Tag Archives: Darth Vader

Inside Disneyland’s Star Wars: Season of the Force, Part 1

Photos by FAWN KEMBLE
Text by LAVENDER VROMAN

EDITOR’S NOTE: This post explores the new Star Wars Launch Bay at the Disneyland theme park. Tomorrow, we’ll take a look at more of the Season of the Force at Disneyland.

SPOILER ALERT: If you’re planning to visit Disneyland and want to be surprised when you experience Star Wars: Season of the Force, you may want to skip this post for now.

When did Darth Vader become so cuddly?

The towering, black-cloaked, mask-wearing, James Earl Jones-voiced, half-man, half-machine was once an object of terror. When I first saw “Episode IV — A New Hope,” I was genuinely awestruck and horrified by Star Wars’ ultimate villain.

There he was striding down the corridors of the Death Star, Force choking underlings who looked at him the wrong way, torturing Princess Leia with pointy, needly things, ordering the annihilation of entire planets, wielding that eerie red lightsaber, chopping off Luke’s hand! He was a fearsome sight to behold. And the now infamous sound of his breathing left us quaking in our boots.

And then something changed. Darth Vader became a comical figure — a clown, a joke, an object of laughter not fear.

Now, he’s the star of children’s books, like “Darth Vader and Son” and “Goodnight Darth Vader.” He’s the subject of memes and comic strips. He’s a bobblehead. He’s a plush doll. He’s a Lego minifigure.

He eats ice cream. He rides roller coasters. He’s the harried parent of toddlers. He rolls his eyes at his Death Star minions like the grumpy CEO of an average corporation.

As a villain, Darth Vader has been rendered utterly benign, which is why I was surprised at my reaction when I met the Dark Lord himself last weekend at one of Disneyland’s Star Wars: Season of the Force events.

My sister and I went to check out the Imperial Meet ‘N’ Greet, which is open from 4 to 8 p.m. daily for Disney Visa card holders.

Greeted by a long line, we took a tip from a Disneyland cast member and returned later. And there was NO ONE THERE. Literally NO ONE. Just us, Lord Vader and a bored-looking photographer.

This particular Vader was tall and surprisingly intimidating. He breathed his nefarious breaths, wagged his finger at us and scolded us for holding to the philosophies of the Rebel Alliance.

I’m not proud of my response. I cowered before the Dark Lord of the Sith. I laughed nervously. I froze. Then I squeaked, “Thank you, Lord Vader,” and made a beeline for it.

Was this the resurfacing of some latent childhood fear? Or am I just a total dork?

Perhaps I’ll never know.

Anyway, here we are, cowering before Darth Vader.

The Imperial Meet ‘N’ Greet takes place inside Disneyland’s new Star Wars Launch Bay, the center of the action at the theme park’s Season of the Force.

(If you are a Disney Visa card holder, the meet ‘n’ greet is worth checking out. You get a voucher for one free 5 by 7 photo)

Season of the Force is a lineup of attractions, “character experiences,” themed food and merchandise galore meant to tide us over until Disney finishes construction of its much ballyhooed new Star Wars Land.

The Star Wars Launch Bay is on the first floor of the former Innoventions (which was once America Sings, and, before that, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress). The second floor is still home to Disney’s Marvel superheroes.

When you walk through the doors — designed to look like the Star Wars blast doors, naturally — you are greeted by a special opening carpet crawl. To the right, a short film features the filmmakers behind “The Force Awakens,” discussing the impact of George Lucas’ original trilogy.

The Star Wars Launch Bay features several themed galleries, displaying props, costumes, ships, models and other items from all the films in the franchise, like this Stormtrooper with flame thrower from “The Force Awakens.”

A highlight of the Launch Bay is a large replica of the Mos Eisley Cantina, complete with bar for photo opps. Assorted aliens not included.

Mom, bellying up to the Mos Eisley Cantina bar.

