Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar: Day 16

Har de har har.  I know, it's an ad, but still.  Newsflash - Star Wars can be a bit melodramatic.  And, it leads us into today's Lego.

A clone trooper.  An odd being - both within the story itself and in the larger Star Wars milieu.  He is a genetic clone of Jango Fett, a bounty hunter and "father" of Boba Fett, and was created in secret to provide an army for the Sith-imagined empire.  He is also the genetic ancestor of the stormtrooper.  

The nature and history of the character lead to some larger questions.  Was George Lucas trying to make the stormtrooper somewhat sympathetic?  When I first saw the first Star Wars, I assumed the stormtroopers were just dudes in suits, similar to any other generic evil soldier in a fantasy tale (orcs, goblins, maître'ds, etc.), but now we've seen his face, we have guilt about his creation, and for a while they worked with the Jedi.  I once visited a parishioner in his home and his son had left a clone trooper helmet on the stair.  Do the kids who grew up on all six films want to be a trooper, rather than Han Solo or Luke?  Hmmm.  While I am highly critical of the prequel trilogy, it did hammer home the fact that life is not always black and white.

I also wonder about a clone trooper's inner life.  Did he think?  Did he ponder the violence he was ordered to execute?  Did the different troopers have personalities, variances?  I know some of these issues have been explored in the cartoons, comics, books, and other offshoots of the films, but I am not familiar with any of that work.  And, I know this could lead to a much more interesting conversation about the psychology of soldiers, but I would not feel qualified to comment and this is not the correct venue.  But I do wonder, while they all look, talk, and act alike, what's going on under that helmet?

Let's move on to Advent.  I am a bit of an Advent nazi.  I HATE IT when stores begin decorating for "the holidays" around Columbus Day (good on Nordstrom, btw).  And I get grumbly when folks start decorating their homes before Thanksgiving (sorry AK).  Now, I don't mean to be a grinch and my heart is warmed when I see lights going up in late November and on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas music starts in heavy rotation, but "Christmas Creep" is a pet peeve of mine.  However, if we want folks to keep Advent rather than jump ahead to Christmas, one must allow for variance in how folks keep Advent.  We should not expect ... wait for it ... Advent clones.

There are many ways to keep Advent and it isn't too late to keep Advent even though Christmas is nine days away.  Advent wreaths, calendars, and devotionals are traditional ways to keep the season.  But dedicated prayer time, commitment to an outreach ministry, giving to charity (or one's parish - yeah, I said it), even Christmas cards, can be disciplines that aid your preparation for Christmas.  The important thing is that you keep the season.  Don't worry about what everyone else is doing, just do it in your own way.  If you do, you have given an invaluable gift to yourself and Christmas will dawn with renewed glory.  

Have a great day.  See you Sunday.  Blessed Advent.