The Star Wars franchise has made a tremendous mark on pop culture, cinema, and science fiction media. Its cultural relevance is largely attributed to its commercial success as well as its universal themes of good versus evil, the value of friendship, and maintaining hope in the face of overwhelming odds. The characters of George Lucas' original trilogy, such as Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader are dynamic archetypes that navigate power, responsibility, and accountability.

Perhaps the most iconic scene in the Star Wars original trilogy is Darth Vader's confession that he is Luke Skywalker's father. You don't even need to know the story to recognize the climactic aspect of this interaction. The emotional weight of Luke's rejection of this assertion is palpable but also naive; his denial of fact reflects his character's journey from self-centered teenager to a leader within the rebellion against the Empire.

Luke's relationship with his father is one of the central themes of Star Wars, extending even beyond the original three films made in the late 70s and early 80s. Even in the prequels and sequels, the subject of ancestral dynamics is evoked again and again. They all address the line between origin and legacy, evoking the tension between where someone comes from and who they become.

Pluto Archetypes in Star Wars 

As an astrologer who loves Star Wars, I've noticed the presence of Pluto throughout the entire series. Both the movies and shows explore Plutonian themes of death and rebirth, transformation, emotional intensity, and loss. While characteristically depicted through the lens of the "dark side," a term that refers to a powerful but negative expression of the "force," Pluto in Star Wars isn't depicted solely as evil.

Pluto's role in transformation is present in nearly every main character. In the original trilogy, Luke Skywalker accepts his destiny to become a Jedi only after his aunt and uncle are killed by stormtroopers. Princess Leia grapples with diplomatic responsibility and the necessary transgression from politics to organizing guerilla warfare. Han Solo learns the value of sacrificing his self-gain for people he loves and a cause he cares about.


They all experience death, in both literal and metaphorical ways, in order to shed the past and become someone new. Rae, the new protagonist first introduced in the seventh film The Force Awakens, is abandoned as a child on a desert planet and survives as a scavenger. Similar to Luke and even Anakin, her character struggles with attachments to the past. Yet the lesson is that her origins do not determine her destiny; becoming oneself is ultimately a choice.

It's the tension between past and present, expectations and destiny that form the emotional intensity of Star Wars. Power dynamics within the self and society form the backbone of the multi-movie narrative.

The Galactic Empire is a repressive regime that embodies the worst qualities of Pluto: domineering, aggressive, and obsessed with maintaining order and control. It's very obvious visual references to Nazis reflects the archetype of oppressive government structures. The rebellion against the Empire depicts a more positive side of Pluto; it's more "power to the people" than systematic power for a select few. The Rebel Alliance prioritizes collective liberation over individual gain.

The ever-lasting conflict between the Jedi and the Sith reveal the different paths one can take when pursuing power. Sith Lords wield the force with passion, oftentimes without any restriction which leads them down a path of impulsivity and over-confidence. The Jedi are all about limitations, to the point where they practice non-attachment. They believe romantic, familial, and even plutonic attachments lead to prioritizing the safety of a select few over the collective. Jedis are supposed to be protectors of the peace for everyone, not just those they care about.


Pluto Aspects in Star Wars 

The dramatic dilemmas present in Star Wars are not stagnant problems, they're the push-and-pull of opposition and square aspects in astrology. Before I ever looked at George Lucas' natal chart, I knew he must have some hard aspects between his Pluto placement and other planets. My instincts were right: his Pluto forms squares with Mercury and Venus and opposition with the Moon. I also have Pluto opposite Moon in my natal chart, which explains why I'm so drawn to the relationship dynamics present in Star Wars.

Even the premiere of A New Hope, which happened on May 25th, 1977, featured an opposition between Pluto in Libra and Venus and Mars in Aries! I found a chart that calculates the premiere in New York at 10:45am.

Moon-Pluto squares and oppositions are incredibly difficult aspects to have, mostly since they indicate an extreme dynamic between one's relationship to their emotions and power. Overcoming this aspect's self-destructive tendency leads to successfully managing inner-power for the benefit of healthy evolution. But getting there is tough; it requires immense discipline and a willingness to acknowledge one's "darkness."

It makes sense that George Lucas, someone with three challenging Pluto aspects, would explore Plutonian themes in Star Wars. The father-son tension is by far the most obvious. Lucas' natal Moon in Aquarius is located in the 10th house of career and public image, while his Pluto in Leo is in his 4th house of private life, emotions, and the home. The 4th/10th axis often evokes relationships with the father and mother, although I like to think it can apply to any caretaker/role model growing up.

