May the 4th be With You! -- Sarah Nicholson
How are you planning to celebrate this momentous day?
Don’t scoff and declare this a made-up event like National
Trivia Day, National Doughnut Day, World Animal Day and National Cookie Day –
which happen on the 4th of January, June, October and December
respectively.
(I may have inadvertently stumbled on some other topics for
blog posts in the future.)
Star Wars Day is a very serious affair even celebrated on the
International Space Station in 2015.
In the same year in Ottawa, Canada, the carillon bells
inside the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill played "The Imperial March"
theme, along with other space related music.
The story may take place in a galaxy far, far away but for those who don’t wish to travel you could easily celebrate from the comfort of your own sofa by hosting a watch party with friends far and near. Disney acquired the franchise in 2012 and you can watch hours of Star Wars films and TV series on Disney +. Deciding on which film or which order is probably the most taxing decision you need to make.
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Don’t forget to drink blue milk (a staple of most science fiction stories) and how about freezing a Han Solo Lego figure in an ice cube to pop in a beverage of choice to create the ultimate “frozen in carbonite” cocktail.
If all that seems too much effort, sit quietly and meditate
on the wisdom of Yoda - “Do, or do not. There is no try.”
Or simply, go outside in your dressing gown, find a stick,
and swish it around like a light sabre to save the Galaxy like Obi Wan Kenobi.
You may think it is all hype but love it or loath it Star
Wars is BIG BUSINESS, spawning a range of merchandise which could easily fill a
Galactic Star Destroyer, maybe even two.
But as well as the Lego, the PJs and ice lollies there are a
shed load of books.
These fall primarily into two groups. The old Pre Disney cannon
of the expanded universe, branded as Legends since 2014 and those that bear the
D+ logo with pride.
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They go back a long, long time ago, much further than the
first movie (episode 4) or even the prequels and they continue long after Luke,
Han and Leia have restored the balance of the Force in episode 6.
Disney have come along and re-written much but the basic premise of good versus evil endures and many of the much loved book characters are making an appearance or getting a mention in the latest TV shows.
Take for example Grand Admiral Thrawn, a military strategist
of the highest order with a passion for art, which can tell him so much about a
particular civilisation before he invades and conquers them.
I know this because my son made me read one of the books in lockdown.
To be honest it was really well written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It adds a
greater depth to my Star Wars knowledge and when Thrawn pops up on Disney + I
will understand some of his back story and character arc.
My son then mentions other characters and I zone in and out,
often asking for some clarification when we watch something together, (usually –
where does this fit into the timeline?) but I know the basics and if I met the
most ardent fan in a Stormtrooper outfit, I would just do as he tells me!
I can certainly hold my own on Star Wars Day raise my glass
of blue milk and say
Allayloo yub nub (ah lay loo yubb nubb) which I believe means
“celebrate freedom” in Ewok and may distinguishes me as a friendly ally.
Happy Star Wars Day everyone – we can celebrate something
else obscure tomorrow.
Comments
Loved the original Star Wars as a teenager! Recently bought DVD sets of all the later/earlier episodes for binge watching, but still think you can't beat the original three.