Read assistant sports editor Stefan Modrich's counterpoint on how the sequel runs the risk of losing the story that made the original trilogy matter.
On Dec. 18, 2015, nerds of the world will unite once more as "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens" hits theaters across the country. The highly anticipated continuation of the trilogy takes place 30 years after "Return of the Jedi," which premiered in 1983.
And as The Force awakens, so too will a new generation of fans of the Star Wars franchise, which started with a timeless trilogy of films that hold a special place in American culture. The preview for the film was posted to YouTube on Nov. 28, and the fan response (including 36 million views) has been massive.
I grew up a huge fan of Star Wars, and coincidentally my father was also a fan as a young adult. The gap between the first and second group of three films allowed for two separate generations to enjoy the entire series. Now, with a third set of films starting up, yet another generation will be able to appreciate the wonders that lie in a galaxy far, far away.
Unfortunately, however, there is already controversy brewing in response to the recently-released trailer. The beginning of the trailer depicts a stormtrooper frantically standing up and looking around a desert with his helmet off. He also happens to be black, which for some reason set Twitter ablaze and prompted a response from the actor who plays the portrayed character.
Outside of that blatant example of the never-ending ignorance in this country, there is a lot of positive hype surrounding the film. One fan went as far as to get a droid tattoo based on a new robot character shown in the preview, which is awesome.
News outlets have already started writing and reporting on a movie that won't come out for over a year, including The Guardian, which published an article calling for Princess Leia to be the same "disdainful heroine who stood out in a man's world." While feminism was an incredibly prevalent movement at the time of the original films, it's far more widespread now, and Carrie Fisher being representative of women defying dead-wrong stereotypes would bring in a slew of new Star Wars fans who aren't just fat, bearded guys who drink Mountain Dew and live with their mothers.
Now, granted that I am neither fat (anymore) nor bearded (I wish), not every Star Wars fan falls into this stereotype. People of all shapes, sizes and Mountain Dew intakes will enjoy the next chapter in the Star Wars saga. There will be four categories of fans that will go and see this movie when it premieres:
1. The nostalgic old person who saw IV, V and VI at a young age and I, II and III more recently.
2. The nostalgic young person who (like me) saw I, II and III when they were a kid in addition to the older IV, V and VI.
3. The Star Wars mega-nerd of any age who will camp out for days just to get a front row seat. Replica lightsaber and jedi outfit included.
4. The casual moviegoer and/or their children who will see what it's all about, fall in love and turn into any of the above combinations of fan categories.
I can only have faith that J.J. Abrams won't ruin a near-perfect film franchise. If he nails it (which he should given the return of many of the original cast), then a new generation of Star Wars fans will be initiated into the Jedi Order. If for some reason he fails, the franchise risks joining the cinematic "dark side" and never being relevant again.
Reach the columnist at RClarke6@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @RClarkeASU
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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