A Jedi Knight with a Mean Streak

[bnewman]

I saw Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith in the theater the weekend it came out. It so happened that I also attended a live production of Sweeney Todd that same weekend. The similarities stood out to me, as they so often do, like a bright, hot blade in a dark place: both Sweeney and Vader start out in promising careers in which they owe their success to their skill with a gleaming blade; both are disgraced, transformed by a consuming rage and hatred, and return under a new name seeking vengeance; both murder their wives but blame others for it; and both leave behind children who have to sort it all out.

lyrics by Benjamin Newman

ttto: "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" from Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim

listen to this song

Attend the tale of one who turned

From light to darkness, and never learned

Afraid of losing what he held dear

His hate brought him straight to the fate that he feared

He struck the blow without remorse

He used the Force

A Jedi Knight with a mean streak

 

He loved a lady he feared to lose

He yearned for power and had to choose

And though his own hand snuffed out her life

He never forgave those who murdered his wife

Did Vader — or Sweeney Todd —

A Jedi Knight with a mean streak

 

Swing your saber wide, Vader

Give in to your hate

Cleave in two the Jedi who

Equivocate

 

From youth he trained at a good career

And when he fell to his rage and fear

He kept from the calling that he betrayed

A singular skill with a glistening blade

Did Vader — like Sweeney Todd —

A Jedi Knight with a mean streak

 

Rash and petulant Vader was

Bright and hot as a blade he was

Under his helmet, under his cloak

Vader had nightmares and never awoke

 

Vader plotted and Vader planned

A twisted tool, more machine than man

Vader was cruel, Vader was driven

The sins of the Jedi would not be forgiven

 

Vader!  Vader!  Vader!  Vader!

 

If only most of my tale is true

It all depends on your point of view

Your father's dead, at least by name

Done in by the hand of the man he became

By Vader — or Sweeney Todd —

A Jedi Knight with a mean streak