#ThrowBackThursday: May the fourth be with you
Star Wars fans, the day has come to celebrate the greatest franchise ever created! May 4 is Star Wars Day, a time to binge on the movies and more.
For those sharing the office with a Star Wars fan, prepare to experience a disturbance in the force.
Today is Star Wars Day and the time has come for the ultimate pun, “May the fourth be with you.”
In honour of the day, we look at where it all started, with the original trilogy.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….
1. Episode IV: A New Hope
As any Star Wars fanatic will tell you, this is where it all began.
Episode IV: A New Hope was released in 1977 and was initially named Star Wars. The subtitle was only added later, when plans were made to introduce the sequel: The Empire Strikes Back.
The film is set about 19 years after the establishment of the Galatic Empire, and the construction of the iconic Death Star, a weapon capable of destroying a planet, is complete.
The leader of the Rebel Alliance, Princess Leia Organa, has just received the weapon’s plans and hopes to find a weakness, when she is captured and taken to the Death Star. While all this is happening, a young farmer named Luke Skywalker meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, a recluse on the desert planet of Tatooine.
When Luke’s home is burned and his aunt and uncle killed, Obi-Wan begins Luke’s Jedi training as they attempt to rescue the Princess from the Empire, aided by Han Solo, Chewbacca, C3P0 and R2-D2.
Fun fact: Luke Skywalker’s name was nearly Luke Starkiller but was changed at the last minute.
2. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
The plot thickened in this installment of the Star Wars Franchise, which was released in 1980.
The Death Star has been destroyed, yet the Rebel Alliance is on the run with the Empire searching for blood. While Darth Vader hunts the rebels, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca and C3P0, Luke goes to train with legendary Master Yoda.
When Luke’s friends are eventually captured, he has to make the decision of going to save them or complete his training. Like any true hero, Luke dashes off to the rescue and confronts Darth Vader.
During the ensuing fight, Luke not only loses his hand but discovers that Darth Vader is in fact his father, Anakin Skywalker.
Fun fact: The line – “Luke, I am your father,” was never said. It was – “No, I am your father.”
3. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Released in 1983, the Return of Jedi revolves around Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine’s plans to reconstruct the Death Star with the intent to make it bigger and stronger. Luke Skywalker and his accomplices manage to save the day, with the help of the Ewoks.
While the movie focuses on the Jedi order rising again, Luke Skywalker’s victory was not due to his and his team’s hard work only. Darth Vader saves Luke from Emperor Palpatine and in doing so, becomes a Jedi once again, shaking off the Sith title.
Fun Fact: Despite people knowing who and what the Ewoks are, their name is never mentioned in any of the movies.
Over the years, people have learned to love Star Wars and each generation has been able to follow the adventures of that far, far away galaxy.
The prequel trilogies were:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace, released in 1999.
Episode II: Attack of the Clones, released in 2002.
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, released in 2005.
All three prequels revolved around Anakin Skywalker’s training as a Jedi knight and how he became Darth Vader.
More recently, Star Wars fans enjoyed:
Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Rogue One, a Star Wars Story, released in 2016.
As Star Wars fans have the perfect reason to binge on their favourite series, it is important to remember tomorrow is the Revenge of the Fifth.
