Let’s face it, it’s time to stop celebrating Darth Vader’s legacy. Sure, he had a great pod racing career as a child, but that doesn’t make up for all the planets he blew up or people he choked with his mind. And yet, every time I go out to Toshi Station to pick up some power converters, I have to drive my landspeeder down Darth Vader Lane.
Thankfully, attitudes are changing all across the galaxy, and the old symbols of the Empire are coming down.
Now that Darth Vader Lane is finally being renamed, I think a good new name would be “Emperor Street”.
Some people have suggested divisive ideas such as Poe Dameron Avenue or Jar Jar Binks Boulevard, but I don’t think we need to go that far. Why stir the pot? Emperor Street is fine. This way, we can stop edifying an evil figure like Darth Vader without causing conflict among The Council.
Sure, Darth Vader did all his evil deeds in the name of Emperor Palpatine, so calling it Emperor Street might still remind some people of the Galactic Empire. But I think that’s a bit of a stretch. Just because that one Emperor was evil, doesn’t necessarily mean all Emperors are. “Emperor” is a totally neutral word, if you ask me.
Cities all over Tatooine have an Emperor Street and no one gets mad about them. Why should this one be any different?
Even if it’s not perfect, you have to admit that Emperor Street is better than Darth Vader Lane. So let’s just say job well done, pat ourselves on the back, and stop thinking about this forever. It’s what we deserve as good, honest citizens of Jabba The Hutt’s Palace.
Bryn Pottie is a Lunenburg High School graduate. You can find him at www.brynpottie.com.
Great work.