Is Lone Starr More Powerful Than Yogurt?

Is Lone Starr More Powerful Than Yogurt?

There’s a couple of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments in Spaceballs that, when combined, may reveal a major power imbalance in the galaxy and have long gone unexamined – no, it’s not between Lone Starr and Dark Helmet. Hold on to your MegaMaid-branded underpants: this might mean Lone Starr is more powerful than Yogurt.

When Yogurt trains Lone Starr in the ways of the Schwartz, he insists the ring is essential to channel the power. It works – he levitates a giant golden statue just high enough to fit a fur-covered foot under it. To get the golden Yogurt off Barf’s flattened paw, Yogurt first takes the ring back from Lone Starr saying, “Give me the ring. Give me the ring, quick.” Fast forward to the confrontation with Dark Helmet, and Lone Starr digs deep inside himself for the Schwartz, sans ring, and blasts Helmet with the crotch-shot of destiny.

That’s right. Lone Starr uses the Schwartz with no ring!

This suggests one of two possibilities: either the ring isn’t necessary to use the Schwartz (unlikely, given Yogurt’s reliance on it), or – more intriguingly – Lone Starr is so powerful he doesn’t need it.

Theory: Lone Starr Is a Natural-Born Master of the Schwartz

Yogurt emphasizes that “the ring is bupkis” in his telepathic message to Lone Starr. But what if it wasn’t? What if Lone Starr’s Schwartz abilities are innately stronger than Yogurt’s, and the ring was merely a training wheel?

Remember, Lone Starr is a spacefaring rogue with mysterious origins, with just a medallion hanging around his neck linking him to some past he doesn’t know about. He could be from a race that lived in harmony with the Schwartz, or maybe Lone Starr was dropped off at a space-aged fire station because he showed Schwartz capabilities as a baby and his parents were worried what he could do with that power combined with being a future king.

Sub-Theory: Ring Relic or Replica

Let’s take a closer look at the Temple of Doom goodbye. Yogurt slips Lone Starr the ring and makes it seem like he’s a genuinely great person willing to give up one of the most powerful relics in the galaxy. But what if – just maybe – that wasn’t the real ring?  A Schwartz knockoff, or just one of Yogurt’s merchandise that he gives to kids in Spaceballs: The Cereal. What if Yogurt kept the original Schwartz ring for himself…because he needed it? Yogurt never demonstrates mastery of the Schwartz without tools. Maybe he slipped Lone Starr a replica knowing Lone Starr could tap into his instinct when the time came but more importantly, because he didn’t want to relinquish his own power. 

Why? Because if Yogurt didn’t have the ring anymore, maybe he couldn’t use the Schwartz himself and he couldn’t give up that kind of power or wealth.

Yogurt: More Oz than Yoda?

Yogurt might not be the Yoda of this universe; he might just be the wizard behind the curtain. Consider Yogurt’s very first scene. He doesn’t just parody Yoda – he also mirrors the Wizard of Oz. He tries to intimidate his visitors with theatrics and a booming voice coming from a giant statue of himself. He’s surrounded by munchkin-like beings who obey his every word. It’s classic “man behind the curtain” energy.

He found the ring, used it to build a brand empire, and now hides in his cave, reaping the annuity. 

Was this all subtle foreshadowing?

Yogurt isn’t a wise mystic but instead a clever opportunist who stumbled upon a relic – the original Schwartz ring – and used it to elevate himself into a position of power and influence? A merchant wizard. He builds a cult of personality, creates “merchandising” empires, and teaches others – not necessarily because he’s the greatest, but because he found the tools first. He used the Schwartz to see into the future and saw a true hero coming. Yogurt then decided to capitalize on it by branding the whole situation before it even happened. Who really has to gain from the kidnapping of Princess Vespa…Dark Helmet, most certainly not. President Skroob was for sure set to make more money if his planet didn’t have oxygen. All he had to do was nationalize Perri-air, which didn’t seem below him. Follow the money and it points you right back to the golden Yogurt…”Merchandising, Merchandising. Where the real money from da movie is made.”

The Schwartz Awakens

Lone Starr, on the other hand, never needed the ring. His power came from within – heart, instinct, and the classic space hero “chosen one” blueprint. He doesn’t monetize the Schwartz. He doesn’t build a brand. He just…saves the galaxy…for money…only at first though…then falls in love and uses the Schwartz for the love part…not the money part.

It’s possible Yogurt always knew this. Perhaps that’s why he trained Lone Starr. The Schwartz gave him the ability to see what was coming and he planned to capitalize on it by merchandising knowing Lone Starr and his cast of characters would soon be known throughout the galaxy…they just needed a little help to get there.