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The sounds of enlightenment
Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back
Composer: John Williams
All the words one can use to describe the magic of John Williams and his music have been used up. There are none left for me. Sorry about that. From other books and essays, to magazine articles and podcasts, there aren’t any new ways to describe John Williams’ work. George Lucas calls him the secret sauce to the success of Star Wars and, well, that kind of sums it up. So instead of reading about it, let’s listen to “Yoda’s Theme” and celebrate the sounds of enlightenment.
(space left intentionally blank so you can go listen to “Yoda’s Theme”)
So…turns out I am contractually obligated to try and use some
words to describe the work of John Williams and why specifically “Yoda’s Theme” drives home all that we learn from Star Wars. Let’s take a shot.
The various themes of Star Wars, those specifically crafted for the main characters, bring something unique and special to the story. A classic like “Binary Sunset” brings wanderlust and hope while “Leia’s Theme” brings strength and determination. Newer fare like “The Adventures of Han” finally captures the smuggler’s eternal thirst for danger and “Rey’s Theme” sounds like someone setting out anew. Any one of those themes (and more) deserve their own entry and, yes, we’re boiling their meanings down to their central themes while Williams embeds many varied ideas and emotions into each theme, depending on the context. But they are all reasons we love Star Wars. “Yoda’s Theme,” though, brings something not found in the other themes that connects straight to the core of Star Wars: enlightenment and the comforting feeling of revelation.
When Luke Skywalker goes through his training on Dagobah, it’s not what he expects. It’s harder, more challenging, and tremendously darker than he could have imagined…and that includes Dagobah itself. In keeping with the theme of The Empire Strikes Back, the tone of his journey changes just as the tone of the war has changed for the Rebels. For Luke, there is more to learn than just using the Force to destroy the Death Star. Yoda may start by playing games and acting the fool, but he’s dead serious about the stakes here.
Which is why the juxtaposition of his charming, airy theme is so fascinating. Yoda is a teacher. Even in our world, his jumbled insights are used for guidance, advice, and inspiration (“It’s like that one time Yoda said…”). And his theme matches that. Listen to it again (and again). It’s bouncy, hopeful even, but there is somber strain underneath it. Particularly at the beginning. None of what Luke is learning is meant to be easy. There are hard truths served up with danger and darkness. Yet, the music builds and builds until the classic melody cascades into the main motif. The one bit that pops up so many other places in Star Wars. This is the sound and energy of enlightenment that comes after learning hard lessons. Star Wars sends us on a journey along with the characters. So, when the main refrain of the song kicks in, it sounds as though your eyes are now just as open as Luke’s. You’ve seen the truth. You’ve got the skills. You’re fully enlightened.
That enlightenment also brings great comfort. Again, Yoda is a teacher, a guide and a mentor. There is supposed to be trust and a feeling of safety there. Luke has brought us all to this harsh landscape and soon faces his inner demons and external threats to those he loves. He has to take what he has learned here with him. This knowledge is a safety line. The soothing nature of this theme is highlighted by its reprise in the finale of Episode V. Empire, we all know, is famously dark. It’s the second chapter, the long dark tea time of the soul, (salute to Douglas Adams), and, as the credits roll, we have no big celebration. Ewoks and Gungans aren’t dancing. Statues of the Emperor aren’t toppling. Instead, we’re left with a lot of hard work to get to the end. This is going to be a challenge. Williams closes the movie with that sense of hope and determination through “Luke’s Theme” and “Leia’s Theme,” but it is when “Yoda’s Theme” reemerges that comfort comes. It’s a reminder that we are not who we were before this journey began. We have the knowledge and skills to face these obstacles.
This plays out again in The Last Jedi when Yoda returns to (literally) knock some sense into his old pupil Luke. In his piece “The Sacred Jedi Texts,” Williams plays with a darker version of the “Force Theme” as well as some menacing chaos and a brief dance with “Yoda’s Theme.” But the entire sequence closes out with one final tough revelation for Luke Skywalker, and Williams once again leans into that comforting lilt of “Yoda’s Theme.” The times are tough again, mistakes have been made, but Luke, like us, has been enlightened once more. We’ve learned the lessons, and everything is going to be alright, no matter what happens. With so many of the themes and concepts of Star Wars being about adventure, discovery, challenges, and pain, you can always return to “Yoda’s Theme” and John Williams reassuring reminder that all of this leads to victory.