doesnt go completely bonkers and Darksides the universe, inevitably becomes.
Light, Dark, doesnt matter. Dont be a slave to impulse or others.
As long as Bendu is Bendu, it matters not.
For a being so bent on taking no part in any conflict I love that Kanan managed to spur him into action, then indiscriminately target everyone regardless of which side they're on, as is his nature.
Hope we get to see more examples of him in the future, in dire occasions, you just have to make a choice, or someone else will make your choice for you.
Principle of Life.
I don't think of the Bendu as apathetic, more like a Taoist mystic but of immense elemental power, and with the longevity to determine the wisdom of not intervening in the trivial affairs of the gnats and flies around him. My interpretation of him saying "I am in the middle" is more like "I am the Force mediation between Light and Dark", ie what will move him to action is a threat to the mediation itself, not whether the light side or the dark have a trivial flurry of ascendency.
We used to have long deep discussions about alignments in AD&D and pure neutral was one that we had the most debate about. One thought was that pure neutral was more of a non-intelligent view, what an animal would be, doing neither good or evil, everything they do is to survive. But the Bendu is intelligent and if he is purely concerned about being left alone and being irritated and then getting angry and lashing out at 'both sides' equally is his 'in the middle' philosophy, I would ask: wouldn't that be the ultimate in selfishness? Striking out at all others because things aren't perfect and in harmony in your little part of the galaxy? Selfishness is the path to the dark side. If on the other hand, he knowingly does nothing and ignores everything when he sees people suffering around him, that too is a selfish decision of non-involvement or self-preservation. Therefore, I submit that it is impossible for any sentient, intelligent force-sensitive being to truly be 'in the middle'. Instead, the Bendu was merely passively dark side: he did what he wanted to do regardless of what anyone else thought. If he wanted to help someone, he would, if he wanted to hurt someone, he would. Either way, his selfishness was the core of who he was, he was only fooling himself into thinking he was in the middle.
I think he'd be chaotic neutral.
That's just it, Bendu says he's neutral, but doesn't act neutral. And I'd agree that he is mostly apathetic ie not willing to take action but I'm not sure that necessarily qualifies as being neutral.
I've always looked at The Bendu as a manifestation of The Living Force Itself. He's probably communed with The Whills, as well. I fully expect to see him, in some form, referenced in The Mandoverse (esp. Ahsoka...I'm sure Ezra Bridger has encountered a version of him in his travels, over the last 11 years, considering his connection to living things throughout the galaxy).
Exactly. While the Mortis gods represent the cosmic force, I always thought the Bendu and a couple other creatures represented the living force.
Like, what if there was a creature of the light side and a creature of the darkside as well? That'd be pretty cool.
I remember in the original Episode 9 script, there was this creature called Tor Vallum who helped Kylo Ren master the darkside. I theorise that maybe he was the creature who would've represented the darkside.
Hey Thor I am listening to the Fate Of The Jedi audiobooks and was listening to chapter 6 of the novel Vortex and this quote starts the chapter that seems to (in my opinion) perfectly reflect the problems people have with Disney Star Wars if you change the names to Kathleen Kennedy for Daala and Rey for Kenth Hamner and change a few terms from military/ government to film production terms. Note the punctuation will be off because I am listening to the audio book and I am assuming where it will go but the quote is exactly what I heard and I tipple checked it.
"Kenth Hamner should never had taken Luke Skywalker's chair at the council meetings, not because he was unworthy of it but because Jedi were not soldiers they honored beings rather than rank and if a leader expected to command their obedience he first had to win their respect. Kenth saw that now and he knew that it had been a terrible mistake to accept the trappings of Grand Master before proving he deserved them. At the time he had believed that assuming the title would cement the support the order behind him instead it had done just the opposite. Reminding the Jedi that he was not Luke Skywalker that he was in fact a replacement hoisted on them by an ex Imperial Chief of State who had once stood for everything the Jedi opposed, and the problem with Daala herself was much the same she was old school military verry much the ex admiral who she deserved not only deference but immediate and unquestioning obedience sadly for all the Jedi saw her in a much more different light as little more than a former enemy who had not yet earned their trust or their respect. The combination was a recipe for the disaster it had become, and Kenth could see in hard faces around him, that Han Solo's inability to win a graceful victory had only managed to push matters to the brink of cataclysm."