Lavender Vroman and Fawn Kemble settle the matter of whether Han shot first.

In the Star Wars Game Center, you can try out the latest tech from the franchise galaxy, including Disney Infinity 3.0.

The Launch Bay also includes “character experiences.” Chewbacca was holding court in the area above. There was quite a line of fans waiting to meet the furry Wookie.

Above, another line forms to visit with Darth Vader.

Of course, you can’t exit the Launch Bay without passing through a gift shop, this one filled with high-end merchandise, like this $3,000 model of Yoda.

Han Solo’s duds can be yours for a mere $725.

The shop features a station where you can design your own Star Wars-themed cellphone case.

There’s an entire wall covered with autographed photos for sale.

There’s also a lot of cool art on display, all available to purchase.

Wouldn’t this make a great conversation piece for your living room?

One final photo opp after you emerge from Star Wars heaven, back into the real the world.

She Still Believes in the Force

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By EarthToShawna

Do you believe in the Force?

I was 2 years old when “Star Wars” was released in 1977. I was 5 when I saw “The Empire Strikes Back.” I remember the intense revelation that Darth Vader was Luke’s father, Yoda levitating Luke’s X-Wing, and that I wanted a pet tauntaun.

Seeing “Return of the Jedi” in the theater was a bit more memorable, as I was 8. The first thing I remember about “Return of the Jedi” was that everyone was calling it “Revenge of the Jedi,” but then they changed the title.

“I used to live here, you know.” “You’re going to die here, you know.”

“Return of the Jedi” was nothing short of thrilling. The rescue of Han Solo from Jabba’s palace was like nothing else I had seen before. And I know everyone likes to hate on the Ewoks, but 8-year-old me was excited when my mom bought Wicket and Logray figures along with the Jabba the Hutt action figure, complete with dungeon and Salacious Crumb. Such cool toys. I think we got them at Sears.

My mom bought a bunch of the figures that year, which was unusual. My mom loved the movie, and even though she let us play with the toys, they were hers.

I wanted to be Princess Leia. My thin blond hair didn’t lend itself to Leia’s fabulous intergalactic hairstyles, but that didn’t stop me from insisting that my mom put my hair in Princess Leia buns anyway.

Celebrating my seventh birthday in a Leia-inspired ‘do.

I know I’m not the only one who can say the Star Wars movies were the first sci-fi films I saw, and the first I loved. They kicked off a lifetime love of fantasy, science fiction, and adventure.

The early ’80s had so many movies I loved — “The Neverending Story,” “E.T.,” “The Dark Crystal,” “Splash.” I wanted to be a mermaid, to make friends with a botanist from outer space, to ride a luck dragon.

Like so many of us who grew up on the original trilogy, I groaned when Jar Jar Binks appeared on screen. But Jar Jar, like those nasty little teddy bears, was there for the kids. And while the franchise may not be FOR kids, the films spark the imaginations of kids, and bring out the kid in all of us.

My son is a Star Wars fan, but I don’t think the movies are as epic for him as they were for those of us who watched them in the theater, because they came at a time before the world was saturated with 24/7 entertainment in the form of computers, cable TV, DVDs, etc. We didn’t go see “The Empire Strikes Back” and then get back to our Minecraft game. We absorbed Star Wars, we thought about it, we dressed up like the characters and acted out scenes from the movie. Star Wars got under our skin and into our consciousness.

I didn’t love the prequels as much as I loved the original trilogy. They aren’t as good; that’s part of it. But also, the original stories are the ones I saw when I was little, when I believed in the Force, and in magic.

People who don’t care about Star Wars or sci fi probably think we are all crazy, those of us who are as giddy as little kids, waiting for the new movie to come out. But there is just something so … visceral? universal? What is it about these movies that speaks to us? Is it the triumph of good over evil? The combination of adventure, suspense, romance, and a dash of humor? Is it the story? The special effects?

