Tis the season…

Now its December and that means there is only one thing on everyone’s minds, that right, release day! Tomorrow (17/12/15) marks a day that many have been waiting their whole lives for, the internet has been lit up for months, profile pictures are being altered as I type this and the R2-D2 leggings are out in force (see what I did there?)

vvvvvuuwwwooommmmm….what I like the noise….

Star Wars is finally upon us. Now I have a confession, I’ve never been able to watch the original trilogy and actually stay awake, yes I know, I know, hand in my geek card at the front door….but hear me out, just because I could never bring myself to say I’m a fan (platitudes do nothing for a franchise or its fan base and I am not the kind of girl who is going to fawn over something just because its the “in thing”) that does not mean that I cant appreciate Star Wars in other ways. I completely acknowledge that as a cinematic piece Star Wars was ground breaking for its time and may yet prove to be so again when it spreads across the world in its full glory tomorrow. The film score is actually one of my favourites, I find the music beautiful and compelling, I think most would agree it is instantly recognisable in our culture today, even if they couldn’t tell you where they know it from. The characters are iconic and are only becoming more so, while the concept art is nothing short of breath taking. Star wars is a cult classic and even though I can’t honestly say I enjoy the films, it is easy for me to see why.

Droid BB-8 and fans at the world premiere.

But on top of all this there is a even bigger reason why I appreciate this much loved franchise and that, in short, is the fans. Yes I have had my fair share of good-natured arguments (I’m a huge LOTR fan, trust me CLERKS 2 has happened, just with less vomit and more storming to the bar for another drink) I have even met some total idiots over it, but as a general rule Star Wars fans are a fantastic group of people because its a franchise that has touched so many, from the geekiest of us who can read Aurebesh to the ‘everyday’ man who just likes to chill with a pizza and watch it when it comes on TV. That guy you walked past in the bank yesterday, he will be in the cinema opening night because he remembers how much he loved it as a kid or that woman in Tesco buying bacon, she’s going to meet up with friends she hasn’t seen in years because of it.

Star Wars is a great thing because it feeds the imagination, it has created writers, artists, directors, musicians (such as ThePianoGuys & Player Piano) and laid the ground work for new ways of thinking. It has created bonds between friends that has lasted decades and will create new ones tomorrow. It has brought families closer together and has, and continues to ignite such a wondrous excitement in all generations.

This is what makes Star Wars such a powerful thing and why, even though I’m not a fan, I love it so much.

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