Updated: May 20, 2020
Originally Published: May 4, 2015
– Mom, which Star Wars films have you watched?
– I can’t remember.
– No, seriously. Was it one, two, three, four, five, or six?
– Maybe the first one?
– A New Hope?
– I think so.
– Did you see the one where Han Solo gets frozen in carbonite?
– I think I did?
– And Princess Leia comes to rescue him, and guess who she brings?
– I don’t know.
– Take a guess.
– Luke?
– Nope.
– Then I have no idea.
– C’mon, GUESS. Here’s a hint: he’s really big, furry, and makes a noise like HNEUW HNEUW HNEUW.
– Chewbacca?
– YES! And she also brings R2D-toon and C-3PO.
– R2-D2, Mom, not R2D-TOON.
– If you say so.
– Did you catch the one where Darth Vader faces the Emperor?
– I don’t think so.
– He does, because the Emperor is a Sith.
– Are Sith bad?
– Definitely. Sith are the villains, while Jedis are the heroes.
– Oh.
– Have you seen the one where Yoda dies?
– I can’t remember.
– Matthew’s seen all ten movies. He even saw number nine.
– Honey, there are only six movies.
– No, he said he saw the ninth one!
– But there are still only six.
– MOM! He SAW NUMBER NINE!
– Alright, if that’s what he said.
– In the first movie, do you know who you meet? Anakin Skywalker when he’s just a toddler. Guess how old he is?
– Nine?
– YES! And guess who he becomes?
– Who?
– Here’s a hint: it starts with DV.
– Darth Vader?
– YES! And guess who else you see?
– I don’t know.
– Take a guess.
– No.
– I’ll give you a hint: he has four light sabers.
– General Grievous!
– YES! How did you know that?
– Because you’ve told me a million times.
And that, my friends, is the result of my son’s enthusiasm for the Star Wars saga. I had managed to live 38 years without watching any of the films. Well, that’s not entirely accurate; I vaguely recall being taken to see Return of the Jedi, but it left me confused. How was this the epic conclusion everyone was buzzing about?
At first, my disinterest stemmed from being a girl in a household of boys: my brother and cousins were all about spaceships and laser battles, while I leaned towards gymnastics and baking. But as I grew older, I realized my disconnect with the Star Wars universe was more about my struggle to keep up with pop culture. While my peers were buying magazines and singing along to Duran Duran, I was lost. I even tried to fit in by having a poster of Andrew Ridgeley in my locker, claiming I preferred him to George Michael, when the truth was I was just into A Chorus Line.
Eventually, I became the cultural oddball—the only person from my generation who hadn’t immersed herself in Star Wars lore. It became a fun conversation starter, and I enjoyed the incredulous reactions to my admission that I hadn’t seen what others deemed a “sacred text.” I thought I could maintain my status as a Lucas refusenik for life, until I had kids.
Then, my partner—a film studies professor—decided to introduce our kids to the franchise. Suddenly, I was living with a six-year-old who was obsessed with light sabers and intergalactic battles. The other day, I overheard him saying to his little brother, “Come to the dark side, and we will rule the universe!”
So, by the end of summer, I caved and agreed to watch the original trilogy. I wanted to see what the hype was all about, hoping that perhaps I would experience that youthful joy everyone else seemed to feel. Unfortunately, I found the movies entertaining but not life-changing. I even checked my email during The Empire Strikes Back, much to my partner’s chagrin.
Nevertheless, it’s nice to finally understand the references flying around. My kids’ endless questions may be tedious, but at least now I can engage in conversation about it. As for these “sacred texts,” while I’m not entirely convinced, watching the films has broadened my cultural horizons. I can now appreciate references in literature that I wouldn’t have recognized before.
As Halloween approaches, I’m not sure we can pull off a General Grievous costume due to its complexity. Still, I’m hoping we can convince our little ones to dress as Darth Vader. Just picture it: our family, all decked out in black, light sabers drawn, ready to rule the universe together. It’s not such a bad image after all.
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In summary, my late exposure to Star Wars has provided me with insights that enrich my interactions with my children and the world of pop culture, even if the series didn’t capture my heart the way it did for so many others.
Keyphrase: First Time Watching Star Wars
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