I think one of the things I love most about Star Wars is that the universe George Lucas created seems so REAL. It’s so believable, and it’s so COOL.

I’m no longer the little girl who believed in fairies and unicorns and 900-year-old Jedi masters, but I still watch the old movies because those familiar characters are like old friends, and for a few hours, I believe in magic again.

My grandparents saved this picture I made of Princess Leia, when I was 6.

Read more of Shawna’s sci-fi musings at earthtoshawna.com.

Photos courtesy of EarthtoShawna.

True Confessions: I Defended ‘Phantom Menace’ in Print

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This is kind of embarrassing.

But I’m going to let you read it anyway.

One of the first things I wrote after I started my job as a copy editor at the Antelope Valley Press was a passionate defense of “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace,” which was receiving almost universally scathing reviews.

Ironically, this opinion piece helped land me a position as an entertainment reporter for the Showcase section, so I look back at it with a certain fondness, no matter how misguided it may be.

Keep in mind that it was penned almost immediately after the release of “Phantom Menace” and many of us were still basking in the glow of a Star Wars revival and the fact that we had just seen Jedi spinning and leaping in the air, twirling their lightsabers, like we’d always dreamed it could be.

Lavender Vroman with her Princess Leia buns and tickets to “The Phantom Menace.”

And we had yet to see the other two chapters of the new trilogy. I think many of us were willing to give “Episode I” the benefit of the doubt until the abysmal “Attack of the Clones” came out.

While I do not agree with almost everything I wrote back in 1999, I’d argue that some of the points about the original trilogy and its greatness, despite its lack of conventional “greatness,” still ring true.

I think my youthful journalistic folly can also serve as an object lesson as we anticipate the arrival of the first part of yet another Star Wars trilogy.

Only time will tell if the intense hype and euphoria surrounding “The Force Awakens” is warranted, and if there’s any greatness to be found in it.

Let’s not leap to judgement or praise. Let’s give J.J. Abrams’ incredibly risky new venture a chance to become what it’s destined to be. Hopefully, it won’t be something we later wince at and try to forget.

Below, the full text of my defense of “The Phantom Menace,” originally published in the Opinion section of the Antelope Valley Press. (Please don’t hate me.)

Critical Defense of Much-Hyped Star Wars Film

To cranky film critics everywhere — lighten up! As Darth Vader would say, “I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

You promptly pronounced the long-awaited, much-hyped “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace” a disappointment. You cut the film down with strokes as swift as a lightsaber’s. You blasted the plot and dialogue with the heartlessness of a battle droid. Your annoyance with the comic character Jar Jar Binks had you bellowing like Wookies. You scoffed at the actors’ performances with scorn to rival the evil Emperor’s. Sinister villain Darth Maul’s lack of screen minutes made you rave like Tuscan Raiders awakened prematurely from an afternoon nap. You argued that computer animation and special effects smothered any attempt at spiritual, artistic or moral substance.

One of you went so far as to compare George Lucas to Darth Vader, in an amusingly ridiculous extended metaphor. You said the writer-director-producer of the great Star War series had finally gone too far, taking himself, and his new film, too seriously. And you didn’t even realize that you were guilty of the very thing of which you accused Lucas.

In “Episode IV,” Yoda says that “fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” And everyone knows that these things inevitably lead to the Dark Side of the Force. And so, I suggest, do self-seriousness and the loss of a basic sense of wonder. Somewhere in that 15 year dry spell between “Return of the Jedi” and “Episode I,” you must have forgotten what made the original series so delightful and successful.

Were “Star Wars,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” and “Return of the Jedi” so remarkable because of fabulously constructed , original and flawless plots? Because of eloquent and layered dialogue to rival Shakespeare’s? Because of superb acting and deep philosophical content? Of course not.

