Events Olympic Essay thread: 2016 EUC/SWC Olympics, Medals Awarded!

Participants:

Darth_wanderguard -EUC
Anedon -EUC
Halle Draye -SWC

Topic: What does the The Force Awakens mean to you?

You have two weeks from today to post your essay here. Please post it only once and once your edit window has expired, that is your final entry. Spelling and grammar will count. We will have a three mod panel of judges grade these essays to their own criteria and vote on the winner. Since there are only three of you participating, everyone will be guaranteed of winning a medal in this event. Likes will not be taken into account in the judging.

 

You will lose.

 

The academically inclined will notice that this is not a proper essay in that it blatantly ignores most of the rules of essay writing. It *is* heartfelt, however, and I'm willing to bank my entire Olympic performance on that.



What Does The Force Awakens Mean to You?

From Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm to release night and beyond, Episode VII has meant wildly different things to me across various stages of development. The initial news brought a cautious optimism. The "Legends" announcement left me soured. The Star Wars hype explosion that ensued as release day approached lightened my mood and got me excited. Midnight showing, cut the lights. Trumpet blast. Opening crawl. Magic. Star Wars was back, and it wasn't going anywhere for a long time. As the final scene draws to a close and the ending theme starts, the theater cheers. Despite this rollercoaster of emotions, that last point is ultimately the only meaningful one; Star Wars is here to stay.

I can honestly say I never, ever expected to see Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher in a Star Wars film again. As a kid, before the prequels, I was never even really aware of the EU - to me the only Star Wars stories post Return of the Jedi were the ones I made up in my head before I knew fan fiction by its proper name. Early on, it was stories I would act out with my toys - until I outgrew that kind of thing. Star Wars was over and done with, and had been before I was even born.

Then the prequels happened. So much excitement and anticipation. It was an immensely fun six years, the lasting quality of the films themselves notwithstanding, and a period of time that brought me to TheForce.net to read news and rumors, and later on to the associated forums to read Episode III spoilers. I of course found myself in the SWC shortly afterward, and so would the Jedi Council Forums forever dominate my destiny. Star Wars was a living, multimedia organism of entertainment, and fans, and merchandise, and it was an amazing thing to be a part of.

But then, it was over again. RotS opening night was like nothing I've ever seen. Cosplayers standing in line, some performing choreographed lightsaber duels for the crowd's enjoyment. When the lights fell and the Lucasfilm logo graced the screen, the theater erupted into applause. It was all such a lovely funeral.

There was a sense of resignation after that. I was of course still present on the boards (minus a hiatus or two due to real life circumstances) but as time wore on there seemed to be a collective understanding that the posting population would slowly erode. The EUC was insulated from this to a greater degree than other subforums because of course there were still books, but in time there was still a downturn in interest and activity.

I loved this community. I *love* this community. I grew up here. I made countless social mistakes here as a young teenager. I met my future wife here. My life would not be as it is, or anything like it, if not for Star Wars, and by extension for this online gathering of Star Wars enthusiasts. Still, in mid-2009, I left the boards behind and would only visit a handful of times afterward. Star Wars was a great thing but it was in the past. There would never be another Star Wars film, and the fan community was an echo of what it once was.

October 30th, 2012. Disney acquires Lucasfilm for four billion dollars. They're not going to sit on something they paid that much money for. We'll probably be seeing more Star Wars. It took time for the news to sink in. Then it's announced that the big three have signed on for Episode VII. This is happening. Oh my god guys, this is happening.

As I explained before, the initial excitement, for me, turned to dread very quickly. What if they're bad? What if they're worse than the prequels?

Episode VII wasn't either of those things, to me. It's flawed. Very flawed. But also very sincere. And it's *Star Wars*. Luke Skywalker. Han Solo. Princess Leia. Chewbacca is on the screen with Han Solo and they're having a new adventure together, and I'm sitting in the theater watching this in 2016. And there are two more movies in the trilogy. And more trilogies to come. And anthology films.

With the prequels, there was always an understanding that the party would end. Three movies and then we're done. Now it's different. I thought back to the Jedi Council Forums, and decided to make a visit. I came back to a community that's still not as big as it was at its peak, but there's a sense that it *hasn't* peaked. There's excitement for what's to come. There's an influx of new and returning users. It's a forum Renaissance, in the incorrect popular usage of the word.

What does The Force Awakens mean to me? Star Wars rules the world, and it's not relinquishing its crown any time soon. And the Jedi Council Forums aren't going anywhere but up. Strap in, it's going to be a fun ride. If I sound like a giddy little kid, it's because I am, and Star Wars has made me that way again, and I don't mind.

When the crowd cheered at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith, we were celebrating an ending. When we did the same at the end of The Force Awakens, we were celebrating a beginning.

