It all started when I had this rush of enthusiasm to finally sit down and watch the prequels after failing to get through The Phantom Menace a few years ago. My new roommate decided to join me, and after a few weeks, we’d watched the entire Skywalker Saga. This launched me into watching multiple television series, buying a Star Wars encyclopedia, making many crafts inspired by my favorite characters, and designing my home screen to showcase Star Wars with the new iOS update.
So, in this time of discovering the galaxy far far away, there have been some major standouts in my obsession…
- The Prequels
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Now, I know these movies are mostly looked at as major low points in the Star Wars universe, so maybe it’s the years of negative reviews that left me surprised by how much I loved these movies. Don’t get me wrong; they have MANY issues, and I’m still not a huge fan of The Phantom Menace, but overall I found the prequels very enjoyable. Oh, and speaking of the prequels…
- Hayden Christensen
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I’ll continue this train of prequel love by showing my appreciation for Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. Another not-so-popular opinion, but I think Hayden does a great job with the material and direction he was given. Also, his look in Revenge of the Sith is just beautiful, and I’m obsessed. Yes, his performance is cringe-worthy at times, but there’s just something about him that makes him the perfect Anakin.
- Badass Women
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Leia, Padmé and Rey are staples in the Star Wars universe. They’re amazing and strong women who forged their own paths in these male-dominated films. Now, I do think these women (and just women overall in Star Wars) are vastly underdeveloped, and don’t even get me started on the mistreatment of Rose in the new trilogy. But the amazing moments we do get of these women fighting, leading and being vulnerable are so powerful.
- The Clone Wars
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My favorite time period in the Star Wars universe is the time of the Clone Wars. I adore Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, so having a show that’s dedicated to the time in between these movies was the greatest thing I could find to fuel my obsession. Stormtroopers have always been an aspect of this universe I’ve loved (even with their terrible aim), and getting such an in-depth look into their origins and the clones is amazing. Also, Ahsoka Tano is one of the best Star Wars characters, and that’s a fact.
- The World
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What makes Star Wars a perfect escape is the absolutely incredible word building that gets better with each new installment and series. From the vast cityscape of Croissant to the barren desert of Arvala-7 (where we first meet the child who I couldn’t not mention in this article), the planets we continue to get to explore are a gorgeous highlight of this universe.
This year has been rough for everyone, and finding a way to escape the madness and disappear into a whole other universe has been magical. I’m so grateful to Star Wars and all the happiness and comfort it’s brought me in the last few months. I look forward to many more adventures into the galaxy far, far away.