Plot and dialogue have never been George Lucas’ strengths. He’s a storyteller on the most basic level. The original Star Wars trilogy was built on the most simplistic of plot lines, borrowing heavily from well-worn myth and fairy tales. It’s the story of an everyday hero who goes on an impossible quest and finds himself and something greater along the way. The stuff all good tales are made of. It’s cliche, it’s hokey, and people everywhere still love it.

As for dialogue … audiences in 1977 seemed to have no objection to such cheesy gems as Han Solo’s line, “Either I’m going to kill her, or I’m beginning to like her.” If nobody minded then, why should they now?

They shouldn’t, and that’s because the power of Lucas’ science-fiction epic has little to do with the spoken word. What makes him a good director is that he communicates effectively at the level that all films inherently operate on — the visual level. It is precisely Lucas’ vision of space, the things we saw when we first saw “Star Wars,” that have so captivated millions of people. It is what we saw of the characters, not only what we heard them say, but the visual impression they made on us, that endeared them to us. Who would actually say that Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher astounded audiences with their great thespian skills?

“The Phantom Menace” isn’t, and never was, intended to stand on its own. It’s a part of a whole, and to do it justice, it must be considered along with its other parts. The important elements, the things that branded the original three films into popular consciousness, are there in “Episode I,” and they make it a joy to watch.

Yes, Jar Jar Binks is annoying. Yes, it probably wouldn’t have hurt to give creepy Darth Maul more screen time. And no, Han Solo wasn’t there to grin his rascally grin and crack up the audience with his, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Get over it.

The first of the prequels isn’t perfect, but it succeeds in the same way the other three did. For, once again, Lucas takes us places we’ve never been, fills our eyes with sights never before seen — the Venice-like, regal planet Naboo, the metropolitan, silvery city of Coruscant and the underwater bubble village of the Gungans. He introduces us to a sad and beautiful queen arrayed in costumes Madonna could only dream of and Jedi in the midst of duels so full of motion and power they make our heads spin. We meet an innocent boy named Anakin with an arrogant streak, foreboding a downfall to come. Even Darth Maul’s short but memorable appearance hints of a greater evil awaiting us in the next episode.

“Episode I” is only the foundation for the remainder of three prequels and as a start it will do just fine.

So, all you film critics — I sense that there is still good in you. See the film again, this time on the lighter side of the Force.

Jar Jar Binks photo: zap2it.com.

Growing Up Star Wars: A Photo Gallery

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If you’re a child of the ’70s or ’80s, chances are you have at least one Star Wars memory you treasure, if not dozens and dozens of them.

A trio of (at least sort-of) grown-up fans of sci-fi’s greatest space opera were generous enough to share a few of their favorite memories, immortalized through the magic of childhood photos.

Below, they take us back to what it was like to be a kid, crazy for Star Wars.

Best Dad Ever

Above, Jacob Patterson sits in the cockpit of his father’s amazing creation.

“When I was about three or four and living in the Bay Area, my father was working as a carpenter and built us a snowspeeder out of wood and a discarded salad bar sneeze guard,” Patterson said.

“It was awesome!”

Jacob Patterson lives in Gig Harbor, Wash., with his wife Stephanie. He listens to a myriad of Star Wars podcasts while working in the Hoth-like conditions of the Walmart dairy cooler. He and Stephanie are counting down the days to The Force Awakens on their Star Wars advent calendar.

A Happy Vader Birthday

Shaun Griffith sent over these scrapbook pages of his memorable sixth birthday party.

He had this to say about the Vader impersonator who made an appearance:

“He had a flat tire and was running late. I’ve been told he was a short Vader but he was still taller than me. I made sure to call him Lord Vader. Respect. That’s me when I answered the door. Dig the Ewok invitation and the Vader cake. Circa June 1984.

Shaun Griffith is a California native and a Hayward farmer (non-moisture) who went south to become a Santa Barbara Gaucho with a degree in film. He is married to an LBC princess with a sci-fi allergy. He works as an eCommerce Ops manager for a company with conference rooms named Ewok and Chewbacca and presently resides in the Bay of the Half Moon.