 

What Does The Force Awakens Mean to You?
I guess when you ask this question to ten Star Wars fans you will get different answers but mostly two opinions. A very large group will answer positively and very few will be negative. But if you ask me this is my answer, it´s what I think.

When you ask a Star Wars fan what Star Wars means to him or her you will get a unique answer. Star Wars means something different for any of us. Some only take the movies, some even only the first three movies and there might even be some who only like the very first movie. For other's Star Wars means fandom, cosplay or KOTOR. When I was first introduced to Star Wars I saw the movies, and while I liked them I wouldn´t consider me a Star Wars fan in those days. I was interested in them but not too much. But then one day I came across the YJK books and started to read them. That made me a Star Wars fan, I identified with these kids much more than I had ever with the characters from the movies. Later when I read NJO I struggled with them more than I ever did in the films. I never felt really emotional when a character died in the movies but when Jacen died at the end of Invincible it was one of the two times I cried for a fictional character. I know many fans of the OT say that the true Star Wars heroes are Luke, Han and Leia. For Fans of the prequels it´s often Anakin and Obi-Wan, but for me the heroes of Star Wars are, Jacen, Jaina and Tenel Ka.

When Disney bought Star Wars and it was announced that there would be new Star Wars movies after the original trilogy I was excited at first, I would see my heroes on the big screen. I even had some ideas for the cast, until I heard that Disney was creating their own canon. My first reaction to that was: Kiss Star Wars goodbye boys. And to be honest, very little has changed on that. I wasn´t too sad that there would be no new books in the old EU cause since Jacen´s death I wasn´t really interested in what came after it. Instead I felt sadness that these books and heroes I partially grew up with, would now left forgotten.

The more I learned about The Force Awakens, I started to lose interest. As I saw the hype grew more and more I started to hope that the movie would be a disaster I hoped Disney would fail. I was frustrated how many people spoke about their love for Star Wars despite they never heard of Jacen and Jaina. As I mentioned earlier, they are what Star Wars means for me, not the movies. So I saw things way different from the majority of Star Wars fans.

When the movie finally came out I didn´t go to the cinema and instead read about the plot in the internet. From what I learned about it and from friends who had seen the movie, it was basically a retelling of ANH hope, filled with flat characters and Disney humor. And to drive the knife even deeper in my wounds the main Villain of the movie, who was praised for being a deep and interesting character was basically a parody of Jacen Solo. I just felt sick after this and decided not to watch the movie at all, instead I took a break from Star Wars and ignored the talking about it all together. Months later I saw TFA as a DVD and I decided to buy it, I just wanted to see it. When I watched the movie I had absolutely no expectations to it.

To my surprise the movie wasn´t bad, yeah the characters were flat but to be fair, in the OT they were flat too. The action was good and most of the gags where better than the usual Disney humor and quite enjoyable. The plot was idiotic, but I didn´t mind it that much. The movie might had ruined everything I loved in Star Wars but it had offered me at least a nice evening in return. Shortly afterwards when I discussed the movie with a friend we decided just to take it as that, a good movie and nothing more.

I have made my peace with the New EU, I will never love it as much as the Old EU but I will take a look at it now and then and maybe accidentally have fun with it. I´ve understood that the new EU didn´t took everything I loved in Star Wars away, the old EU is still there, in the hearts of its fans, and when I want to cosplay as Jacen Solo no one will stop me. Maybe I would have to explain many of the new Fans who I am (Kylo, but much cooler), and I can live with that. I don´t think the mouse will ever beat the old EU but that doesn´t mean what they do is bad. George Lucas once said that he created the world of Star Wars to let the Fans tell their own stories in it. For me the Story of my heroes still continues.

So what means TFA for me? It´s a good movie, but not the one I hoped for. It´s a new beginning for the Star Wars universe, I haven´t asked for.

For me it´s a nice way to spent and evening, nothing more nothing less. So if you prefer the new films, have fun. If you prefer the old EU, then you know that Disney can never take it away from us. We had the best ride.

 

What The Force Awakens meant to me.
Please excuse the repeated use of the word HOPE.



