A monster in fiction is a deadly creature, a threat to the hero’s life, and a threat to society. They come in various forms.

One is the tall, slimy, growling Rancor in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi who wants to overpower the hero and have him for lunch.

These monsters are personified by evil.

But a monster is not only an external threat to society and heroes battling for the good. There are two sides to the idea of the monster. The other side is the monster within a character, the side to the character that is aggressive and base, which is usually hidden.

Though the character is good, be that a hero or a guide or someone else, there are moments when the inner ‘beast’ comes to the fore, if only for just a moment.

Therefore, monsters in fiction can represent external ‘monsters’ in the world and internal ones inside characters.

Monsters in Star Wars

For all its science fiction and space opera, Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi has a uniquely fantastical monster.

Set in Jabba’s Palace, an underground ghetto of criminals and deadly creatures, the Rancor monster is an external monster. It is personified by evil.

It frightens onlookers and strikes fear into their hearts. But the Rancor’s keeper is affectionate with it. There are ways to deal with it. The Rancor keeper is in the unique position of knowing how to.

(Maybe the Rancor keeper makes this monster his friend, to bring the conditions of acceptance and calmness, and make the beast amenable.)

The monster within

Characters may defend themselves from external monsters, such as from their deadly enemies. This is seen in hero Luke Skywalker outwitting and surviving the Rancor.

The beast within can be a whole other challenge.

What happens when Luke’s ‘internal monster’ unleashes?

It was about coming back to his senses, to not continue the violence. It was about turning away from that behavior, and nip it in the bud.

The monster can be internal. Dealing with it before it gets completely out of control, is saving further damage.

The ideal, as in the story of Anakin Skywalker, was to refrain and become centered in the good before the monster completely takes over the human personality, which is a tragedy.

Taming the monster inside can make one face the external monster better; to defend one’s self from it and therefore survive it.

In Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker most times can effectively face the Rancor, and nemesis Darth Vader, as he controlled his feelings that go on inside. he controlled himself and focused first.