Jedi Pajama Party

Eric Schoen of Woodland Hills has the following explanation for the cute Christmas photo above.

“I think it’s probably ’83 and I’m 8. Rocking those Return of the Jedi PJs so hard, that not only have I tucked the top into the way-too-high bottoms, but it appears I’m in the middle of tucking the bottoms into my socks. Back off ladies, I’m taken.”

Eric Schoen was born in 1975, and was just a bit too young to see Star Wars during it’s first run, but thanks to the ‘Story of Star Wars’ 2-record set and his 12-year-old uncle, he had the whole movie memorized by the time he got to see it in it’s ’78 re-release.

If he could sneak into the backyard of his childhood home, he’d probably be able to dig up several hundred dollars’ worth of figures that bit it in a trench during one of many Hoth battle reenactments. It never snowed in Reseda, but he found a gallon-sized container of powdered chalk in the garage that looked like snow.

Unless that wasn’t chalk … which would explain why he forgets most of the ’80s. And why DOES he have memories of liking those made-for-TV Ewok movies?

Battlefront No Match for Old Republic, Darth Revan

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The recent release of the video game Star Wars Battlefront left at least one fan pining for Knights of the Old Republic and a memorable villain who is no longer canon.

By NICK VROMAN

A long time ago on a couch far far away …

I was introduced to Darth Revan, the most awesome character from the Star Wars Extended Universe that you have most likely never heard of.

It was a month after my sci-fi loving and brilliant movie critic wife, Lavender, and I were married in June 2003 that my favorite Star Wars video game was released, which consequently sparked a love affair with the dark side of the Star Wars universe

Or as Lavender would put it, the universe that is not canon and therefore does not exist. She has flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. She has seen a lot of strange stuff, but she never has seen anything to make her want to believe in Anakin Solo, a living Boba Fett, or the Emperor’s clones.

Darth Revan’s story brilliantly unfolds in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It was developed by Bioware and published by LucasArts. Bioware has cultivated a reputation for crafting immersive and compelling role-playing games over the years with critically acclaimed titles such as the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series.

Knights of the Old Republic may have slightly outdated graphics now but the story is still my favorite of Bioware’s epics and its blue prints can be seen in the company’s follow-up ventures.

If you have not heard of Darth Revan, you are missing out on an epic tale set 4,000 years prior to the rise of the infamous Darth Vader and his heroic progeny that so impacted the Force. Darth Revan’s story is no less Shakespearean in scope and stays true to the struggle between the light and dark sides of the force in a time when there was more than just master and apprentice. It even features possible redemption for a fallen hero, revealed by a jawa-dropping plot twist.

The game was released May 30, 2013, for iOS iPad, later updated on Dec. 19, 2013, for iPhone and iPod Touch, and on December 23, 2014, on Google Play for Android devices, according to Wikipedia.

Darth Revan’s story is a must for fans of the extended universe and role-playing video games alike. When the shine of battling on-line gamers in repetitive warfare wears off, pick up this masterful, story driven adventure and find out for yourself about the legacy of Darth Revan.

Nick Vroman is the Salacious Crumb to Lavender’s Jabba the Hutt. He is way too old to still be playing video games but clings to them like a force ghost to Dagobah. When he is not playing video games in the dead of night, he can be found teaching a high school special education class. He is father to an aspiring Jedi princess.

Four Life Lessons from the Skywalker Twins (for My Children)

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By DAVID RIVAS

“Walmart TV ads inspire and motivate,” said no one ever. When they feature fan-boy/girl parents and a fanboy grandpa mentoring their young listeners with Star Wars-related advice, however — as the retail behemoth does in a recent ad campaign promoting their new Star Wars merchandise in anticipation of the much-hyped “Episode VII” — we can make an exception. The commercials really capture the essence of my experience with the epic space opera.

