Fandom--and, admittedly, sometimes Legends--way, waaaaaaay overuses "the Code" imo, for something that we don't even have all that established. TPM mentions it and it says that a Jedi Master may not train more than one Padawan at a time and I think TCW had something about fighting in a war risked going against their Code, stuff like that, but since we don't have an easy, handy list, we tend to assume the whole "there is no emotion, there is peace" is a literal code to live by and, honestly, it doesn't make sense with what the Jedi actually say and do.
Like, Obi-Wan is thought of as the "perfect Jedi" in fandom (I don't think canon itself has put forth this idea?) and he shows emotion ALL OVER THE PLACE. He smiles happily when he sees Dex, he argues in frustration with Anakin, he looks at Anakin with fondness and pride, he looks at Ahsoka with similar feelings, he looks at Anakin's shenanigans with amusement, he looks at Maul with anger, he obviously cares deeply about Satine, etc. Obi-Wan has feelings all over the place and even directly says to Anakin that having romantic feelings for someone is totally normal, it's not that they're not allowed them.
So how does that square with the "Code"? It makes so much more sense when it's about the Force. Over and over canon has given us examples of a Jedi having to calm their thoughts to reach the Force, to hear it properly. If you quiet your emotions, then you have the peace that will reach the knowledge the Force has for you.
It's not about how you live your life--they have a different teaching for that, basically "get your shit under control before you hurt someone"--but about how you hear the Force and that's SO FASCINATING TO ME. ♥
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
carisma_sensei
no subject
Date: 2019-01-25 11:29 pm (UTC)Like, Obi-Wan is thought of as the "perfect Jedi" in fandom (I don't think canon itself has put forth this idea?) and he shows emotion ALL OVER THE PLACE. He smiles happily when he sees Dex, he argues in frustration with Anakin, he looks at Anakin with fondness and pride, he looks at Ahsoka with similar feelings, he looks at Anakin's shenanigans with amusement, he looks at Maul with anger, he obviously cares deeply about Satine, etc. Obi-Wan has feelings all over the place and even directly says to Anakin that having romantic feelings for someone is totally normal, it's not that they're not allowed them.
So how does that square with the "Code"? It makes so much more sense when it's about the Force. Over and over canon has given us examples of a Jedi having to calm their thoughts to reach the Force, to hear it properly. If you quiet your emotions, then you have the peace that will reach the knowledge the Force has for you.
It's not about how you live your life--they have a different teaching for that, basically "get your shit under control before you hurt someone"--but about how you hear the Force and that's SO FASCINATING TO ME. ♥