Star Wars: The End of an Era

I've been a Star Wars fan since I was a little kid. My brother and I proudly played with our Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Darth Vader figurines while lusting after the Tie Fighter and Imperial Star Destroyer our neighbor had and would never let us touch. We were captivated by that world. My parents were captivated, heck even my grandfather was captivated. Then, it was over. Years went by and Star Wars became a pop culture legend.

I went to see the re-release of the original trilogy and then Episode I with the excitement of a 12 year old. After so much time, I couldn't wait to see the words "STAR WARS" come up on the big screen again to the tune of John Williams' famous score. I tried to enjoy Episode I, but it just wasn't up to the caliber of the previous trilogy. I went to see Episode II because I felt I had too. Something told me it wasn't going to be good, and it wasn't. All except for the Yoda fight scene, which I would have paid full-price movie admission to see again 'cause it was just so cool. So after the immense disappointment that followed Episodes I and II, I'm happy to say that Episode III: Revenge of Sith restored me to my 12-year-old excitement.

The movie was everything I hoped it would be. Except for the acting, which was pretty awful in some cases, I really enjoyed watching it. But now I feel a little sad. After last night, I will never get to see a new Star Wars episode scroll up a movie screen or hear that familiar score again. Star Wars will always be a pop culture phenomenon, but there won't be anything new to add to it. That makes me feel a little wistful. But, it sure was a fun ride while it lasted!