Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens *SPOILER ALERT*

[Jukka the Sling]

@Soren:  Yeah, I agree.  That novelization apparently says that you can't kill an enemy out of hate because that's giving in to the Dark Side.  What are you supposed to do, then?  If you let the enemy live, more innocent lives will likely be destroyed.

[Søren]

It would make sense that they could defeat an enemy in a battle, self defense or for the greater good if they're evil. But murder would be the Dark Side.

[Jukka the Sling]

That I get, of course, but Rey was fulfilling all three of the reasons you listed.  *is annoyed by the guy who wrote the novel*

[Wylder Treejumper]

Like I said, noble, but a bit impractical.

[James Gryphon]

...Windu should have put Palpatine down. He was right in saying he's too dangerous to be left alive.  Obi Wan showed no remorse after killing Darth Maul (or supposedly killing), and Yoda and Obi Wan had no problem killing the clones at the Jedi temple. Darth Vader killed the Emperor as well. Darth Vader ceased being the bad guy; he let the good in him act.

None of those are comparable cases, though. In each of those circumstances the person slain was armed and dangerous. Darth Maul and the clones were both carrying weapons, and Palpatine was clearly always dangerous as long as he had any Force power to draw on. In none of these cases were they killing a defeated, defenseless enemy.

I haven't seen the film or read the story yet, so I'm not clear as to what happens in the duel, but if it ends with Rey standing over Kylo Ren, holding a lightsaber at his throat, the precedent (shown in ROTS and ROTJ) seems to be to let him live.

As far as Obi-Wan goes, it's difficult to address this question with the EU being gone now. All I feel like saying right now is that his comment (the one I assume you're referring to, "I will do what I must") seems pretty open-ended to me.

[Jetthebinturong]

Nah they're in a blade-lock, no one gets disarmed, no one's on the floor.

[Søren]

Actually, I thought Rey had the upper hand until they were separated.@James
But you have the example that Anakin told Windu he shouldn't kill Palpitine? so did I?

[James Gryphon]

But you have the example that Anakin told Windu he shouldn't kill Palpitine? so did I?

Eh? Could you rephrase that; it does not compute.

[Søren]

Never mind, I'm so confused.