The Force is Out to Lunch

Entertainment

For years now, Lucasfilm has been catfishing their audience with new Star Wars content, only to disappoint and even attack the fans for their lack of social enlightenment – fans that have endlessly contributed to the cash-cow, money-printing machine that Star Wars is, or was. They’ve been calling the fans racists, bigots, white supremacists, and all of the phobes, insinuating attempts of review-bombing, and gaslighting by means of journalists telling them they’re all wrong and big ugly meanies for not liking big piles of poo being passed off as Star Wars content.

At first, this was puzzling to me. How could such a brand not only suck so hard now but continue to self-destruct without any self-awareness? The more I think about it, the more it all seems on purpose to me, which is confusing because the amount of money they’re losing is astronomical. Star Wars isn’t just shows and movies. It’s merchandise, theme park rides, a hotel – a lot of moneymaking ventures under the Star Wars brand.

What has been extremely difficult for me to understand is why Lucasfilm can’t make anything good anymore. Why is it so hard to cast non-white male actors and simultaneously make something good? I say that as a reflection of observing what Lucasfilm has produced in recent years. The number of white male actors has noticeably decreased. In no way am I surmising that white male actors increase the quality of a production or magically induce great storytelling. It is a little hypocritical, though, considering how they preach inclusivity and representation (as long as that doesn’t include white men).

I get that they want to be inclusive, even to the levels that they have gone, and that’s totally fine. I really don’t care that much, as long as the storytelling is on point. But when the quality of storytelling and production has significantly dropped, it’s hard not to notice other things that you might not pay attention to when you’re sucked into and enjoying a show or movie.

Star Wars, or Lucasfilm, has no problem utilizing talent if they want to, especially considering how popular Star Wars has been until recently. Lucasfilm could pick different (better, more talented) actors, directors, writers, etc., but they haven’t. They have endless production resources, and they have chosen to go in this direction. Not only that, but their ability to screen test with audiences is not a problem for them. If they wanted to, they could craft excellent Star Wars content that everyone would love, but they haven’t. That would be much more inclusive.

All Lucasfilm had to do was make decent productions. They don’t have to reinvent the wheel. They took a cash cow, a money-printing machine of an I.P., and turned it into a flea market. The decisions they have made are akin to burning money. When I say money, I mean stacks and stacks of money. That scene in The Dark Knight where The Joker burns that humongous stack of money is Disney and Lucasfilm, and the money is Star Wars. Probably other Disney I.P.s as well, but those are deep inside the stacks, out of direct sight.

I’ve heard a few people say that Star Wars is now a girl’s brand. I disagree; it’s true that it’s no longer a boy’s brand, but Star Wars hasn’t become a girl’s brand. It’s now an LGBTQ brand. It’s not for you anymore, dear, loyal Star Wars fan. Lore doesn’t matter anymore. Continuity or canon doesn’t matter anymore. Die-hard loyal fans no longer matter because this is not for them anymore.

Star Wars does have a target market, and it’s not you. Their target market is people who share this group-thinking, liberal, DEI-loving, LGBTQ, anti-white, fighting against the white supremacist patriarchy, communist/socialist, identity politics, victim mentality ideology. If that sentence offended you in any way, then you’re their target market. This is who Star Wars is being made for now. Lucasfilm wants you to bend the knee to their ideology, and they’re prepared to lose billions of dollars to do so. This ideology or outlook on reality shows an extreme lack of critical intelligence.

Productions usually work the other way around. They usually do test screenings to see what the audience likes and doesn’t like before releasing said property. I say all of this with confidence because history and common sense lead me to that conclusion. Lucasfilm has had so much time and opportunity to change course, but they continue down the same path. They are firm with the material they want to produce and don’t plan on stopping just because we don’t like it.

Unfortunately for Lucasfilm, the majority of Star Wars fans aren’t buying it. At this point, Lucasfilm is an infinitely sinking ship, somehow staying afloat financially even though they keep putting out duds that nobody asked for.

You’d think a father’s disappointment would be motivation for change, but no. Even George Lucas has been critical of what Disney has done with Star Wars since he sold Lucasfilm to them. This video below covers a lot of George Lucas’ criticisms of recent Star Wars, contradicting “the message” and more:

It’s really sad to watch something die slowly, and it’s such a shame, considering how widely beloved Star Wars once was. The fans have held on for so long, only to be disrespected and disappointed over and over again.

What comes next from Lucasfilm will probably be more of the same. I and many, many others have officially checked out of the Star Wars Fan Hotel. I will always love episodes 4-6. Those plus the Indiana Jones movies (the first three) will always be among my favorite movies ever.

R.I.P. Star Wars (1977-2017)