A Column From a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Episode 1

Picture this: a 10-year-old boy wearing oversized basketball shorts and bright orange Crocs hops off his bicycle, runs through a backyard to his house and sits dangerously close to the living room television. That 10-year-old boy is me, and yes, I did own bright orange Crocs, and they were the ultimate accessory. I still own a pair, and I find them very comfortable! Anyway, 10-year-old me grabs the remote for the television and changes the channel to watch an episode of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (2008–2014).

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” was a fantastic and severely underrated show. It had moments of drama, comedy, “Star Wars” lore and amazing characterization. Sometimes, like when I had mononucleosis last semester, I will binge the entire series just to relive the wonder. The show wasn’t exactly my introduction to “Star Wars,” but it helped make me the extreme fan I am today. My background with “Star Wars” actually began years before, when I went to see “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” (2005) in theaters. Prior to seeing Anakin Skywalker transform into Darth Vader (spoiler!), I watched the original trilogy of films and the two preceding films in the prequel trilogy.

Not to be dramatic or anything, but these movies literally changed my life. I began to carry my green lightsaber around with me all over the neighborhood, re-enacting scenes like the Battle of Hoth from “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) and Qui-Gon Jinn’s death (spoiler, again!) in “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" (1999). I compiled my favorite moments, scenes and television episodes. I read some books and learned more about my favorite characters (Princess, now General Leia in particular). My love for the series continued steadily over the years, but was reignited in 2012 with Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm.

In 2015, I went to see “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” on its opening night. Let’s just say that I died. I was so excited, consumed by the fact that this vast galaxy of characters and plots and cute droids was back and ready to grow as a franchise. Since then, I’ve spent most of my waking moments either researching, reading news or simply thinking about “Star Wars.” Yes, I know I sound pretty lame, but my mom thinks I’m cool and that’s all that matters.

I thought, for my first column, it would be a great idea for me to list some of my favorite things about the series. Let's begin the listicle! My favorite character is most definitely Leia and she’ll be getting a column, so don’t worry about that. My favorite movie is probably “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977), but “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016) and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017) come VERY close, and my rankings constantly change. I’m currently obsessed with “Star Wars: Forces of Destiny” (2017–), which is a web series that focuses on female characters across the series.

Now, after spending the past month defending “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” from internet trolls, I’m beyond thrilled to bring my opinions and excitement to a galaxy near you! Keep a lookout for my column on Wednesdays. May the force be with you!