Certain events lately has drawn me to ask a question: What does Star
Wars mean to me?
I grew up in a time before The Clone Wars, The Prequels and even the
Special Editions. To me SW means something greater than good verses evil, that
you are part of something greater than oneself, of something wonderful, and a
part of a great community. Also no matter how flawed you are, you are important
and matter. That you can contribute to the greater good (or evil).
Yet I have noticed on certain sites how people are reacting to SW.
I see TCW era fan has this intitled attitude towards SW. I see this in
arguing over George Lucas’s vision of the story. About what is canon and what
is EU. They argue with anyone not of their opinion. They tweet, post, and blog
about how SW should be. In this I am very sad to see. They say they love SW but
how can they truly say this? For they forget SW is not their story to tell.
Only to enjoy the privilege of the ride.
Then there are The Prequels. These three films can divide the fandom, to
haters and lovers. I have noticed die hard haters come back after seeing
Episode I in 3D praising the film after hearing from them how horrid the film
was and destroys the overall story of the originals.
The Special Editions have done the same. They have their haters and
those that embraced them.
And then we can go back to the beginning to the fans that started it
all. Some of them look only to the originals and only to them. To this group
there is no EU. For until Zahn’s 1992 book Heir
to the Empire this was all there was. To them there is no question for The
Galaxy Far, Far Away. Don’t get me wrong they speculated yet never went hater
when the story did not turn out they way they thought. For they have a love
that transcends the fan that came after. They share this love in many different
ways. They understand the privilege they have in sharing this wondrous
adventure.
Understand SW was always a story of Anakin Skywalker and his children,
Luke and Leia. I believe this is what is forgotten. GL had this vision of the
greatest adventure. He wrote it and filmed it like an old movie serial plus he
added a bit of myth and legend to it. He didn’t need to say a lot or go
indepth. He let us the viewer fill in that with ourselves, to join the
adventure. He gave us heroes that are flawed, baddies that were bad and some
that can be redeemed, ships that didn’t work, and sometimes the baddies won. He
made a story the viewer could be a part of. Who would not like to travel this
Galaxy? And hang out with these characters? Some fans have taken that step to
become these characters for charity.
Remember one time to be a SW fan was not cool. SW was for a while dead,
a sleeping dragon waiting to be awaken. Books, comics, toys and games brought
SW back to life. Then the release of The Special Editions came along, then The
Prequels. A whole new generation came to love The Galaxy. Then came The Clone
Wars. Which got many people thinking “what was GL up to?”
This is when, the ones I call nonfans came out. They say they love SW but
always complain and nick-pick everything. I was on Twitter when haters
‘attacked’ Katie Lucas. It became so bad she had to delete her account. This
shows how double-sized the Interweb is. The Interweb can bring fans together to
share their love. Yet also brings out the Trolls. These people I don’t
understand why they wish to ruin the enjoyment of others.
This is becoming a large problem on many SW sites and Facebook pages. So
much so administrators and other fans are telling these trolls off and to leave
their fan pages.
What a lot of people forget is GL has a vision and he is amazing enough
to share this with us. We, fans, don’t own SW, GL does. And this can stop at
any time he chooses.
I am very grateful for GL for sharing this wondrous adventure with me.
To bring fond memories to my childhood. And through SW the wonderful people I
have met and become friends with. For The Galaxy is populated with such
diversity that is a varied as the fans are themselves.
For SW is a reflection of ourselves.
