Mike Strong, Arts & Living Editor
Some franchises come and go with the passing of generations. Indiana Jones holds most of its cache with those who were around for it. Harry Potter appeals to no one currently older than 30. Meanwhile, Star Wars continues to connect with every generation, both old and new. There is a version of Star Wars for every age group. Whether it be through the classic movies, the prequels, the animated series’ or the video games, everyone can find a way to embrace the power of the force.
Pop culture has embraced this unlikely science fiction series like no other. Star Wars has always and continues to play a key role in making nerd culture acceptable. In a way, it is more uncool to not like Star Wars than it is to geek out over it. So much of this is due to the fact that it has never really gone away. One can draw a parallel with Star Trek, a series that explores similar themes in the same setting. Star Trek struggled to stay relevant throughout its many years of absence. And now, only recently has it become cool to be a Trekkie, mostly thanks to the new J.J. Abrams movies. When a franchise like this stays out of the spotlight for a while, it builds up a negative “nerdy” stigma that is hard to destroy. Star Wars never had this struggle because it never faded from our attention.
It is important to understand that at the heart of Star Wars is its powerful themes. The series never trades its ideas out for a quick cash grab (holiday special, aside.) Rarely does Star Wars media rely purely on action or sci-fi without an intelligent plot. Video games, comics, cartoons and books within the galaxy far, far away all fully understand that this series is engaging because of its ideas, not just its visuals.
The core influences driving Star Wars are politics, chivalry, philosophy and religion. It is an utterly intelligent series that can be related to in a number of ways. Younger fans can take interest in the heroes and princesses. Those with a deeper understanding of the political themes can identify with the struggle between democracy and dictatorship. The plot of the original series was designed to parallel the transition of the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. This created a fascinating historical context for those who understood it. The political importance of the series has remained intact in nearly every iteration of the series. The expanded universe novels have explored these themes in often better ways than the films themselves. Even the animated Clone Wars TV series did great things for the series in a time where interest was waning.
Now we are moving into a new era for Star Wars, with a slew of new movies on the way. We will be getting a new Star Wars film every year for at least the next five years with a new trilogy and spinoff stories. This ensures that those who don’t already know the series will be celebrating May the Fourth with us for years to come. Star Wars continues to stake its claim as the most important entertainment franchise in history.
