May The 4th Reminds Us Why Star Wars Matters To So Many People
May the 4th be with you! Based on one of the most famous lines in cinema (“May the force be with you”), today has become an unofficial holiday for Star Wars fans. What started as a George Lucas trilogy has turned into a huge franchise that has captured the hearts and minds of people everywhere.
Why does Star Wars resonate with so many people? What makes it so easy for people to connect with it? There’s no doubt about how beloved it is – Star Wars is the fifth highest-grossing media franchise of all time. People simply love it – and with The Mandalorian’s release on Disney+, it doesn’t seem like the franchise will be slowing down any time soon.
Nostalgia Is Incredibly Powerful…and for Many of Us, It Means Family
Star Wars IV: A New Hope came to movie theaters in 1977, immediately becoming a huge success. It was followed by The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Many of our parents saw these films as teenagers or young couples. Many of us were shown these movies as children.
There’s no doubt about how beloved it is – Star Wars is the fifth highest-grossing media franchise of all time.
There’s such nostalgia tied in with the Star Wars franchise. It reminds us of our childhoods, and it reminds us of shared times with our families. It has a ‘70s feel even as it tells of a sci-fi world. It had such a cultural impact during its time that it’s inextricably tied with the past even as it lives in the present. Star Wars, for a lot of people, means family. And now, Star Wars has continued its legacy for parents in 2020 to share with their children.
Entering Another World Is the Best Form of Escapism
Harry Potter. The Lord of the Rings. Star Wars. What do all three of these franchises have in common? They all create a world that we can’t wait to leap into. Harry Potter created the world of Hogwarts, The Lord of the Rings took place in Middle Earth, and Star Wars showed us planets in space that we could only dream existed.
Harry Potter. Lord of the Rings. Star Wars. What do all three of these franchises have in common? They all create a world that we can’t wait to leap into.
It’s so much fun as a viewer to let your imagination run wild in another universe. Star Wars allowed us to do that; there were aliens, Ewoks, stormtroopers, and humans with superhuman abilities. Of course, imagining ourselves in that universe was and is the truest form of escapism – and it allowed our imaginations to take control.
Good Vs. Evil
The most important reason that Star Wars resonates with people all around the globe is because there’s a fundamental fight between good and evil. Will good triumph over evil, even though evil is the more attractive and seductive choice? There’s more power on the dark side. Luke’s father is actually a leader of the dark side, so not only does he have to choose between strength and weakness, but he has to choose between what’s right and his family.
The struggle between good and evil, internally and externally, is explored in Star Wars and connects with all of us. We’ve all been faced with decisions that we found difficult to make.
The brilliance of the original trilogy is that Luke began where the audience did – he had to learn everything from the bottom.
The brilliance of the original trilogy is that Luke began where the audience did – he had to learn everything from the bottom. It allowed us, as the viewers, to put ourselves in his place and imagine what we would do in his position. And in doing so, we fell in love with the franchise.
Closing Thoughts
This May the 4th, take a minute to think about why Star Wars means so much to you. Does it remind you of movie nights with family? Does it allow you to escape when things are hard? Does it bolster you in times of struggle? Star Wars tells a story that we can all relate to – and in doing so, it has become one of the most beloved franchises on Earth.
Abby Roth is the creator of Classically Abby, a commentary, opera, beauty, and lifestyle brand dedicated to looking at the world from a classic perspective. Abby is the first #ConservativeInfluencer and is an opera singer with three degrees in operatic performance from USC and Manhattan School of Music. You can find her website at www.classicallyabby.com and follow her on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest at @ClassicallyAbby.