My older brother and I, thirteen years and no other siblings between us, had very few common interests; sci fi was one of them. I vividly and fondly remember my brother, a responsible grown-up NASA engineer, and I, a typically apathetic teenager, bonding while making a three-movie theater sprint to catch the 1997 theatrical rerelease of the original trilogy in one day.

I also fondly remember introducing my then skeptical girlfriend to the saga as we watched the new trilogy in the early 2000s. Despite its flaws, Episodes I-III served as a gateway drug into the beloved galaxy far, far away, and as an inspiration for one of my favorite Halloween costumes. She has since become my wife of eleven years and a bigger nerd than I.

Halloween circa 2003.

More recently, George Lucas worked his magic as I watched all six films consecutively with my children (an eight-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter) — Episodes IV, V, VI, I, II, and III, in that order, as God intended.

By the time Anakin turns to the darkside, a single tear rolled down my son’s cheek, and I knew he got it. Now, my family and I, along with the human race, eagerly anticipate the robe-clad, lightsaber-wielding bonding that will take place on December 18, 2015, when “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” opens.

Those Walmart commercials rightly suggest that this story has a propensity to bring people together, despite generational gaps. Anthropologists or sociologists can explain how it’s ingrained in our collective psyche and shape what we value as a human race much more eloquently, and more convincingly than I’ll attempt here.

I’ll simply share four life lessons that I hope my kids can learn from the Skywalker twins.

Solving Problems with Non-Violence

I know. Lightsaber duels, spacecraft dog fights, Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen’s charred remains: these hardly seem nonviolent. An entire planet gets blown up in the first film. Although it’s hard to imagine playing Star Wars without mouthing the obligatory electrified sound effects of lightsabers as they crackle together in an inherently violent, epic battle, ultimately, Luke saves the day through an incredible act of nonviolence in “Return of the Jedi.”

Luke surrenders himself to the Emperor and Darth Vader, hoping to buy his friends time to destroy the deflector shield generator protecting the second Death Star so the entire rebel armada can sneak up on the Empire and win! Or so he thinks. Really, this turn out to be an elaborate ruse to destroy the rebellion and capture Luke.

This act of sacrifice seems to be in vain. After Forcing his dad off the stairs in battle, Luke says, with a confidence fueled by a blind, Force-driven faith that Vader can still be redeemed, “I will not fight you, father.” Eventually, Luke’s pacifist stance results in finding himself at the business end of the Emperor’s Force-lightning. Unable to bear the sight, Vader suffers a fatal wound, saving Luke from the Emperor.

Luke’s sacrificial decision to abstain from violence inspires the remnant of Anakin Skywalker that was deep down inside of Darth Vader to commit one final act of self-sacrifice, and the universe is saved. Star Wars teaches us that nonviolent conflict resolution encourages others to do good.

Kids, in real life, if we were all merely decent to one another, conflicts can be avoided.

My kids posing as Finn and Rey on Halloween featuring the Antelope Valley’s desert landscape as a background.

Subverting Unfair Societal Expectations

May I harken the Walmart commercial one last time, specifically the scene where a mother asks her daugher, “Why doesn’t Leia just let the boys rescue her?” The adorable little girl mumbles a character analysis that I hope my daughter will always come back to when she reflects as an adult why she thought Princess Leia was so cool: “Because she’s a modern, empowered woman unfettered by the antiquated gender roles of a bygone era.”

In a turn of fate that my daughter loves, Leia takes the blaster from one of her rescuers, and blasts a hole in the wall to rescue herself, Luke, Han, and Chewie. She’s an accomplished leader, who despite taking a beating, keeps going.

So much so, she impresses Darth Vader with her resilience to withstand interrogation in Episode IV. She plays an active role in leading the rebellion, particularly as she gives orders to the squadron circling around her like a team gathers around their coach in locker room listening to the battle plan before the Battle of Hoth in Episode V.

