As you hopefully know, Lucasfilm has been releasing new (amazing) Star Wars movies. From prequels, to sequels, to anthologies, Lucasfilm is successfully reminding us all of the power of the Force. Whether a new fan, or an old one, the excitement that each Star Wars brings is felt by all. The Force is with us all.

It was felt with Rey, Finn, and BB-8 in The Force Awakens. It was felt with Jyn, Cassian, and K-2SO in Rogue One. It was felt with the passing of Carrie Fisher, and with the cries from cast and fans alike. It is felt each time Darth Vader or Yoda is quoted, which is definitiely weekly in my life. The Force is stronger than ever now, and here is why.

It is stronger because we have all accepted the nerdiness within us.

Star Wars used to be one of those taboo things in my youth, where anyone who watched the saga was probably a geek. Well, I am a geek, and I finally stopped caring what others thought. And eventually friends followed suit, or finally admitted they’d been fans all along. There is nothing wrong with loving the Star Wars movies, and I know that with each new release, we all have come to accept this fact. We have all grabbed our light sabers and admitted who we are. And with each light saber the Force has become more powerful, and our bond has grown stronger.

It is stronger because we are uniting generations, creating fans among the young and the elderly.

Families from all over the country are coming together to go see these newest movies. Rogue One grossed $64.3 million on Christmas weekend alone and The Force Awakens drew in $49 million on it’s Christmas Day showings back in 2015. Christmas Day movies have long been a tradition of many families, and most have decided to go see the newest of the Star Wars series. I have seen grandparents, parents, sisters, and brothers come together in these theaters to cheer our favorite characters along; and to bring generations together like that is rare, beautiful, and inspiring.

It is stronger because we are falling in love with, and supporting, strong female leads.

This is one of the biggest reasons the Force has joined us all. Little girls and women alike have a reason to go see the movies, and that reason is because they can finally connect. Rey and Jyn have become idols to me, to younger girls, and even to my idols. In IMDb’s 2015 Top 250 movies, 80% of the lead roles were men. So to have such a strong, well-loved series creating female heroes is something that joins men and women alike, and something that has made me fall in love with the series even more.

It is stronger because “The light…it’s always been there”, and it will always guide us.

Really, the Force is stronger than ever, and is with us all, because it has always been there. It is something we all have been able to fall back on. It is something we can believe in. It provides us with another world that allows our imagination to run, which so often is hindered nowadays. The Force is something we can all feel, something we can all let guide us, and something that will never fade.

The Force is here among us all, and as new generations come around, I hope

Lucasfilm continues to bring the Force to us all; “For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is.” – Yoda