What want do you think of this quote and do you agree with me to how it reflects Disney Star Wars.
“Apathy is death.”
Beat me to the punch lol
Awesome video. Doesn't some of the Bendu's dialogue imply that he is the actual physical representation of "the middle", like how the Whills are the actual Force?
Your Neutralness, we're at beige alert.
Tell my wife hello.
i like tom bendu in the old forest, its good that he got into rebels after been left out of the films.. cant wait to see his wife Goldberry in the new series
I liked Bendu. He showed that trying hard not to be involved is equally wrong as trying to get too involved as the Jedi did before their fall. I mean both the Republic and the Separatist side were the Sith side via Palpatine.
There was actually no good side to pick in the Clone Wars and the Jedi picked only a seemingly right one.
However, once Palpatine does away with the illusion, the right side (the Rebel Alliance) does appear.
But he did get involved. He aided Kenan to adapt to his disability and enabled him to fulfill his personal destiny. He didn't have to do that.
@@darthrevan1281 He helped him personally but tried to steer clear of supporting any particular camp/side. I wonder how he would deal with a Sith, would he be open to helping one of them as well in the same way.
@@dankokamcevski except he hid himself from Maul when he showed up there. Remember the Dark side may exist as part of the balance, but a Sith consumed by the dark side goes against the Will of the Force
@@JDog2656 Interesting point. Care to elaborate?
@@dankokamcevski what I’m trying to say is that he helped the Jedi because they are supposed to follow the will of the Force, i.e. the balance. It’s not a matter of dark and light as people think. The light side is the right side, but it’s a matter of overcoming the dark within as Luke proved. The Sith however are consumed by the dark side and go against the will of the Force, which is what makes them the bad guys. When Maul created the Holocron vergance, he tricked Ezra into finding Kenobi. Who points out Ezra was not where he was supposed to be, which was not the will of the Force.
What I am saying is the Bendu aids the Jedi because they are following the will of the Force, not perfectly, but still. I do not believe he would ever help a Sith
So in essence there is no point to the Bendu's existence.
His point is showing why neturality in the force isn't a viable option.
His point is more inserting of things into star wars that will break it
Why does there have to be a point to his existence? Would having one make him exist any more than he already does?
6:28
Ultimately, the Bendu did make a choice despite his neutrality. Even if seemingly of no help.
I think the difference between Kanan and Bendu being (or trying to be) neutral is like a fight in a fish tank. If the fish square off and start fighting, no matter how much one of the fish tries to stay out of it, it's gonna involve them because one or the other side will attack them for not siding with them. However, to the person outside the fish tank, what do they care? Neither side can do anything to them no matter how powerful they get, except maybe annoy them by bashing against the walls and waking them up from their nap. Bendu sees the fish having it out (again) goes "Meh" and lays down on the couch.
"Oh, another one of you. That Light/Dark religious war pendulum still swinging back and forth? Go away now." - Bendu, basically
I been waiting for a video about this, i really want this to make sense lol
This is a fantastic video. I have been saying forever that grey jedi are dumb and not a really option. It really does come from pride and wanting to be above others who are fighting.
The idea of Grey Jedi doesn't come from pride or anything like that. It comes from 2 places: a. Wanting to see the good guys be edgy anti-heroes, and b. The idea that the Jedi code is stupid because having a family isn't a one way trip to crazymurdertown.
@@matthewpelletier6900having a family invites the Mary Jane conundrum. Do I save my family of 4 or do I save fifty people I dont know. It’s okay for you and me to value our families it’s not for the Jedi as they might let a planet erupt into civil war because their kid was kidnapped
@@Jedishill680 I understand why the Jedi code is the way it is. I was just pointing out that a lot of people think it's dumb, which is one of the reasons those people gravitate towards the idea of 'Grey Jedi'.
Plenty of people in our own world live with similar conundrums, such as folks in the military; so it isn't that out there for people to call the Jedi stupid.
apathy is the negation of everything, even your own point.
balance is in passionate serenity, informing necessity.
