Via Starwars.com:

Studying Skywalkers is an exclusive column that investigates the characters, themes, and lessons of Star Wars from an educational, literary perspective. In this installment, StarWars.com looks at the role of mentors in the saga.

The term “mentor” goes all the way back to Homer’s classic, The Odyssey. In this famous epic, a character named Mentor (actually disguised as the goddess of wisdom, Athena), instructs Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, that he must stand up against his enemies, and search for knowledge. In this particular instance, the truth is in regards to the whereabouts of his father, but the power of what a mentor is transcends this legendary story, and finds itself present in the Star Wars saga in many different forms. A mentor shares knowledge and wisdom with a less experienced companion, and the Star Wars films have some of the most beloved and inspirational in all of fiction.

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