Why I still love Kyp

It was fun reading Keyes' book. Kyp had a significant role and his words made a lot of sense to me. This was a pivotal point when he could have torn the order in half, but deep down he is so loyal to Luke, he just won’t do it.

Luke sighed. "I was young, then," he pointed out. "There was much I did not understand. Aggression is the way of the dark side."

This is “Yoda speak” (I absolutely hate the little green toad). Yoda likely could have beaten the likes of Palpatine, but “aggression is of the dark side”. Poor Luke. He never had any decent teachers. Even Owen and Beru were passive and more worried about the binary function of moisture evaporators than nurturing their nephew’s curiosity and critical thinking. I’d like to believe that Kyp learned to think from his mom and dad.

Kyp is an eloquent speaker and very persuasive. Why does anyone follow Luke? His arguments make less sense.

"No!" Jaina whispered to Anakin. "If Kyp leaves, he'll take too many with him.""So?" Anakin said. "Are you so sure he's wrong?""Of course I—" She stopped, paused, started again. " It won't help any of us if the Jedi split. We have to try to help Uncle Luke. Come on."

I love this line because it clearly shows where their instinctual loyalties lie. They just had tough time turning their backs on their uncle.

"It's too bad I didn't take care of Kyp years ago," Mara said.

Why does Luke worry so much about the dark side, but allows Mara to make dark side comments ALL THE TIME!

I recommended Dark Apprentice to a student today. I said, “ the coolest JedI is in this book.” the student said, “Luke? Darth Vader?”

I said “no, Kyp.”

This poor kids gonna go home, read, and think, “how is Kyp cool?” He just mind raped a woman, attacked Luke, and declared himself a Sith and ends the book with his sun crusher attack! Well if the student gets through the book maybe I should encourage COF to get to the Kyp redemption. I think it’s easier to love Kyp when you are an adult rather than 11. It will be interesting to hear the student’s take on this is he actually completes the book.

Occasional Random Thoughts

It's all about genetics, right? Where did Kyp's power come from, mom or dad. We speculate in fanfiction, but we know in the NJO era the power is often inherited. The more Midi-chlorians you have (with training) the stronger you are, the faster you are, the clearer you can see the future, the less concentration you require to move massive objects (dark siders do it with even greater ease because they make objects move instead of just willing them to move) etc.

Yeh, but midichlorians make me think of IQ. You can have the potential, but you also have to have the nurturing of the gift and the training to learn to use it fully. If midi’s are like IQ, why would Jacen have less than Luke? I mean really, if midi’s were like any genetic gift why would it dilute. You can inherit intelligence, musical, athletic etc…you are less or greater than your parents. Why would Force gifts be any different?

Someone mentioned willingness to use skills….Jacen has that over the other JedI because IMO he is a Sith. Maybe he isn’t quite the master yet, but he is a Sith. Sorry it’s my opinion.
Yoda could have beaten Palpatine. He refused to use the dark side. Thus he sent the galaxy into 20 years of darkness and oppression.

LOL My IQ of more than 120 is meaningless. I am only a teacher. I do not use my full potential nor work in a brain intelligent demanding job. I have never tapped the potential. Isn't that also true of Jedi?

What the Kriff is Star Wars About Anyways????

What is the spirit of the movies? I’ve been thinking and I think it is that they are goofy and for kids. GL says he makes them for kids, they just aren’t serious. You never get the feeling that anyones really gonna get hurt and even if they are in danger you know it’ll all work out in the end. I think the two best movies were also in ways the most adult ESB and ROTS. Especially the end of Sith with the tragedy of Anakin, very adult, not happy at all. Bantam era books were more like the movies. You had ridiculous tyrants and Luke would fight these dumb acting enemies. There were always power hungry Imps and kidnappings. But the bad guys were distinct and not like you and me.

That’s why NJO started to be more mature. The plot was more mature even though the bad guys weren’t like you and me, but the bad guys definitely were not the bumbling dark Jedi type either.

Now with LOTF you have no bumblers. The enemy looks like you and no one is easily right or wrong.