Hey Thor, I was thinking back to the old canon when there was G-Canon, C-Canon, T-Canon and so forth. I remembered George saying that he only considered the 6 main films and TV movies/series canon in his point of view (they were declared T-Canon and not technically part of the EU I believe). So I was wondering when Disney bought Star Wars they declared the EU non-canon and only made the 6 films and the Clone Wars canon, how come shows such as Droids, the Ewok films and animated show, the original Clone Wars series, and the Holiday Special were not brought over into Disney's new canon? (I think that was all of them)
I suppose that he sees the entire timeline, millions of years into the past and millions of years into the future. He sees the ebb and flow, over and over again, and he realizes that the pendulum will always swing back and forth. For all of his power and all of his knowledge, he can't break the cycle and doesn't want to. He's reached the pinnacle, he sees everything and he can do everything, but none of it matters because the tide is always going to wash away his sand castle tomorrow. His perspective is so vast that he's unable to live in the moment.
I'm not sure I like the idea of Bendu, but that's just me
I think it's important to understand the meaning of balance. It's not so much the internal battle of light vs dark but more of finding one's true nature. Kanan's nature was that of a Jedi, but due to witnessing order 66 and the horrors of the empire, his desire to help others was conflicted with his fear. Bendu's nature is to achieve balance, and in sensing the conflict in Kanan he was compelled to aid Kanan in finding that balance again.
Maul's nature is to seek revenge. If he were to denounce the dark side and seek to help those less powerful than himself, it would throw him off balance and he would be constantly tempted back to his old ways. A less extreme example is his quest for revenge on Obi Wan. Maul believed by killing Satine and allowing Obi Wan to suffer that he was exacting his revenge, only years later to go right back to chasing Obi Wan down to kill him, realizing that not seeking revenge was not in his nature.
Obi Wan was one of the greatest Jedi of all time, unmatched by almost all Jedi in his ability to trust in the ways of the force. We see in the Kenobi series that he is unable to let go of his guilt that he allowed his student to fall so far to the dark side, and this goes against his nature of trusting in the force. He believes it was not the will of the force that Anakin fell, but his own actions that led to it and his inability to pull Anakin back. It's not until the end of the series that he finally accepts it and achieves balance again, and is finally able to see and speak to Qui Gon.
If I was going to write up an immensely powerful and ancient creature that was supposed to be absolutely neutral in regards to elementally universal forces.
I wouldn't give it dialogue.
As soon as it opens it's mouth, you're inviting problems.
If I had to have it share wisdom, in some way to explain itself or get a point across. I'd show scenes and have a one sided dialogue with the character whose interacting with it struggling to understand what's going on. Leaving the creature mysterious, hinting at things to come, without spoiling it's purpose by having it state it outright.
Hell. I'd keep even it's shape mysterious. Hiding in that sandstorm, a silhouette that changes shape. Only having it's eyes be the one concrete fixture to focus on.
I mean, why even give it a shape when the character interacting with it is blind in the first place?
All that said,
Apathy would really be the most direct way to describe it being truly neutral. Which meant doing nothing. Which defeats the point of even having such an immensely powerful creature.
If it does do something, then how can it really justify any action in a positive or negative light? How can it maintain a neutral state?
Trying to be perfectly balanced would be so alien to us, that I don't think we could understand that kind of ideology.
I think it's just a creature added, maybe to imply what you said, but ultimately something to pad out an episode. Give an actual actor the ability to see again in a new way, and not much thought was given to how it might impact the rest of the lore.
If it's a one shot thing that never shows up again, it's just as bad a writing device as that magical travelling pocketwatch from Harry Potter.
_But them Tom Baker wouldn't be able to voice it!_ clearly a net loss there...
I still prefer the Order of Dai Bendu in the EU/Legends. They use the Force to study Maths
In esoteric circles, someone seeking extrasensory powers will try to attract or embody intelligences from the invisible world. The more they participate in the activities and thinking of beasts in survival mode, the less likely are they to attract and connect with anything that would change an outcome to a just result. The chimera represents a mixture of spiritual energies motivated by lust and ego.
He wasn't in the middle, he was on the outside and for all of his wisdom and talk, in the end he drew upon anger, wrath and vengeance. He chose to destroy those who disturb him in an act of petty selfishness because that was the quickest path to what he wanted.
He fell to the Dark side.
So much for his balance.
I’m just going to say this. The Bendu is a pretty genius idea in Star Wars to me. However, he is the middle, not grey. I fully believe in the grey if I had to be a force user. I believe that’s what Luke (disregarding disney sequels) came to conclude, although he is fully in the “light” per se, he is not afraid to use dark side abilities & resists dogma from past jedi & embraces the likes of the og Je’di & Qui-Gon Jinn.
