As a geek, I am part of many different fandoms, and I can get very passionate about the things that I love. One particular fandom I belong to is the "Star Wars" fandom. I have been a fan of "Star Wars" since I saw "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace." A lot of individuals in the fandom tend to throw hate at the prequels because, apparently, they were not as good as the original trilogy, but I like them because the prequels were what introduced me to "Star Wars." I will admit that the prequels are very different from the original trilogy, but that is kind of why I like them, and why I have so much respect for George Lucas.
George Lucas is someone who tries to do something new with every project. Just watch the "Star Wars" films and it will become apparent how he tries to do something better or different with each one. That was why I had some problems with "Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens." I thought that it was way too similar to "A New Hope," and it let me down. However, I did enjoy the new cast of characters. and that is why I am expecting "Episode VIII" to give me something new, rather than retelling "The Empire Strikes Back."
This search for “something new” is also why I am so excited for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," because this is the first live-action "Star Wars" spin-off film. "Rogue One" will tell the story of how the Rebel Alliance obtains the plans for the Death Star that are used to defeat the Galactic Empire in "A New Hope." It is going focus on characters that have never been seen before and tell a story that no one has really cared to think about. It would be like a spin-off of "The Godfather" about the men who shoot Vito Corleone. Okay, maybe not like that exactly, but something pretty close.
The latest trailer for "Rogue One" came out a few weeks ago and got a lot of fans excited. One part that really stuck out to me was how different it looks compared to previous "Star Wars" films. Except for "Revenge of the Sith," the "Star Wars" movies have always appeared to be fun sci-fi adventures; "Rogue One" is more like a gritty war movie, and that makes me so much more excited.
Fans who have read the "Star Wars" comics and novels, or played the video games, or watched the animated series know that the "Star Wars" universe has a lot to offer in terms of stories. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is probably my favorite "Star Wars" game; it offers a story that is not really seen in the films and has a bit of a darker tone. Seeing those kinds of stories heading to movie theaters makes me happy because it will expose a larger audience to a version of "Star Wars" that they might not be familiar with.
I’m a geek, and I am sure other geeks out there can agree with me-- nothing makes us feel better than seeing a friend fall in love with the things that we have been obsessing over our whole lives. So, here I go, looking forward to "Rogue One" and more of the "Star Wars" universe on the big screen.
