Star Wars. Everyone has heard of this franchise at some point in their lives- be it through their friends and family, its history, its actors, or even its more recent acclaim given its newest additions to the series.

It’s no doubt that anyone who knows Star Wars knows of the recent additions to the main storyline, or more specifically, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. Many have argued about how good each movie was or wasn’t, and how the other side is sooo wrong and blah, blah, blah.

I grew up with Star Wars. As a child, I saw my dad and my brother watching a bright show of lights with dramatic music in space. If that wasn’t interesting by itself, then you couldn’t imagine how immersed I was, and I hadn’t even realized that there were lightsabers or villains or real characters in their own world. I found myself enjoying it more than my brother, and as I grew up, I carried this secret interest for years. Unfortunately, with the recent additions, many long-time fans have turned against the series, stating that they’ll never appreciate the franchise again.

Star Wars, as a collection of novels, comics, movies, spin-offs, tv shows, fan-made content, and so on is absolutely brilliant. It’s created out of passion, and no doubt money as well, but a revival doesn’t equal destruction. If any installments of the franchise aren’t for you, then that’s okay. Every fan of a particular interest has their own values for it; some hate this, but some love it. Some wish it were done differently, some bash others for liking or disliking a particular installment. Unfortunately, Star Wars is one of those few where a large portion of fans want you to be one or the other.

I have my own feelings about the series, in that, I’ll keep on going and taking in all the movies and shows and more, mostly because I appreciate the established world and values too much. I grew up with the franchise, holding it dear, and I can’t seem to let it go. I have my qualms about each movie, including the more recent additions to the series, but that’s for another story, in a galaxy far, far away.

Consider reading the review follow up to this commentary!