I could have lived my entire (SW) life in perfect joy without ever seeing or hearing about this giant force frog thrown into Rebels. It's right up there with midichlorians and the miraculous impregnation that resulted in Anakin.
id argue the middle is as necessary as good or evil. to put it simply either side can be blinded by their ambitions. most people who are doing "evil" acts often don't consider them to be. and most people who believe they are doing "good" acts often see no harm in what they are doing. while someone in the middle can point out the flaws of both sides.another thing to consider is if you pick a side how do you know you picked the best option? if you're unable to "see" whats right and wrong, you could ultimately choose the worst possible scenario. unless o course that "problem is in your face (kanan) and now you are being forced into conflict, which also isn't right. so i believe a middle is necessary and beneficial for both sides.
Hey Thor
Whatever happened to character rankings? They were why I subbed in the first place, which is not to say I don't enjoy what you do put out, but it's been a long time since I heard anything about it
I dont like the idea of a truly gray jedi but I like the idea of an unorthodox one I guess you'd call it. Like Kyle Katarn in legends with this quote :""The Force is a tool, Jaden. Sometimes a weapon, sometimes a salve. Dark Side, Light Side, these are distinctions of insignificant difference. Do not fall into the trap of classification. Sentience curses us with a desire to categorize and draw lines, to fear that after this be dragons. But that is illusion. After this is not dragons but more knowledge, deeper understanding. Be at peace with that."
―Kyle Katarn to Korr[3]
Kyle Katarn was written before Force was made more conscious in PT. Which is why KOTOR 2 critiques the idea of will of the Force so much.
@user-yq9im9dk9z I mean I don't like it either really, liked the idea that the force was just this cosmic power. I like the idea that the force doesn't have sides, it simply is. It's the individual user that's light or dark. I never considered Kyle gray but more just unorthodox.
So Bendu is a bit like Tom Bombadil
Perfect! I agree.
A totally selfless person would feed others, never eat a bite himself and die. Some amount of ego is necessary to exist on this plane. There is a place for anger, for selfishness, for love. No being is completely free of darkness, or of light for that matter. True wisdom is finding a balance between self and other.
I believe that the Bendu shows us exactly what Luke was trying to teach in his New Jedi Order. That there is no light without the dark. And that the Force abilities that all Jedi, Sith, and others have used since time began are not Good or Evil. Rather it’s the intent of what you do with each force ability that makes your stance in the Force light or dark. I enjoy all the scenes with the Bendu in them. Because he is a being that has been around since ancient times. Helping Kanan to see, creating the Massive Force Storm that would make Palpatine jealous, and messing up Thrawns plans for destroying the rebellion that day. And as a further display of his power he phrophesizes Thrawns defeat, before disappearing right in front of Thrawn while the Bendus booming laughter rings in their ears. Bendu=badass force weilder.
The Bendu is like the Three-Eyed Raven.
Bendu reminds me of Tom Bombadil.
I like the idea that bendu, the mortis gods, are just personifications if extremes in the force, with Bendu being powerful but apathetic
The whole Grey Jedi idea has never set well with me. You perfectly summed up why.
There is no real middle ground between light and dark, good and evil, Jedi and Sith.
For about 6 weeks….he was my absolute favorite character……😂😂😂😂
Wasn't Bendu the original name of the Jedi in the original Star Wars drafts?
Yeah I think so
The Jedi-Bendu.
@@anthonyyoutubefan7567 i thought it was Dai-bendu
@@seaofsalt3505 The 1970s draft script and notes I saw, referred to them as The Jedi-Bendu.
@@anthonyyoutubefan7567 mmm intresting
The Bendu abides
Reminds me of The Watcher in Marvel
I think Bendu works in how being neutral in the force isn't a viable option.
I just don't see the alternative for bendu being better, much much worse actually. He's a being of such immense power that he would throw off the scales of any matter. Like if he got involved during the Prequels with the Jedi for instance, the currently Galactic republic would low key have the potential connection with a mighty force entity. Maybe he senses palpatines a sith an just squashes him like a force bug, but then that would basically just cause political upheaval and chaos If this gorilla moose Demigod is takin an active role in society, deciding who's good and evil. It takes common peoples fears of the Jedi and not only makes them legitimate but cranks them to a million.
