When SW7 came out of course I loved Rey and hated Kylo.  But the supporting characters found a place in my heart too.  I thought I couldn’t love any droid more than I loved R2-D2, but BB-8 proved me wrong.  I even felted BB-8 this past January.

And I thought I couldn’t love any wise, VERY OLD, small, wrinkled creature as much as I loved Yoda, but Maz Kanata proved me wrong again.  We have thankfully not seen everything BB-8 and Maz have to offer (which is quite unlike Rogue One where everyone dies and I couldn’t form any attachment to any of the characters — but that is the subject of a different blog post).

As we await the December 2017 release date of SW8, I can’t help but wonder what lovely one-liners Maz will add to her repertoire.  Whatever she says, I feel the 27-year teacher in her.

Maz:  I am no Jedi, but I know the Force.  Here’s how that translates to me:  I am no doctor, but I know who ends up going all the way through medical school and who changes majors.

Maz:  That light saber’s was Luke’s.  And his father’s before him, and now it calls to you.  Here’s how that translates to me:  That desk was Jim’s.  And his mother’s before him, and now it calls to you so sit your arse down.  

And my absolute favorite:  Maz:  I have lived long enough to see the same eyes in different people.  Here’s how that translates to me:  I have taught long enough to see the same student in different people.

It is no surprise that Maz wears goggles since the physical ability to see or not see has been a tried and true literary device for centuries.  Let’s think about who else has compromised vision, though their ability to prophesy and/or rationalize might be excellent… from Tiresias in Oedipus Rex to Piggy in Lord of the Flies, these characters are everywhere.  Some characters even blind themselves (Oedipus, eventually and Hazel Motes from Wise Blood, e.g.).  What and where Maz will be able to see remains to be discovered in SW8, but I am confident that this glasses-wearing rational math teacher will love her all the more for it.

You might enjoy my other Star Wars posts:

May 2014  May The Fourth Be With You

May 2015 May the Fourth 2015: I am a Rebel.

May 2016: Do or Do Not. There is no Try.