While I don't know George Lucas' relationship to his own parents, the Pluto opposite Moon dynamic can manifest as both absent or smothering relationships with caretakers. Power struggles are almost always present, either internally or externally. In Star Wars, Darth Vader is an absent father figure for Luke, mostly due to the fact Obi-Wan Kenobi didn't want Darth Vader to know his children survived. The loss of his wife and children pushes him further into the dark side and serves as a "justification" for his destruction.

Before he became Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker grappled with Plutonian struggles. As I rewatched the prequels, Hayden Christenson perfectly portrayed Anakin's defiant and powerful nature. His character is always on edge, as he experiences tension between his desire for self-mastery and his unruly, raw energy.

His quick-wit and explosive temper mirror the dynamic of a Pluto-Mars opposition. Interestingly enough, Hayden Christenson, who played Anakin Skywalker in the prequels, has this aspect in his birth chart! Christenson's Pluto is also opposite to Mercury and the Sun. It's no wonder George Lucas cast him in this role; his intimate knowledge of this powerful aspect is vital to the character he plays.

It would be too simple to assert that Darth Vader's abusive, manipulative dark nature is derived from afflicted Pluto aspects. While Pluto reflects these parts of human identity, astrology is not prophecy. Star Wars plays a lot with the idea of "fate" being unchangeable and set in stone. Anakin's destiny is believed to restore balance to the force; but before he does that, he becomes a Sith Lord and overwhelms the galaxy with negative Plutonian energy.

The fault of believing in a fixed "destiny" is that these expectations set Anakin up for failure in the first place. He was never given room to process his trauma within the Jedi order and so he over-identified with his pain. Alongside the fact he was manipulated by Palpatine / Darth Sidious, his descent into darkness is ultimately tragic. He chooses to use his rage as a weapon, not as a force of accountability and healing.


Plutonian Power Exists in the Gray Area

Pluto is a planet of extremes, the all-or-nothing mentality. And yet, Pluto's potential lies within those two fixed points. Just as channeling positive manifestations of opposition aspects requires compromise, so does grappling with one's desire for power and mastery.

Star Wars is rife with negative portrayals of this journey, from Darth Sidious to Darth Maul to Darth Vader (essentially - evil Pluto is a sith lord) but it also features a healthy relationship to developing power. I love how the new television series on Disney Plus, The Mandalorian, explores this theme: the aloof "Mando" struggles to accept the side of himself that's nurturing and compassionate when he takes a strange child under his care. Protecting the vulnerable Baby Yoda is a great plot device to connect someone to their desire for responsibility.

The animated series The Clone Wars and Rebels both explore how the light-dark dichotomy is a little more complicated than choosing either side. Ahsoka Tano's self-exile from the Jedi Order leads her down a path of moral ambiguity, where she doesn't align with either extreme but still fights for justice by joining the Rebel Alliance. Ezra Bridger, one of the protagonists in Rebels, has a troubling relationship with Darth Maul which ultimately teaches him the value of trusting his instincts.

Kylo Ren, the main antagonist from the Star Wars sequels, also occupies an amorphous gray area, although one that leans closer to the dark side. He's the son of Leia and Han and was originally being trained as a Jedi until Luke betrays him. Throughout the series, he struggles to define himself beyond his family and Sith masters. His connection with Rae, who also occupies a gray space, is an intriguing exploration about how characters can embody both the "good" and the "bad."

One of Pluto's rite-of-passage is coping with the struggle. Pluto creates pain that has the ability to transform or mutate. It's a visceral and terrifying part of life but it's also necessary for the process of transcendence. This truth is depicted in the sixth season of The Clone Wars when Yoda goes through a series of trails to learn how to transcend death and become a force ghost. He literally battles his "dark side," a confrontation that is both intense and enlightening. When he realizes he cannot win by fighting it, he chooses to accept it. Only then does its power and hatred that fueled it dissolves.

The lesson here is that Plutonian themes become highly negative and destructive when they're ignored or over-indulged to the point of self-identification. We are not entirely our rage and pain, those feelings are only a part of ourselves that wants to be seen.

The depictions of Plutonian themes in Star Wars is a very old story. Yet the decision to explore these ideas in the context of an epic space opera is a unique (and fitting) choice. In its many forms of television series, movies, books, and video games, the story central to the Star Wars franchise is rooted in the hero's confrontation of their darker self. Only then can they move beyond what they've been told to be and become their truest, Plutonian selves.