The latest, however, has been remarked upon by various reviewers as taking a significantly darker turn — reflected both in (generally) well-done digital colour grading as well as thematically. The idea of “darkness” in this film is intriguing, particularly in light of the acknowledgement of Dumbledore as one of the greatest wizards of all time and the continuing struggle and dichotomy between forces of good and evil in the film.

The demise of Dumbledore (oh, yeah, spoiler alert — but you’ve already read the books, right?), that great force for good, represents a notable setback for this cause. I mention him particularly because he is, until this moment in the saga, the character with the most complete view of the situation. He is wisest and most powerful. However, as he enters the cave containing a horcrux with Harry, I was frustrated with their collective inability to illuminate the room.

Cry lumos as loudly as they may, even Dumbledore’s casting of beacons of light across the cave fails to significantly brighten the environment. I was reminded of the triumph over darkness that God has given us in Jesus, so absolute that fiction does not even approach its conquest. The Bible speaks of a future, renewed creation where God’s holy city has no need of a moon, or a sun, for it is so illuminated by the glory of His presence. (Revelation 21:23–24)

This is not fiction, and there is no battle that has not already been won by Jesus Christ the living king of all.

God has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
– Colossians 1:13–14

…that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
– 1 Peter 2:9

Yet, despite this, the Captain comes to a realisation that humanity has a duty to care for the earth, regardless of whether or not that is a pleasant proposition. It would, the ship’s computer says, be much easier to leave things as they are… but that, to the Captain, is not the point. Humanity’s duty to subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28–31) is almost in accord with this idea that it is our responsibility to care for the earth because that’s what God has given to us as our duty. That was in very-good creation before our world was even remotely sinful. However, we see the curse of sin at work as our rebellion against God leads to hard work: “By the sweat of your face will you eat bread, till you return to the ground” (Genesis 3:19)

“Return to the ground” there means death, by the way — it’s not talking about a return from intergalactic exile! Wikipedia informs us that, in 2007 screenings, “Stanton (lead writer) felt half the audience at the screening believed the humans would be unable to cope with living on Earth and died out after the film’s end.” Certainly the optimism at growing “pizza plants” is misguided and such illusions are likely to be quickly remedied! However, the right state of humanity, according to the the first instruction received, is to ‘subdue’ the earth and depend upon it for our sustenance. Even rebellion against God, the one who gives all life on earth, does not change this intrinsic human need for work.

It is not enough to exist as consumptive, passive beings. We are made for work. Indeed, we are made for worship, which is a kind of work (and all work, rightly enacted, serves also as worship of the Creator and King of the world). To suggest that utopia is personal transportation, liquid meals, rapidly changeable fashions, personal servants, and even the abolition of economic concerns, is to ignore an important part of our nature as humans. Sin has corrupted this, and we now idolize work to the detriment of other things more important, and embrace laziness (not rest) as a social norm and even an aspiration. The earth, upon which we were set as caretakers, groans under the curse of our rebellion (Genesis 3:17), and yet still the hunger of billions is not satisfied.

Thank God that because of Jesus we can hope for a future that is much greater than space travel, liquid lunches, freedom from financial concerns, and robotic assistants and personalities! Because of what Jesus has done on the Cross, we’re able to come freely to our creator, sustainer, and king, without fear and with a hope for eternity.