I figured now would be an appropriate time to do a Things Devon Likes post about Star Wars, since The Phantom Menace 3D opened in theaters this weekend, and it’s awesome!

To be honest, I’ve only been a Star Wars fan for a couple of months. Hard to believe, right? My friends have always told me how awesome the movies are, but for some reason I held out until this Christmas Break to watch them. When I finally did, I was hooked. I borrowed the DVDs from a couple of friends and watched all six of them in two days. I immediately ordered the Blu-ray set from Amazon, and my friend Kevin and I watched every movie in one day. I can officially say that I am a Star Wars fan now.

For those of you who don’t know, the Star Wars saga consists of six movies, made up two trilogies. The original trilogy portrays the adventures of Luke Skywalker as he becomes a Jedi, joins the Rebel Alliance, and attempts to overthrow the Galactic Empire. The prequel trilogy chronicles the life of Luke’s father, Anakin Skywalker, including his humble beginnings as a Tatooine slave, his training as a Jedi, and his slow descent to the dark side. These movies have something to offer for everyone. There’s action, romance, mystery, suspense, comedy, and even some sillier elements that young children will enjoy. The movies are all family-friendly, and they are a joy to watch.

The original Star Wars movie, later subtitled A New Hope, was a huge cultural phenomenon when it was first released in 1977. Star Wars gained an immense following immediately, and this led to people wanting to know more about this universe. Not only did this lead to five more movies, but also a plethora of literature, toys, comic books, video games, and other Star Wars paraphernalia that now collectively make up the Star Wars Expanded Universe. This universe is infinitely dense and covers the history of the Star Wars galaxy from thousands of years before the movies to thousands of years after. The Expanded Universe also fills in some of the gaps that are left by the movies. I personally have not delved deeply into this universe as of yet, but I hope to soon. I’d love to know more about it.

Star Wars isn’t limited to the big screen, however. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a CGI-animated TV show that airs on Cartoon Network created by George Lucas to fill in the gap between Episode II (Attack of the Clones) and Episode III (Revenge of the Sith). As the name implies, this series tells the story of the Clone Wars and shows Anakin Skywalker’s progression from the reckless Padawan Learner he is in Episode II to the restrained Jedi Knight we see in Episode III. The show is a great way to introduce kids to the wonders of the Star Wars universe, but it can also be enjoyed by adults. The show’s creators work very hard to make it entertaining and to ensure that they are telling the canonical story of what actually happens to our favorite Star Wars characters between the movies.

No matter what you’re into, be it movies, TV shows, books, video games, graphic novels, action figures, or something else, Star Wars is for you. Everyone can enjoy the epic adventures that take place “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away”. If you haven’t experienced Star Wars for yourself, I suggest you do soon. I promise you won’t be disappointed. So go check out Star Wars. And may the Force be with you.