Page 44 - Star Wars Insider #194

THE MEANING OF MASKS

the observation that he is, “Just a
child in a mask.” Soon after, we
see Ren smash it to pieces until its
shattered form echoes the remnants
of Vader’s.
Like Anakin Skywalker before
him, Kylo Ren is a petulant young
man hiding behind a mask that he
uses to project what is really driving
him. Ren’s mask provokes us to
consider the self-image he wants
to project, and in this respect its
function very powerfully connects
to classical ancient Greek drama
in which the mask is known as
the prosopon. It is from this word,
when translated into Latin, that
we arrive at the word persona. As
the events of Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker (2019) unfold, Ren’s mask
is reconstructed, now marked with
vivid red scars where its fragments
have been fused together. J.J.
Abrams revealed that these jagged
lines were intended as a visual
representation of Ren’s fractured
persona, and that the “mask doesn’t
ultimately hide him, and his
behavior is revealed.”
To Strike Fear
Young people fighting back against

their corrupt and deceitful elders is a
well-established fairy tale trope, and
is one of the fundamental points DECEPTION
of resonance and appeal in Star AND DECOYS
Wars, too. Enfys Nest, the masked
As we follow Amidala’s
antagonist of Solo: A Star Wars story through The Phantom
Story (2018), perfectly embodies Menace, the mask of the forces that seek to shut down those
queen is critical in ensuring
this youthful heroism. As a female who resist.
her survival, concealing both
teenage fighter, Nest resonates the true identity of Padmé and Nest’s rebellion and conviction

particularly in the current political the purpose of her selfl ess are reminiscent of a very particular
climate, in which young women are handmaidens in their role as young woman who has so often
decoys. Indeed, the use of the
so powerfully leading public debate been imagined as the apogee
word “phantom” in the fi lm’s
on matters of global signifi cance, title speaks to the idea of what of heroic youth: Joan of Arc.
yet her mask is a counterpoint to is, or is not, obviously there in Mythographer Marina Warner has
front of us.
the person behind it. Intended to written of the allure of Joan that,
The decoy role also shapes
strike fear into those who behold the opening scenes of Attack “Her image acts as a magic mirror of
it, the mask obscures the truth of of the Clones, when Amidala, personal and political idealism and,
her young age and renders Nest disguised as a Naboo guard, in particular, changing ideas about
survives an assassination
genderless, a primal force who women’s heroism.”
attempt only to helplessly watch
becomes almost supernatural her decoy, Cordé, dressed in
in nature. the regalia of the queen, die on Invisible Masks
a Coruscant landing platform.
Adorned with Aurebesh text that Not all masks are as tangible as
Even the planet is shrouded in
reads: “Until we reach the last edge, clouds, masking the realities of those worn by Vader, Ren, and
the last opening, the last star and a place where both those who Nest. Some are behavioral, and at
thrive on integrity and peace
can go no higher,” her face piece first glance go almost unseen. Such

(the Jedi) and those who are
is not only a disguise, but an overt fueled by aggression and deceit self-conscious creations of a false
symbol of resistance to oppressive (Senator Palpatine) reside. identity are key to the dramatic
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