Are you out of your Vulcan mind?

Currently Listening: Reunited (Peaches & Herbs), Where Do Broken Hearts Go? (Whitney Houston), I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston)
Currently Reading: The End of Eternity (Isaac Asimov, 1955), The Road Less Traveled (Scott Peck, audio book)
Movies Watched: Hitch (2005), Star Trek (2009), Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013), Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983)

Mr. Spock. The mind of the Enterprise. The fearless genius who ensures a calm force of intelligence guides their every mission. But look deeper and you will see an outsider who does not belong, a man of two worlds. This tears him apart, the constant battle between what he thinks and what he feels. What does he do? Does he follow his head, embracing logic and the path of reason? Or does he follow his heart, knowing the emotions he cannot control may destroy him? I will help him decide...

What is it with me and complex villains/characters...?

Taking a break in SoCal. I finally got to watch the original Star Wars trilogy! Yess! I liked Return of the Jedi best, especially the moment where Anakin Skywalker saves his son <3.

The Star Wars trilogy does an excellent job of illustrating clear tensions between two opposing sides of a "force" but I have a slight issue. It's clear that the antagonists stand on the dark side and the protagonists stand on the light side. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the edgy complex villains of today's movie industry but Star Wars was not complex at all - not on the surface anyway. There was nothing beside the idea of 'power' and giving into anger that gave me any indication that Luke would give in to the temptation of the dark side. Which is great. He is the archetypal hero - relatable and the paragon of virtue I'd aspire towards. Luke has an unwavering devotion to his friends (which solidifies his place on the side of 'good').

The most compelling characters, on the other hand, were Darth Vader and Han Solo. I see myself drawn to personalities of this nature all the time (for example, Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Zero from Code Geass). Maybe I just love onions. I know I'm not the only one. It is Darth Vader, not his son, who really makes the trilogy what it was. Does he have good in him or not? Will he save Luke from being killed or not? To be or not to be? That is the question.

I think that characters with a compelling inner conflict are more likely to define a movie's greatness. It keeps audiences interested and makes the characters real. Because if there's anything we've learned, nothing is black and white in this world. It's almost like flirting with my psyche.

Controlling your own destiny...

Another theme I enjoyed in Star Wars is the idea of our 'destiny.' Throughout the series, Obi-wan along with Yoda and Palpatine along with Darth Vader tried to influence Luke's "destiny." Luke's presence in the universe is obviously influential - there is no denying that. And so the fact that the two opposing sides would use "destiny" as a reason to join speaks to how powerfully this world feels about it. A philosophical or spiritual device, yes, and something kids can understand. Obviously, I don't ascribe wholly to the idea. We are as in control of our actions as we are of our inaction. We are the sum of our reactions to our external circumstances. Interesting food for thought here.

The Alliance or Starfleet?

Overall, I think I enjoy Star Trek over Star Wars. It's not fair to compare apples and oranges, especially since I watched the Star Trek reboot and not the old movies or the series (a dilemma of accessibility but I'll get around to it). Star Trek has a richer science fiction and thus a more interesting world by comparison.

Also, I'm in love with Spock. The half-Vulcan backstory and conflict between 'logic' and 'irrationality' gets me EVERY TIME. Yes, it is now my goal to become a trekkie. I'm late to the party, but whatevs. Mwahahaha! More on this in future posts. When I get around to it.

Favorite Quotes

(Star Wars)
"The force is strong with this one." - Darth Vader
"I have you now." - Darth Vader
"It is your destiny."
"You are unwise to lower your defenses!" - Darth Vader
"Never tell me the odds!" - Han
"Do or do not. There is no try!" - Yoda

(Star Trek)
"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable must be the truth." - Spock
"Live long and prosper." (come on, who doesn't love this quote?) - Spock
"Are you out of your Vulcan mind?!" - Bones

Nyota Uhura: At that volcano, you didn't give a thought to us. What it would do to me if you died, Spock. You didn't feel anything. You didn't care. And I'm not the only one who's upset with you. The Captain is, too.

James T. Kirk: No, no, no. Don't drag me into this. She is right.

Spock: Your suggestion that I do not care about dying is incorrect. A sentient being's optimal chance at maximizing their utility is a long and prosperous life.

Nyota Uhura: Great.

James T. Kirk: Not exactly a love song, Spock.

Spock: You misunderstand. It is true I chose not to feel anything upon realizing my own life was ending. As Admiral Pike was dying, I joined with his consciousness and experienced what he felt at the moment of his passing. Anger. Confusion. Loneliness. Fear. I had experiences those feelings before, multiplied exponentially on the day my planet was destroyed. Such a feeling is something I choose never to experience again. Nyota, you mistake my my choice to feel as a reflection of my not caring. Well, I assure you, the truth is precisely the opposite.

Making rational decisions is difficult. But necessary. It often takes discipline to act on what you know to be for the best... understanding the consequences... sometimes, all there's left is just being happy with what was and is.