Once again, May 4, a.k.a. Star Wars Day, is upon us.
Not many franchises get their own holiday every year, but Star Wars has proven itself worthy of such an honor.
Star Wars is just as recognizable as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, so Star Wars Day isn’t such a crazy idea.
The holiday started as a play on words, a parody of the familiar Star Wars phrase “may the force be with you.”
And thus, May the Fourth be with You was born and celebrated on May 4.
But you already knew that, didn’t you?
Similarly, Nintendo’s red-and-blue-clad plumber gets a holiday on March 10 (MAR10).
When George Lucas debuted the Skywalker saga with Episode IV in 1977, the world immediately fell in love.
And the world of sci-fi would never be the same.
Because of what Star Wars has become, its influence on the science fiction genre will likely never fade.
A New Era of Sci-Fi
I began feeling the franchise’s influences at a young age when I saw The Empire Strikes Back (1980) during its original release.
While the movie gave me a mild nightmare or two involving me, Darth Vader, and Cloud City, my love for Star Wars was solidified for life.
From then on, when a new Star Wars movie hit the theaters, I’d get to a showing as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, after The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi (1983) would be the last new Star Wars film for many years.
Thankfully, Disneyland wasn’t far away, and Star Tours scratched the Star Wars itch pretty well when I got to go.
But while the world waited for a new installment, George Lucas re-released his original trilogy in theaters with new digital enhancements.
Not everyone was on board with the new effects, and some complained, but I wasn’t bothered.
I was happy that I was finally seeing Episode IV in a theater, as I was too young to do so in 1977.
The Prequels
Jumping ahead to 1999, George Lucas finally gave the world Star Wars Episode I.
Fans had been wondering what happened before Episode IV since they first saw it in the 1970s.
I was one of those fans who wanted to know more about the Clone Wars.
But when Lucas gave fans their wish, it wasn’t what everyone expected.
The prequel trilogy received a fair share of criticism, but some of it may have been bandwagoning.
When I saw Episode I on premiere night, the entire theater cheered throughout the movie.
It made it hard to hear the dialogue some of the time, especially when R2-D2 first appeared onscreen.
When I first watched the prequel trilogy, I enjoyed it for what it was, not for what I expected.
After all, I didn’t make the movie, creator George Lucas and a talented team of professionals did.
But things changed a bit when Disney acquired the Star Wars franchise.
The Mouse, the Force, and the Jedi
Disney’s has had a connection to Star Wars for decades, primarily through Star Tours and its unsuccessful flight to Endor.
But when it came to the new post-acquisition movies, many fans felt the Disney difference.
Lucas wasn’t at the helm for Disney’s release of Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, and it showed.
Some fans still refuse to acknowledge the existence of Disney’s Star Wars films.
There’s another group that doesn’t acknowledge any films other than the original trilogy.
But to each their own.
I grew up watching the original trilogy but enjoyed the prequels and many things about the Disney installments.
For one thing, Episode IX had the scariest version of Palpatine, which I thought helped set the film’s overall mood.
Star Wars horror always sounds like a good time to me.
Still, there were things I didn’t enjoy.
Such as the drawn-out, low-fuel, chase scene in Rian Johnson’s Episode VIII (The Last Jedi).
I felt like that film would have worked better as a Star Trek (another favorite) movie.
May the Fourth be with You
But despite the good, the bad, the likes, the dislikes, and petitions to retcon the Disney films, Star Wars stands.
And we’re here celebrating it worldwide on May 4.
Some people may continue celebrating Friday and Saturday with Revenge of the Fifth/Sixth.
But, however you choose to celebrate, I have just one thing to say.
May the Fourth be with You, always, until it ends at midnight.