Warning: major spoilers! If you haven't seen Star Wars, the Force Awakens, please don't read.
1. Elation
It was the sale heard 'round the world. When news broke that the Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilms, fans around the world rejoiced! We had complete confidence that no company on Earth could bring our beloved franchise back to it's former glory like Disney. For those of us who were there from the beginning in 1977, these two companies had been the very foundation of our culture our entire lives. This was a match made in heaven.
2. Anticipation
The cast announcements, the rumors, the teasers, the trailers!! We spent what seemed like an endless wait patrolling the internet devouring every bit of information we could find. The thrill of the return of original castmembers had us euphoric. The theories. The speculation. This countdown was more exciting than a Disney trip countdown!!
3. Excitement
Opening day had arrived. Donned in our Star Wars shirts, some in Jedi robes, some in wookie jackets, light sabers in hand, we headed to theaters in droves. Arriving hours early, we sat in packed theaters taking selfies and doing wookie impressions. It was the party of the year.
4. Relief
As the movie progressed, we breathed a sigh of relief. Just as we expected, they pulled it off. The movie had the feel of the original trilogy. Gone were the stilted performances of the prequel trilogy. No silly characters to distract us. No slow-moving storylines. We cheered with the appearance of every familiar face, chuckled at every reference to the "old" movies, even the Millennium Falcon drew applause! We truly felt, just as Han and Chewie, we were "home".
5. Shock
Then the big plot twist hit us like a brick wall. Kylo Ren, leader of the First Order and head "bad guy" is the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia! Oh no! Who saw this coming? The son of the couple that played a major part in destroying the empire and saving the galaxy, the nephew of the last remaining Jedi knight has turned to the dark side. The villain is once again a Skywalker!
6. Disappointment
For nearly 40 years, many of us had fond memories of our heroes partying with the Ewoks, waving goodbye to our dead heroes, content with the knowledge that the galaxy was safe. It was disturbing to learn that there was no happily every after for them. And at this point, the disappointment begins to set in as we see that we are not really seeing the reBOOT we expected, but more of a reMAKE. It was the same story retold: a young Skywalker begins the Jedi training, is seduced by the dark side, kills all the other young Jedi trainees, vows to eliminate the Jedi and rule the galaxy. Jedi Master feels responsible and goes into hiding rather than fight. Anakin? Obi-Wan? Is that you? Hmm, not quite what I was hoping for, but still it has been well done and I'm having a good time. We'll assume that's the only big "shocker". And then....
7. Betrayal of the most heinous kind
Kylo Ren, who we now know is Ben Solo, kills Han Solo! Are you kidding me?? We were given the lame excuse that Han's story would otherwise "plateau" or you needed to make us "really" not like this guy. So this was your solution? Do you have any idea what you have done? This was not just a character in a story. He has been a part of our lives for nearly 40 years. He was our hero. He was the man every boy wanted to be and every girl wanted to marry. And you didn't even have the decency to give him the hero's death he deserved! There was no noble sacrifice, no blaze of glory which he earned. Just hideous betrayal at the hands of a weak wannabe. We are not the kids who were introduced to our parent's "old school" movies. We are not the ones who decided to watch all 6 movies in the past month so we would know what was going on. We are the ones that absorbed the Star Wars saga into our lives and made it the mega-force that it is. And we are the ones that sat in those theaters and were made to feel like helpless bystanders as we watched you murder our Dad. You jammed that light saber through the heart of an entire generation. Disney, oh Disney, how could you do this to us????
8. Wrath
Instead of leaving theaters in breathless anticipation of the next episode, we left dismayed and in mourning. I'm sure that JJ Abrams intended to be remembered as the man who revived the Star Wars saga. But for us, he is the man who destroyed it. And we are mad! I hope they really think about where this story will lead. We will not tolerate a continuing repetition. We reject any more retelling of George Lucas' story. Don't expect to hand us another "saved from the dark side" story of redemption and expect us to smile and say "aaawww" like we did for Anakin. Been there, done that. There can be no forgiveness for what was done. We demand justice. We demand retribution. We demand the masked head of Kylo Ren on a pike mounted like a hood ornament on the Millennium Falcon! Han Solo FOREVER!!!!
"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened" RIP Han Solo
To discuss this and lots more Disney fun, join 1,000,000 Disney SUPER Fans on Facebook, but STILL NO SPOILERS PLEASE!
