My -Star Wars Funeral

Star Wars Episode VI - Death of Yoda

With all the recent events in my life I have been obsessed with death and funerals. Let's admit it. Most funerals are sad, morbid, but mostly lame. 

Star Wars Episode I - Funeral of Qui-Gon Jinn

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far away they knew how to throw a good funeral. After re-watching a few films in  the Star Wars Saga recently (Like potato chips, I can never watch just one.) and attending my brothers wake and funeral. I spent a lot of time thinking about my own death. Not in a morbid, sad, depressing way; but in a cool, awesome Star Wars way. One of my favorite visual scenes in the Star Wars Saga after the Luke/Vader saber dueling is another Luke/Vader scene.

Star Wars Episode VI - Funeral of Darth Vader 

My first preference would be to become one with the Force as I lay comfortably in my bed after being tucked in by Luke Skywalker, Yoda-Style. Since that probably won't happen, I will have to settle for my second choice. Rather than be buried or cremated, I want a full-out, traditional Jedi funeral pyre. There I will lay wearing my skimpy Twi'lek costume and Jedi robes (with cleavage - I'll be dead. What could my husband say then, lol.) and my daughter - my most willing padawan - will douse me with Tequila, sprinkle me with dark colored rose petals and then light me on fire.

Star Wars Episode III - Funeral of Padme Amidala

If I thought I would be half as good looking a corpse as Padme Amidala then I might have opted for the flower-covered float-y barge. What a gorgeous corpse Natalie Portman made.


Star Wars, like most mythology, is filled with themes to help us understand and get through the major events in our lives: births, deaths, unions, trials and tribulations. The sadness that comes with the passing of someone dear is something that everyone will experience. Luke & Leia lost their biological parents without having a single memory of them to cherish, or regret, as the case may be with Vader. Leia lost both of her parents on Alderaan, while Luke lost Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and his father Anakin Skywalker twice. - not to mention Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. The difference with the later losses being that Leia and Luke had the examples, teachings and memories of those loved ones to sustain them. 


I'm certain that Luke will never forget Obi-Wan's loyalty, Yoda's wisdom nor Anakin's redemption.  All three valuable lessons we should all learn. Maybe that is the Star Wars lesson here.


Maybe we can't choose how we die:

• Leave a good-looking corpse
• Go out in a blaze of glory
• Pass silently in our bed

But we can choose how we live our lives and the lessons and memories we leave to those left behind. 

My brother taught me many things. Strangely enough the one thing that he taught me that I use the most is - "right-y tight-y, left-y loose-y". Every time I would change a tire, open a jar or loosen a screw, I would think of him and laugh. It's a simple thing but something very helpful and always made me smile and think of him.

My Twi'lek Funeral
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You're all invited to my funeral - bring lots of wood.

As Han Solo would say, "You're gonna need it."