Stryker looked to the recesses of his mind. The code was something he hadn't recited in decades yet it was emblazoned into his memory to never be forgotten. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, opening his eyes once more as he exhaled.
"There is no emotion, there is peace. This was a line that took me a long time to ponder. I still do not think I fully understand it to this day, but I have come to interpret that the balance of emotions is what brings us peace, not that there is a lack thereof, more-so that it is a way of ensuring we do not allow our emotions to dictate our paths in life to ensure we may find inner peace."
"There is no ignorance, only knowledge. I've always resonated with this line. No one is inherently ignorant. Ignorance is a choice to avoid the realities of the galaxy and the Force itself. A Jedi's path is always learning. A constant walkway of knowledge so we may brighten the way for others who come after us. Ever expanding on the gifts the Force has bestowed upon us."
"There is no passion, there is serenity. I'm not the greatest follower of this part of the mantra. We were told to see it as passion is a path to the Dark as it is a form of attachment, but I don't see it that way. Is the most elegant and serene artist not passionate in the work he puts in? I do not see how one can be a Jedi who strives to better their very order not in some degree have passion for the path they chose and still have a sense of serenity about them. This one is a conflicting tenet for myself."
"There is no chaos, there is harmony. Here is another testimonial of an absolute that is meant to be interpreted otherwise. I've come to understand that we are agents who sit in the eye of a chaos storm and it is our goal to find the balance through it. Life itself is chaos, we must be the harbingers of the Light in order to help quell the tide the chaotic energies of the galaxy have created."
"There is no death, there is the Force. I once felt great peace from this last line, but after our persecution, it only filled me with remorse, something I believe was a stepping stone in my severance from the Force. This is to say the end of our physical lifespan is not the end for us Jedi or for anyone for that matter. We just return to the Force upon our death to continue the balance in all things as they are meant to be."
Stryker took another breath. It had been so long since he had put so much reflection onto the Jedi Code. It was not something he was ready for, but one he greeted like an old friend. It was almost bittersweet to think it had been so long and yet he had come to know some slight differences in his way of being after being exiled for so long. To think on the second part of these questions, he had to be slow with his words. Ensuring he articulated his point of view accurately.
"I still mostly believe in the core tenets of the Jedi Code, but I believe a lot of it focuses more on the fear and voidance of emotion entirely rather than understanding one simply cannot exist without the other. It's not so much a difference in Code, but I believe that it is not emotion or attachment that dawns us towards a path for the Dark Side, rather the lack of training and understanding how to handle these emotions when certain events occur. How can one bring forth peace, knowledge, serenity and harmony without there first being emotion, ignorance, passion, and chaos. We believe the Light is the only true way to live, but the galaxy shows time and again that there is balance in all things. There can be no light without dark as is vice versa. I do believe the Code is outdated, but only due to its lack of true understanding that these things they warn to detach and avoid are the actual tools meant to bring our true path as Jedi. This is why I believe the original transcription of the Jedi Code is a more accurate following. Emotion, yet peace; ignorance, yet knowledge; passion, yet serenity; chaos, yet harmony; death, yet the Force."
He wrote everything down on his datapad as he had spoken out loud. It was always something he did in a way to proofread his own work. As he looked everything over, he nodded at his work and submitted it for his Master's review. Hoping his answers wouldn't get him into too much trouble for its controversial statements.