In Episode VI, Leia rescues Han Solo (again) from his carbonite captivity, and steps into to the frontlines in the climactic Battle of Endor, while nurturing and befriending the Ewoks. She finds that perfect balance between warrior and nurturer found in the greatest of leaders.

A well-rounded character and role model, Leia even speaks some of the most memorable lines in the series. Just to quote a few:

“Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader’s leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.”

“Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?”

“Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder.”

“I know.”

Don’t let society’s gender roles limit who you are. Son, embrace artistic and emotional expression. Daughter, play with whatever toys from whatever color Target aisle you like. Defy expectations, especially to do what you know is right. Never resist a witty quip.

Seeking Instruction from Wise Teachers

The theme of looking for help from those more seasoned than yourself comes across prominently throughout the six films. Luke has to look to Yoda and Old Ben, even post-mortem Ben, for guidance in the Force. Even Leia, the embodiment of self-reliance (as discussed above) in the series, opens the story with a call for help to the venerable Obi Wan Kenobi, the galaxy’s “only hope,” exemplifying what a healthy balance of independence and dependence looks like.

I suspect that since Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Artoo, and Threepio, who have been around the galaxy a time or two, are in the forthcoming installment, this theme will continue. Now seasoned and thirty years wiser, the original cast will mentor Rey, Finn, Poe, and BB-8.

Just like age can erode chasms between generations, mentorship acts as a bridge, simultaneously connecting us to the past while influencing the future. Maybe it’s just because I’m a school teacher by trade that I’m placing such high esteem to the mentor relationship: I feel like I bring my positive learning experiences to my teaching practice, and I hope that in turn, I’m positively influencing the future, both with my students and my own children.

So, kids, learn what you can from the teachers (in and out of the classroom) in your life. Then go and do likewise; be the Obi Wan in someone’s life.

That time I ran into Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker himself, at a USC football game. We spoke about film, life, and beating UCLA. USC lost that day.

Success Can be Achieved Amid Setbacks and Failures

Luke, with the help of his diverse band of friends, redeems his father, and restores order and hope to the galaxy. But the voyage, like a sloppily navigated hyperspace jump through an asteroid field, was bumpy … and it didn’t just take 12 parsecs either.

Luke loses his aunt and uncle, his home, and his right hand, finds out his dad’s been trying to kill him, and he kisses his sister. In fact, the first twenty minutes into “Return of the Jedi,” Luke has gotten himself and all of his friends captured by Jabba the Hutt. Just as all seems lost, Luke pulls a reverse diving board stunt, catching his brand new upgraded, green lightsaber in the battle over the Sarlacc pit.

What losses did Leia suffer? Oh yeah, she just lost her entire home world!

Each entry in the six-film series features a peripeteia, a reversal of fortune at a moment when all seems lost: When the proton torpedo shot needed to destroy the Death Star is an impossible shot; when in front of you Darth Vader stands pointing a lightsaber and behind you is the endless Bespin sky; when you’re locked out of the shield generator control room while surrounded by stormtroopers on the forest moon of Endor.

Whatever your metaphor of choice, you learn from setbacks and try again.

Kids, when life gives you the blues, make blue milk.

**************************

David Rivas lives in Lancaster, California, with his wife and two kids. He teaches English and the ways of the Force at Highland High School.

Photos courtesy of David Rivas.

Defending George as ‘The Force Awakens’

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Instead of spending Black Friday fighting over flat-screen TVs at Walmart, I replayed “The Force Awakens” teaser trailer over and over on my phone, along with the rest of the world’s Star Wars nerds.

I analyzed and reanalyzed every detail: Is that Benedict Cumberbatch or Andy Serkis intoning ominously in voiceover? Who is that black-clad figure wielding the coolest lightsaber ever? Is that a droid or a soccer ball?

Then I took to Twitter to find out if I had missed anything. I texted friends and relatives to compare notes. I tried not to get too excited. “Remember the prequels,” I told myself, but it was no use.

