The Astrology of Star Wars and the Last Jedi: The Planets as Characters

Have you adventured into what some call the best, and most intellectual of Star Wars films—The Last Jedi?

In light of 2017’s The Last Jedi, 2015’s The Force Awakens, a Han Solo film, and many others in the works, I would like to offer a really elegant example of how the Astrological Archetypes knows as the Planets—those evolutionary forces, psychological urges, and motivational impulses—play out as characters in one of everybody’s favorite heroic myths, Star Wars.

It is easy to understand that Luke Skywalker is the Sun, the Solar Hero, akin to all other heroes we find especially prevalent in western mythology. Even his name— Luke, which means “light,” and Skywalker, which is what the Sun does (walk across the sky)—are related to the Sun. We also know that George Lucas’ writing was inspired by Joseph Campbell’s mythic explorations in The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Early on, Luke meets Han Solo, the reckless mercenary. Han is the symbol of Mars, a renegade figure who does what he wants, when he wants, how he wants. The first time we see Han in the bar on Tattoine, he fires his weapon, a Martian symbol, at Gredo, who is trying to collect money from Han. Solo is the captain of the Millennium Falcon, which can travel at light-speed, and like Mars, Han is constantly on the move. Also, Mars is that part of us which fearlessly acts, and ultimately can help fulfill the life purpose of the Sun, like the knights of old. In Star Wars, Han assists Luke in his quest to defeat the Empire.

The Empire is a Saturnian force, with its concentration of rule, its strict hierarchies, and its cold detachment from the common people of the various planetary systems. The Empire is an all-encompassing system trying to control the galaxy, just as Saturn shows us how we must fit into society and fulfill a role, and if not, suffer the consequences of law and order. At the head of the Empire is the power hungry Darth Vader who lurks behind his black mask, steeped in his unconscious shadow. This is the underworld territory of Pluto, where repressed emotions, secrets, and taboos, can percolate to the surface in an intense desire to dominate, control, and wield negative influence over others.

The Uranian force of the Rebel Alliance battles against the Saturnian Empire and the Plutonian Darth Vader. The Alliance even carries the Uranian keyword, “rebellion” in its name. They desire the primal Uranian urges—freedom and liberation for all. It is through their inventive teamwork and innovative strategizing, Uranian concepts, that the Rebel Alliance eventually defeats the Empire.

Luke learns of the force from his first teacher, Obi-wan, the embodiment of Jupiter in the film. Obi-wan represents the guru figure, teaching Luke a moral code while expanding his perceptions of the cosmos, introducing Luke to the philosophy of the Force. Obi-wan instills a Jupiterian sense of faith and optimistic yearning to grow in Luke, allowing him to become “A New Hope,” the subtitle of the first Star Wars film.

Both Obi-Wan and Yoda act as Chiron figures––mentors and guides toward Luke. They fulfill the same role as Chiron in our birth chart, revealing to Luke where his pain, wounds, and weaknesses are, especially regarding his family of origin, his lack of faith, and his physical training. In the myths, Chiron, the wise centaur, taught Achilles and Heracles, the great heroes, as Yoda teaches Luke, Obi- wan, and Darth Vader. Also, Chiron is the wounded healer, taking his shortcomings and transmuting them into his sacred gifts—reminiscent of Yoda, a small runt like figure, who has size does not hinder his ability to maste the Force. As he says, “Judge me by my size? Size matters not.”

Chiron also taught the healing power of herbs and astrology—the more subtle forces of the universe. This links Chiron’s teachings to Yoda’s instructions to Luke about the Force—the symbol of Neptune in the film. Neptune reminds us of our Source. It is the seed of our divine imagination and our mystical union with all. In describing the Force, Yoda says, “It is the energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us. It binds the universe together…It cannot be fully described with words. You must feel the Force to understand it.” It is often impossible to describe the spiritual dimension of our Neptunian experiences. Neptune can cloud or fog up our words in its attempt to dissolve our ego and allow us to merge with the universal field of energy. Where Neptune is in our charts is an area we have telepathic and psychic links, where we must feel things to understand them.

R2D2, C3PO, and Chewbacca combine the planetary forces of the Moon and Mercury in their archetypal energy. Throughout his adventures, Luke is ac- companied by R2D2, his loyal friend. R2 often asks about the welfare of the others. In a sense, R2 and C3PO, as Luke’s droids, function as his pets and recall the energy of the Moon as family and the source that cares for him and for which Luke cares deeply. In fact C3PO’s original purpose was to help Luke’s mother with farming. C3PO often worries, like a mother whose child hasn’t called home. He is highly reactive, like the Moon part of us which is always concerned about feeling safe and secure. Chewbacca is also a Moon force in the films. Though he can be a warrior, Chewy is much more of a protective maternal figure, especially over his longtime friend Han Solo.

As machine intelligence, both R2D2 and C3PO function as Mercurial figures, consistently utilizing their enhanced mental, perceptual, and translating abilities, the realm of Mercury. On multiple occasions, R2’s skills in deciphering codes save the lives of Luke, Han, and the others. Likewise, C3PO is versed in millions of languages, (Mercury rules communication and speech), which allows him to infer that an intercepted signal was in fact an Imperial code, alerting the Rebels to the presence of a probe droid dangerously close to their base.

Lastly, the goddess Venus is of course Princess Leia. She is the exclusive feminine figure throughout the initial trilogy, and is portrayed in Venus’ various costumes. In Return of the Jedi, she is a scantily clad object of beauty, adornment, and lust—Venus in Taurus, Libra, and Scorpio. She is also a princess and in charge of making key decisions—Venus in Leo and Capricorn. She is an intrepid traveler and feisty warrior—Venus in fire signs. She is also Venus in her air signs, highly intelligent and a messenger, delivering an important message to R2 to give to Obi-Wan. She shows sensitivity and a telepathic link with her brother Luke, displaying Venus in her empathic water element. Lastly, Leia is constantly pursued as “Her Highness” by Mars— Han Solo. In the Greek myths, Mars and Venus were lovers.

May the Force, and all its Planets, be with You.