The films are incredibly subtle. Jedi and Sith represent the allegorical extremes of human nature for Lucas, in the same way the Republic and Empire represent i

The films are incredibly subtle. Jedi and Sith represent the allegorical extremes of human nature for Lucas, in the same way the Republic and Empire represent idealized democratic and authoritarian societies. The reason the author sees "psychopathy" as a common trait is that the first three films show ostensibly good characters morphing into bad ones as they embrace violence and deceit as a means to an end (ending a trade dispute, fighting terrorists, etc.). There is complex manipulation of the same symbolic imagery Lucas uses in his original films (water, caves), sometimes to the point of sequences going over-the-top: the transformation of C3PO from protocol to battle droid in a hell sequence marking the end of the second film is a commentary on what is happening to the rest of the characters, who also abandon diplomacy for "aggressive negotiation". The Jedi are not unambiguously good by the end of film III. They are harbingers of war ("there is no war here unless you have brought it with you") who die marching into battle. Now, the films may not be as emotionally engaging as their predecessors, but they are leagues more subtle than almost anything else you see in cinemas, as evidenced by the fact that Lucas made an anti-war film a blockbuster at a time when American society was broadly supportive of imperialism and military vengeance. As I remember, it wasn't until Anakin explicitly began aping Bush/Jesus in the final film ("you're either with me or against me") that anyone really seemed to notice the political agenda.