Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, has a reputation for voicing strong opinions online. His latest comments have focused on the Star Wars franchise, which, according to a recent analysis, he appears to fundamentally misunderstand.
In a post on X on November 1, Musk shared an AI-generated image depicting an alternate Star Wars scenario: Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, and their children, Luke and Leia, are shown dressed in black, with Anakin seated on a throne surrounded by Imperial Royal Guards. The accompanying caption read, "This is what they stole from us," referencing a right-wing nostalgia meme that laments perceived past glories.
However, the analysis points out that Musk's use of this meme in the context of Star Wars is flawed. The meme typically applies to situations where something tangible has changed, such as a video game character's design or the discontinuation of old technology. Musk's application, however, suggests a longing for a Star Wars narrative that never existed.
According to the report, the core of Star Wars, particularly the prequel trilogy, establishes Anakin's fall to Darth Vader as a consequence of his trust in authoritarianism and his isolation from loved ones. The narrative consistently portrays the Empire's victories not as triumphs, but as atrocities. Furthermore, the idea of Padmé Amidala accepting a role within an oppressive regime is contrary to her established character as a staunch advocate for justice, as seen when she states in Revenge of the Sith that Anakin is going down a path she cannot follow.
The analysis concludes that depicting Anakin and his family as happy rulers of the Empire represents a nostalgic desire for a scenario that is not only absent from the franchise's lore but also fundamentally misinterprets the meme's original intent and the very essence of Star Wars. This misunderstanding, the report suggests, is characteristic of Musk's online commentary, which often seems detached from the source material it criticizes.