May The 4th Be With You- Star Wars Day 2023

The most important day of the year is finally here! No no it is not what you are thinking of because there are other occasions and then there is Star Wars Day. For the fans of this mega popular franchise, it is nothing short of a holy day to worship and honour everything and everyone associated with it.

1How Did It Begin?

When the first movie was released 46 years ago in 1977, little did anyone have an idea that it would achieve the level of success that it actually did. After all, it began its journey in quite a humble way in just 42 theatres! After its small debut, it went on to become this massive franchise worth billions of dollars! Its success was only the beginning because it was followed by a plethora of sequels, prequels, stand-alone films, television series, animated films, merchandise, theme parks, and multiple spin-offs. 

The original Star Wars movies trilogy was a sequel trilogy…wait what? How does that make sense? Yes, the first movie was numbered as episode 4! Then came episodes 5 and 6 in the late-1970s and early 1980s. Although it broke all the records in its day, it was only the beginning as episodes 1, 2, and 3 arrived in the late 90’s early 2000’s, followed by episodes 7, 8, and 9 in the late 2010’s. If all of the above sounds too much, that is because it is. But there is a reason for it as it is including multiple storylines each with their own significance and contribution to the movies. Having said that, we at Things2do hope that you would watch the movies with us on Star Wars Day.

2A Story Within Stories

Every cinematic masterpiece is heavily reliant on its storyline(s) as it is, of course, the most important element. Very few movies have achieved success solely on the basis of their visuals. Bringing out the classic theme of good versus evil, the stories are anything but fictional. Nearly everything in the Star Wars movies universe has drawn inspiration from real life events. For example, the storm troopers are referenced from a real life Nazi military unit by the same name, the Old Republic and the Galactic Empire are The Weimar Republic of Germany and Nazi Germany respectively, and the Ewoks are the Viet Cong soldiers of North Vietnam that defeated the technologically superior United States/The Galactic Empire.

3Why Do Young People Like It?

Apart from the above, there is also the story that resonates with us youngsters and teens the most. We are young and have to compete against the world just like Luke Skywalker against the Empire. Luke’s complicated relationship with his father and adolescent journey is something that many of us have little difficulty in relating to. And for all us spiritual young adults, Yoda’s Buddha-like sage wisdom gives us stability in this chaotic world plus the movie has given us all some kick-ass costumes of various Star Wars characters to wear to our Halloween parties.

4What Do The Star Wars Movies Give Us?

Now that we have spoken about the history of the franchise, the inspirations behind its storylines and its fan base among youngsters, why are these truly our favourites? The first thing is the anticipation behind its release. The franchise’s marketing team is excellent at building up the hype behind every new release. The success of its latest tv series ‘The Mandalorian’, a newer Star Wars Character, is an excellent example. They know how to amp up the audience and it is at a scale where even non-Star Wars fans get swept up. 

Remember that episode of The Big Bang Theory where they are trying hard to book the tickets and how overwhelmed they were after the movie? Those kinds of reactions are actually real! Apart from these, it is a great way to make friends as people love to meet other fans. The conversations can literally go on for hours. Apart from these, we can also connect with people across generations as the franchise began in the 1970’s and it is continuing well into the 2020’s.

Star Wars has evolved so much over the decades that there is no doubt it is one of the largest and the most popular franchises that will ever exist. The bottom line is that whether you are young or old, everyone likes to escape to “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.” Happy Star Wars Day Everyone! May the Fourth be with you! 

by Ritvik Agarwal

Content Writer at Things2do