@@GreaterGrievobeast55 Not really. If Palpatine is killed all that happens is a provisional government is set up until the next Chancellor election.
i think that this is a decent idea and begins to explain some of the odd lore changes in rebels. perhaps the only way to deny the dark side's corruption is to truly not have any hold on the individual using it. this requires him to pretty much be completely apathetic and alone, as if the dark side had any motivation to draw upon, he may have become more like the son from clone wars. the bendu in my mind is a sort of god similar to the ones who represents the type of force user who simply refuses to use their power to do something, and the consequences of not choosing a side.
Being "in the middle" is what Bendu strives to be. But as the video described it has more to do with his choosing to not involve himself in the Jedi vs Sith conflicts than actually being some mixture of the light and dark. The whole concept of being "grey" and using the dark without being corrupted by it is an abomination to Star Wars.
If you turn on the lights - its light. The dark goes away. If you turn out the lights, the light is gone and there is darkness. The two cant co-exist.
While Bendu may give lip service to being "in the middle" his actions after having his ego hurt and lashing out was pure dark side. He's been corrupted despite what he claims.
@@ChiefDJS
if you turn on the light more intensely, the shadows around it with deepen in shade. If the light and dark didn't coexist we wouldn't be seeing anything in detail at all. Everyone always sights how quick bendu was to lash out at the coward card too, but Overlook how he was already pissed at Kanan for turning his planet into a war zone and expecting him to be take role in it. Kanans initial conflicted feelings on Atollon was already sensed by bendu like a storm on it's own, so a whole force forsaken battle is gonna be really upsetting. Kanans protests Just make it clear he thought Bendu was an asset to be used, and Bendu wasn't having. All parties disturbing his serenity were attacked but given the opportunity to escape. Close enough to balance in spite of the spooky cloudness.
@@GreaterGrievobeast55 yes, light and dark are equal and opposite forces I'm star wars, what I'm trying to get across is that the only way to be a "grey Jedi" is to basically be useless
@@GreaterGrievobeast55 The Dark Side is not an opposite of the light. Its not a Yin/Yang. George Lucas has said the Dark Side is a corruption, perversion and enslavement of the Force. Bringing balance to the Force is not about using both the dark and light side without corruption - Yoda says that is impossible. Balance is about getting rid of the dark - the corruption and enslavement of the Force.
Jedi are supposed to work in cooperation with the Force. "shadow" is not part of the metaphore. The light and dark are mutually exclusive. You cannot both cooperate with the force and also enslave it.
I remember an old saying: "You may have no interest in politics, but that doesn't mean politics has no interest in you."
I don't think thar quote fits this exact situation. At least not with the empire to bendu's case. If you mean Kanan trying to make bendu a conscript than I suppose it does.
I consider Bendu to be my spirit guide. He is pretty much my favorite Star Wars character. I think he is vastly misunderstood by most, if not all people, including yourself. I also fundamentally disagree with the assessment that balance is not between light and dark or selfishness and selflessness. I think Bendu is a grumpy old doeche who does his best not to remain neutral but to remain balanced. The two concepts of neutrality and balance are not mutually exclusive, nor one and the same. Ask yourself, what is he staying in the middle of? Bendu is also fallible and seems to need to coach himself. Fascinating character.
I think in the Warhammer universe it makes it clear that even touching power, chaos in Warhammer, will corrupt you. The Bendu not using the force to help or harm either side is avoiding the corruption of either side.
Perhaps his neutrality has less to do with the Force and more to do with wanting to be left alone in return for not wanting to be any part of anything.
I know this because I myself was once like him. That was, until wokeness got into *everything* I loved dear and I had to face the facts...
And perhaps because he is also a great animal that just wants to be left alone...
Excellent video
Hey Thor, so would the ideals of the Bendu be in direct conflict with that of the Gray Jedi because of his apathy and can there truly be a balance within the force without a middle?.., I know you have a problem with the Gray but was just curious.
I see Bendu as personally being a response to the Gray Jedi idea and why it doesn't work. You can't remain in the middle.
I agree. If anything The Bendu shoots down the idea of Gray Jedi.
I see..,then back to my second question how can balance of the force truly be achieved when you have two factions that will never be ideologically aligned?..,are is it just a pipedream?
