The Phantom Menace with Paul McDonald, Will Branner, and Grayson Foster
Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we get you ready for the new season of the Mandolorian with The Phantom Menace. This movie shows the danger of unchecked hubris, whether we see it in Lucas, the Jedi Council, or even Obi-Wan. Honest and wise feedback matters. And in the duel between Darth Maul and Qui-Gon, Anakin’s future is at stake. Are we prepared for these unknown battles that may determine the fate of the universe? Now this is podracing—join us as we discover God’s truth in this movie.
Quotes
Star Wars is an IP that is always thrusting technology forward.
The amount of joy that the weirdness brought is so valuable.
The core of a great story is in there.
The more we try to explain Star Wars away, the more we miss out on the bigger story, the more it loses its magic.
Anakin’s fate comes down to the duel between Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jinn.
Themes
The danger of unchecked power/hubris:
George Lucas: This movie is what happens when someone has ultimate power (George Lucas). He took creative risks, but no one told him no, pushed back for bad ideas.
Jedi Council:The Jedi think that they have everything figured out, but are out of practice and unprepared for fighting the Sith.
Obi Wan: As the first Jedi to kill a Sith in over a thousand years, he feels like he can handle training Anakin (which goes poorly).
When you see a movie matters, and what circumstances surrounded how you saw it.
When you take a big swing and miss on a small scale, it’s not a big deal. When it’s on such a big stage, it makes a difference.
Duel of the Fates—losing Qui-Gon changed the outcome for Anakin and was a piece of him turning to the dark side. Also, losing Darth Maul meant that Darth Sidious needed another apprentice, and targeted Anakin.
Resources
“Tradition is not wearing your grandfather’s hat. It’s wearing a new one like he did.” - Mark Twain
Darth Maul: Apprentice (German fan film)
“Under the tongue root
a fight most dread,
and another raging
behind in the head” - Battle of the Trees
Star Wars: Always (Topher Grace edit)
Questions
What are your favorite movies from your childhood?
How is honest feedback important? When has it been hurtful?
Who has given you feedback that hurt at the time, but been helpful in the long run?
When have you tried something new that didn’t work out?
How can you prepare for a fight that you don’t know is coming?
More info
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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster
Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston
Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).
Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock
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