In December 2015, Disney released Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens into theaters. The world exploded with merchandise and reviews. Star Wars fans critiqued it along with non-Star Wars fans and actors received love and hate from both groups. The Force Awakens was the first film of the new trilogy and was released ten years after the release of The Return of the Sith, the third film in the Prequel trilogy. Episode VII held a lot of responsibility on its shoulders because of the bad reviews the Prequels received. The trailer, released in October of 2015, gave the world hope that this film would revive the Star Wars film franchise, bring new fans to the franchise, and create a new story for us to follow. Many fans will debate over which parts were good and which were bad. For me, there were many parts of this film that made it so amazing.
The first thing I noticed when watching the film were the characters, their stories, and the roles they play in the galaxy’s future. The main cast held new and old characters, each of which symbolized something special for me. Rey, the film’s female lead, symbolized youth, hope, determination, and strength in how she went about her life as well as how she dealt with the struggles the evils of the galaxy threw at her. Finn, the film’s male lead, symbolized youth and hope as well but he also had a sense of justice that we saw in Luke in Episodes IV- VI. Kylo Ren, the main antagonist, presented a new look at the Dark Side. He was more of an angry youth rather than an evil doer to me. Some of the other characters like Poe Dameron and BB-8 added comic relief. Last but certainly not least, Chewbacca, Han, and Leia brought a sense of true pain and loss to the story due to the trauma their family had been through in times before the film. Each of the characters brought together the emotions of what the Star Wars universe is. There was laughter and happiness, sadness and anger, hope and youth, and strength and determination. The Force Awakens’ characters definitely touched touched my heart and brought me into the story.
The story of The Force Awakens meant for me that there was hope of good conquering evil and that team work can help more than numbers. When the film begins the First Order has already been working on its mission to take over the galaxy but the Resistance is trying its best to fight back. Rey and Finn, both unsuspecting of the major change that their lives hold, team up and begin to help the Resistance although they don’t really want to. The older generation consisting of Han, Leia, and Chewbacca, have been fighting the First Order for a while. They, along with Poe and the rest of the Resistance, join the youngsters in the efforts to blow up the First Order’s new weapon, Starkiller Base. Rey is captured by Kylo Ren and Finn uses his knowledge of the Base to save her. The ending of the story is both heartbreaking and exciting as Han is killed by Kylo, formerly his son Ben, and Rey, Finn, and Kylo engage in a fight. The story made me really embrace the characters as well as feel like I was part of the story. The way it was told made me feel the pain, the joy, and the hope in the story.
The film personally affected my life greatly. When I had first watched a Star Wars film, I instantly fell in love with the entire universe and grabbed every book I could find from libraries and watched all the videos I could on YouTube. I was criticized by friends because it was supposed to be a “boy” thing but I didn’t care. I had finally found somewhere besides Narnia and the Caribbean where I fit in. When I found out that the last film had been made in 2005, I figured I wouldn’t get another one so I just made myself content with the 6 existing films. Then, I heard about The Force Awakens and my heart was fueled with unimaginable happiness. I began to research everything about the actors once that information was released and I began to brush up on the EU even more. My parents probably thought I was crazy. However, some hope was lost when I heard they were making a whole new story and that some of the EU wasn’t canon anymore. I also began to lose hope when I saw some of the Disney films that had been produced in 2014 and 2015. However, on the night of Friday, December 18th at 7pm, I walked into the theater with my two older brothers and waited for that familiar tune to begin that Star Wars fans know and love. Through the movie, I cried, laughed, and was kept on the edge of my seat. The car ride back home was filled with excited chatter of what we liked and disliked and good natured arguments arose about character theories and other opinions. For the months after that, I was obsessed and still am obsessed. That film had such an impact on me. I was overwhelmed by the hope of the next two films being as great as this one. I was filled with eagerness of seeing what happens to Rey and Luke and to see if Kylo Ren actually got off the base. I filled my birthday list up with tons of things but the one thing I put a star by, which in our house means “most wanted”, was The Force Awakens on DVD. I did get it, by the way. My mom even made me a The Force Awakens pillowcase and bought me some awesome socks! I can’t say I was disappointed except for Han’s death. But he died nobly so I was satisfied. People can tell me that it was a carbon copy of Episode IV and it was a bit but it also held a great story line, great characters, and a really well made film. What more could I ask for? To me, the film meant hope, which I’ve said in all the above paragraphs. The film meant a new chance for a franchise which wasn’t too well respected for Episode III by some. The film meant, most of all, that the Star Wars universe was still a place for me to escape to when I need to get away from Darth Real Life.

 

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Hello, is anyone here? I am, C-3PO human/cyborg relations and and as I am fluent in over six million forms of communication, I am an expert in communicating ideas via the written form. It is my honor to host the medal ceremony for the Essay contest of the EUC/SWC Olympics.

Our Gold Medal winner is Darth_wanderguard, you will be contacted shortly regarding your custom colors.

Our Silver Medalist is Anedon, congratulations on your red VIP colors and custom Silver Medal Winner title for the next five days.

That means our Bronze Medalist is Halle Dray, wear your red VIP colors with pride for the next three days.

I think all three of you did wonderfully, and you are the first Medal winners in this inaugural Olympics! So exciting, too much excitement for these old circuits. Have any of you seen R2 around? Or perhaps Master Luke? I think I need an nice oil bath to cool down...

 

Congratulations to my fellow Olympians.

 

Great job everyone!

 

Congrats to both of you.

*starts a champagne battle*