The End Of an Age
It was an awesome time, growing up in the first few years of the saga's release. Star Wars took the world by storm, because it was more than just a science fiction release on the silver screen. Although not the first movie of its kind, this one encompassed everything that the American spirit was known for during that era. It explored new possibilities for space travel and gave us an idea of practical applications for the use of lasers and robots. It illustrated the difficulties of space travel and came up with ways to overcome them. It was about taking the use of lasers and robots to another level. The movie even reminded that generation of the moral wrong in using a weapon of mass destruction against an entire civilization. It was a time when action figures were starting to become popular in America. Tiny plastic toys gave fans a way to prolong their fascination and excitement long after the movie was over. I can remember playing with my imperial storm trooper action figure for hours at a time, coming up with every possible battle scenario. Star Wars Underoos were the most fashionable underwear for kids. The coolest lunch boxes depicted Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia. Every boy wanted to be a starfighter pilot when he grew up. The first space shuttle was launched during this time period. Lasers were beginning to leave the labs and entering military and industrial service. Robots were beginning to build cars and computers became small enough for use in the home. Artificial intelligence was the new subject in computer academics. There was a fever in Hollywood over science fiction movies. Any science fiction fan who is academically inclined would become the new face of the nerd. America became the brainchild of the world, and it seemed to inherit Space. Total sales of Star Wars toys, clothing, memorabilia, etc., were greater than all of Pokemon, Dragonball, Gundam, and GI Joe...combined!!! It was another time, another generation. Kids don't carry lunch boxes anymore, nor do they wear Underoos. They are not fascinated with Star Wars toys and don't want to become astronauts. It was a day of infamy when space shuttle Columbia took America into space for the first time on a reusable spacecraft. And when Challenger was destroyed, the whole country wept. Every eye was glued to the TV, waiting for the possibility that it wasn't an explosion, that perhaps there could be survivors. Space and its explorers were that important to us. They touched us in a personal way. But that's not how it is anymore. A couple of decades later, when Columbia exploded, people just changed the channel. It feels like a loss for me, especially when I realize that this will be the final installment in the Star Wars saga, but not in the tangible sense. It is a loss for the age of Space and wonder, because the mystery beyond the stars no longer holds any curiosity in people's hearts. The silver screen was once a great vehicle for delivering awe and inspiration. Nowadays, a science fiction movie is just another chance for the movie critics to show off their wit.