In one of those spine-tingling moments that will go down in geek history, I and seemingly every other person on the planet was besotted.

In the days since the big reveal, relief and delight over the fact that “Star Wars: Episode VII” may not be the fiasco we feared has given way to gleeful mockery directed at “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, the man behind the best-loved sci-fi franchise of all time. (You may now start sending me hate mail, Trekkies.)

Dozens of comments on Facebook and Twitter express satisfaction that George can’t touch this new trilogy, J.J. Abrams be praised.

This hilarious version of “The Force Awakens” trailer, parodying the director’s much-loathed “improvements” to his original trio of films, has been circulating.

Also making the rounds, to great amusement, is this befuddling preview for an animated movie hailing “from the mind of George Lucas.” Turns out it’s based on a story he wrote and, yes, it looks pretty terrible.

I understand where all the George bashing comes from and I enjoy poking fun at his missteps as much as anyone. As far as my family is concerned, the filmmaker’s infamous prequels don’t exist and mention of a certain sequel with the words “Crystal” and “Skull” in the title causes physical pain.

Yet I can’t help but feel that Lucas doesn’t deserve such bitter backlash from the very fans who profess to adore his original creation.

This isn’t the first time I’ve defended Lucas. In 2008, I wrote a column arguing the director’s case. Ironically, it was just before the release of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”

Even so, I stand by what I wrote then:

(Lucas) has gotten a bad rap over the past decade for his megalomaniacal tendencies, a certain computer-generated abomination called Jar Jar Binks, his mysterious ability to transform capable actors, like Natalie Portman and Samuel L. Jackson, into unfeeling blocks of wood and his inability to stop tampering with the “Star Wars” master prints.

These trespasses are not easily forgiven, but I can’t help but feeling that we have been a little too harsh on the master of the “Star Wars” universe, styling him in our imaginations as a scheming villain holed up at Skywalker Ranch, cackling as he dreams of new and better ways to annoy his adoring fan base.

… Perhaps it would be helpful, not to mention therapeutic, if we remembered all the things we used to like about George, his legendary contributions to the film industry and what his legacy means to us.

Lucas may be a control freak who doesn’t give a fig about what his colleagues or devotees desire, but it’s doubtful he would have accomplished all that he has if he wasn’t so uncompromising.

This is the man who almost single-handedly revolutionized independent filmmaking, championing artistic control with a savvy business deal that allowed him to preserve the “Star Wars” franchise exactly as he envisioned it and make a fortune off the licensing rights.

His technical contributions to the entertainment industry are innumerable. Since the debut of “Star Wars” in 1977, he and his creative team have aggressively advanced the fields of visual effects, sound, editing, digital filmmaking and video games. Industrial Light & Magic, THX, Skywalker Sound, Pixar –they all sprang from the mind of Lucas.

And it’s not as if his extreme wealth and power have driven him to the Dark Side, either. Lucas is a philanthropist, establishing an educational foundation and donating millions to his alma mater, the University of Southern California.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember, however, is that Lucas is the creator of “Star Wars,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi” and the Indiana Jones trilogy, six films that have inspired and continue to inspire generations of lifelong movie lovers.

“Star Wars” was the movie that first introduced this critic to the wondrous possibilities of the cinema. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” was the film that showed her how much fun you could have in a movie theater.

… I must confess that I have nothing but gratitude for him.

Perhaps it’s time we showed more respect for the mind that spawned the little space opera that has become not just a series of movies, but a pop cultural touchstone, a lifestyle, a shared language, practically a religion.

This guy invented the Millennium Falcon, the lightsaber, R2-D2, Darth Vader, Yoda and Boba Fett. He breathed life into a galaxy far, far away with rudimentary but revolutionary special effects that still hold up. He inspired John Williams’ epic, instantly recognized musical score. His depiction of the battle between good and evil — a battle that rages inside all of us — is timeless.

So I’ll say it again.

Thanks, George.

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