This is my first ever blog entry, so I'll try not to offend too many people right from the start, and ease my way into the mud slinging contests. In all seriousness, I would like to present my case in defense of George Lucas for what some critics believe has become a gradual dismantling of the Star Wars franchise, and what will be a disappointing television series to come.

I'd like to refer to a recent article as an example of what I mean. MSNBC recently published an article online by contributing writer, Mary Beth Ellis. The article can be viewed by clicking here.

In Ms. Ellis's article entitled, "Can Lucas be trusted with 'Star Wars' universe?", she asserts that the changes made in the Star Wars Special Edition releases, along with her perceived shortcomings of the Prequel trilogy, leave her with little hope for the quality of the upcoming live action T.V. series.

Ellis tries to sell her misguided views by comparing Lucas to a disgruntled Michelangelo taking out his frustration on self-perceived artistic failures he created later in his life. As if Lucas was somehow a fraud all this time, and now he's completely void of any original ideas. Ellis goes on to quote a friend who, after watching the Special Edition add-ins, believed Lucas was no longer the same man he was in the 80's during his work on the original trilogy, and he seemed to have underwent some life altering personality change. Huh?

It's amazing!! Ms. Ellis's friend was able to discern all that from watching the Special Editions? Oh, wait!! This just in folks!! After watching the Prequels Ms. Ellis's friend has determined that Jimmy Hoffa is alive and living in Lucas's basement.....AND HE'S GOING TO PLAY A JEDI IN THE T.V. SERIES!! Wow, what insight! What clairvoyance!!

Come on, let's be serious here folks. Lucas is not a different MAN, but rather you, Ms. Ellis, are a different FAN than you once were! You haven't evolved with the saga. The saga has adapted, morphed, and changed to accommodate newer generations of fans, but you don't want to share in the sandbox with the other kids!! You've lost touch with what Star Wars stands for. It's about non-conformity. Rising up to have the voices of a few heard among a sea of many. The fact that you fail to recognize this leads me to question just how much of a true Star Wars fan you are. As a result of your ignorance I must operate under the assumption that you were never really a fan of the story but merely a closet hater, who was jealous of the attention being paid to fantasy rather than your own boring reality.

You still want to remember Star Wars as it was when you were a youth, and you can't stand the idea of seeing a new generation of fans being treated to their own versions of the same great storyline. You, like so many other critics, have failed to see the big picture when it comes to the saga. Star Wars is more than a movie series, or a line of collectibles, or conventions. It's the very embodiment of all that is good about creativity. From effects, to characters, and far off worlds, Star Wars is fun, and people like you try to drain that fun right out of it.

George Lucas has a clear direction for where he wants the Star Wars franchsie to go, just as he did in 1977. But this new direction is designed around a 21st century society. We've come along way since '77 and so too must Star Wars. Lucas is well aware of this. He senses it. Just as he sensed that the country needed Star Wars post Vietnam.

Now, I am a realist, and I understand that nothing is without it's faults. Are some of the lines in the films cheesy?....sure! But the original trilogy had the same amount of cheese as the Prequels. We just don't perceive it the same 30 years later. In another 30 years people will view the PT the same as we view the OT now. It's all perception. How can I look at the Original Trilogy the same as I do the Prequels? I was 4 years old when I saw "Empire" in theaters. I was 22 when I saw "Phantom Menace". How can anyone logically expect to hold the same opinions, or perception of what they just watched when they are now adults instead of children?

Ms. Ellis also fails to see Lucas's larger goal with the purpose of the TV series. George is, and always has been, about the advancement of the effects industry, and pushing the edge of the envelope. He changed the way we make, watch, and enjoy movies today. He is trying to do the same with television. I personally applaud GL for being bold enough to once again face off against the Hollywood executives and say, "This is my latest idea, and I'm going to make it happen!"

People who agree with the MSNBC article's argument fail to understand that Lucas is using this wondrous Star Wars universe to open up a whole new chapter in the overall story arc. I personally can't wait for the T.V. Series. I think many of the same people who act skeptical now, will be the first ones to hail it as a raving success when it debuts. We already hear rumblings that we'll get our Star Destroyers, Imperial Troops, and Jedi. So why not introduce new characters, or explore a deeper development of peripheral ones? There has to be some intriguing characters who will be spotlighted. Will they all be winners? Probably not. But I'll gladly take the bad with the good. Again...perception.

I for one treat the Special Editions, and the Prequels as stand alone creations. The SE scenes did not take away from my enjoyment while re-watching those classic moments on screen once again. In fact many of those added moments heightened my enjoyment, and even filled in some blanks for me. The same goes for the Prequels. I thought all three were wonderful cinematic achievements, and I loved the storyline. Were there some things I would have liked to have seen done differently?....absolutely!

But I don't feel robbed of my childhood because that was then, and this is now. A new time, and a new generation of fans. It's time to grow up and adapt people. These same critics of the modern movies are the ones who would be trashing George if he never made the SE, the Prequels, or continue with any new Star Wars projects. They'd say he abandoned them, or he took the money and ran. In short, you just can't please these individuals. Am I saying these people can't hold steady to their opinion? Of course not. I just feel it's time to shed some light, on what I believe is an unfair assessment of the promise that new Star Wars projects hold..

Again, it's all perception, and having the foresight to see that George is light years ahead of everyone. Why not try and let your inner child resurface, and enjoy these projects for what they are...NEW!! Will we get everything we would like to see within the context of the show? Of course not. But this is about more than just Skywalker cameos, and familiar faces. This is about advancing cinematic, and television accomplishments. Building new generations of fans, and cementing Star Wars as a part of our culture more than ever.

I hope to have a son one day that I can take to new Star Wars movies(fingers crossed), buy him the newest action figure, and bring him to the coolest conventions like my dad was able to do with me as a child.

There's a bigger picture here everyone. Let's try not to lose sight of it. George is the same as he always was. I man who loves making movies, and entertaining people with them. I tip my hat to him actually. He's been able to do it his way all these years. If the Special Edition, Prequel Trilogy, and the newly announced live action series are some people's idea of George losing his artistic judgment, then I hope he never finds it again! I for one, will love every minute of the new television series, and I hope every other Star Wars fan does too.

MTFBWY
Mick