Redeeming Value of A Video Game: Redemption in "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed"

Two weeks ago I was visiting with some youth about the video games they were playing and I asked what they recommended. Jennifer and I recently purchased a Nintendo Wii using the store credit we had received from selling back a ton of old books, CDs, and DVDs. After listening to their recommendations, I told the youth that I had just rented "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed." I told them that I was enjoying it, but I didn't know if it had any redeeming value or if I was just fulfilling my lifelong dream to use a lightsaber (this is probably as close as I will ever get).

I grew up watching the Star Wars movies - in fact, whenever I was sick enough to stay home from school I would watch all three of the originals back to back to back. The story takes place during the time between the original three movies and the newer movies (which take place before the originals). You play as Darth Vader's apprentice. I must be honest and say that I didn't like the idea of beginning on the dark side. In some of the older computer games (Knights of the Old Republic) you could choose whether you would like to become a Jedi (good guy) or a Sith (bad guy). You begin by attacking Jedi as you try to prove to Darth Vader that you are ready to take on the emperor and rule the galaxy alongside your master. You are apparently betrayed by Darth Vader before he tells you to begin a rebellion so that you can distract the emperor. Then you are betrayed by Darth Vader as he captures those you have gathered for the rebellion - it appears that you have been used to bring the emperor's enemies out into the open. But as the game progresses the character makes progress as well. Ultimately you reject the dark side and save the leaders of the rebellion. In order to stay within the "canon" of the movies, your character must die (because the character is never mentioned in the movies). So you die while the rebel leaders escape. The rebellion adopts your family crest as the symbol for the rebellion against the evil empire.

The game does have some redeeming value as the character gives his life for the sake of his friends (John 15:13). While the character may have to die to remain within the Star Wars Canon, our Christian Canon (The Bible) tells us that Jesus had to die for our salvation. While the character in the Star Wars game gives his life for the sake of others, there is nothing he can do to make up for the lives he takes at the beginning of the game. You begin the game as someone who has been twisted by the dark side of the force. Each of us has been twisted by sin. While the game has some redeeming value, the Bible tells us that Jesus' death on the cross has the value of redemption. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation, because we can never make up for what we have done and we will never be good enough. But we can freely receive salvation through the gracious gift that comes through Jesus' death and resurrection.

This game gave me an opportunity to unleash the powers of the force and recognize the power of the gospel. It gave me an opportunity to use a lightsaber and reflect on The Light!