With the theatrical release of “The Rise of Skywalker” on Dec. 20, a beloved saga will come to an epic conclusion 42 years and 8 films in the making. Though multiple franchises in recent decades have enthralled audiences and made their mark on popular culture, none have captivated cross-generational audiences quite like Star Wars.
During the late ‘70s, “Star Wars: A New Hope” presented a space opera which introduced previously unimagined and unseen concepts of science fiction to the big screen. Adults and kids alike flocked to watch this novel adventure of good battling evil in a galaxy far, far away.
Parent Scott Dickman remembers watching it with his friends three times on the day of its release because of the appeal of this new type of science fiction.
“I loved the movies when they first came out and now I watch them with my kids. The movies continue to appeal to all generations because they take the classic concepts of good conquering evil and the existence of a positive force and place them in a universe unlike any other,” he said.
Rather than antiquating the original trilogy, the 42 years between “A New Hope” and “The Rise of Skywalker” have instead allowed for more generations to grow up watching and appreciating the movies.
Senior Craig Richard started watching Star Wars with his family when he was 7 and has continued watching the movies since then.
“My family bought episodes one through six when I was a kid and we immediately began watching them. Lightsabers and the force were just such unique concepts that I was hooked the moment we started watching,” he said.
Whether “The Rise of Skywalker” gets praised as one of the best of the nine movies or ends up a critical failure, the film will go down in entertainment and popular culture history for its role in bringing a saga which has captivated generations of fans to a close.
“I am looking forward to seeing how the Rise of Skywalker concludes the saga. Hopefully, it will do the story justice and bring it full circle,” said Richard.
With Disney announcing plans for at least three more stand-alone Star Wars movies along with multiple television series, the Star Wars universe is far from over.
Although the stories will continue, “The Rise of Skywalker” marks the highly anticipated but bittersweet finale of the timeless tale that has dominated the box-office and popular culture for nearly half a century.
For those fans who dread the end of this adventure, just remember the wise words of Obi-Wan Kenobi. “The force will be with you. Always.”