Balance is actually as simple (in theory) as embracing the light and rejecting the dark. You have to think of balance in Star Wars as harmony, not any form of equality (or equal parts dark and light).
@@thorskywalker I would actually disagree about the Gray Jedi: While one is either in co-operation or opposition with the Force, one can be impartisan on issue-by-issue basis about it. Bendu is exactly how you have a Gray Jedi: He has a clear motivation, and when the demands of Light are too much of a hassle, he taps to the Dark. However, this is also why the Gray Jedi are basically just a Sith recruitment drive: because most beings don't just want to retreat from the world (which is easy for the Force to indulge in most circumstances) so they face way more temptation to just go full Dark. This is exactly what Sidious is driving towards when he tells Anakin he must adopt a *larger* view of the Force in epIII.
As for Balance, I would put it like this: Light Side is seeking Balance between those who create and are connected by the Force, Dark Side is seeking imbalance, usually to one's own benefit. The hint is in the name:. Balance *of the Force* not of Light and Dark.
Hey Thor, do you think the existence of Thrawn in Star Wars is a problem for the continuity? I love Thrawn, but he's too smart. He seems to lose again The Ghost Crew because he has to, because he's the "bad guy." But if Thrawn was around for the original trilogy, the Rebellion would have lost. There's no character I know of in the Republic or Rebellion who rivals his tactics and intelligence. I can't see the rebels winning against Thrawn if he was full unleashed upon them, instead of being restricted to novels and shows
No, we just need smarter writers to write for smart characters. It's not Thrawn's fault everyone else is a dumbass or has inconsistencies that make them look dumb.
I really thought the Bendu was opening the door to the "living force" being explained in the sequel trilogy... i was sadly very wrong.
Look at it another way: If the Bendu had chosen to intervene directly, as powerful as he was, he might have been able to take control of the entire Galaxy.
Power corrupts.
Maybe he didn't want to be another Palpatine?
What is the middle in the force, the balance between the light and the dark? The knowledge that it is not how you fight but what you are fighting for that determines if your actions are good or bad.
Star Trek
“The Savage Curtain”
Open quote.
ROCK: You are the survivors. The others have run off. It would seem that evil retreats when forcibly confronted. However, you have failed to demonstrate to me any other difference between your philosophies. Your good and your evil use the same methods, achieve the same results. Do you have an explanation?
KIRK: You established the methods and the goals.
ROCK: For you to use as you chose.
KIRK: What did you offer the others if they won?
ROCK: What they wanted most. Power.
KIRK: You offered me the lives of my crew.
ROCK: I perceive, you have won their lives.
Close quote.
Someone trying to balance in the middle will teeter from edge to edge on a whim. Reactionary, not proactive. Living in the moment but never being mindful of the moment. Better to find principles to live to.
“Walk right side, safe. Walk left side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later, *squish*, just like grape.”
-Mr. Miyagi
The Bendu is a self righteous A-hole. And, thanks to Thor here, I can now add apathetic to the short list of its character traits. Similar to "Gray Jedi" and the "Don't Join movement" approach to story telling I feel that the "the middle/center" really adds zero dimensions to the SW universe. There is no drama or tension with "the middle" of anything. The fact that the Bendu can be goated into action against everyone and everything makes it a terrible McGuffin.
Honestly, I thought The Father, Daughter, Son story line was some of the best additional material for The Force that Dave Filoni & Friends brought to the table.
The Bendu is definitely fascinating to me, but also a bit disappointing. He kind of is just there, and he's quite strange to think about when you remember the Dai Bendu monks exist (and indeed are in Disney canon), and the fact the Galaxy still has Benduday as basically their Friday.
There are differences but Bendu shares many similarities with Tom Bombadil!
There are some, Tom Bombadil being unaffected by The One Ring isn't dissimilar to Bendu not being affected by the Sith Holocron for example.
Thanks for the reply! Always enjoy your take on the Star Wars universe!
Exactly! Also, Bendu doesn't want to get involved in the outside world and the battle between good and evil. Despite that, brings guidance or help to our heroes at a time they really need it. Unknown origins. Immensely powerful.
Kotor 2: Apathy is death!
Who would win, the Bendu or the Lion-Turtle from ATLA?
Lion-Turtle!😆