MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

This is all very train of thought, so deal with it. or click on a different link.

I haven't posted in awhile, because of this damned dog that's taken over my life, which I've also been meaning to write a post about - but I'm all Star Wars distracted. I've been Star Wars distracted, and I'll continue to be Star Wars distracted for quite some time to come.
You see, before I knew Fandoms was a thing, Star Wars was my first fandom.

I don't think I saw Star wars until High School, and I'm pretty sure I saw a bit of it on TV, got super curious because of this thing I was going through with dealing with my issues, and we probably rented it from Blockbuster, back when that was a thing you could do. Because my mom raised me right, and she read me The Hobbit when I was in elementary school, and gave me A Wrinkle in Time in Middle School, and introduced me to Dune my freshman year of High School and where was my door in the wardrobe to Narnia?

But there was Star Wars which I had desperately avoided because of a cousin who always did the Darth Vader voice when we were playing with legos when I was a wee tot - and that voice scared the hell out of me. And I made myself watch Star Wars and it was over.

I poured through all of the books - ALL OF THE BOOKS - that were released until '99, begged for a THX copy of the VHS for my birthday, wrote fan fiction, and tried to build my own lightsaber.
But then the prequels came out, and I went to college where I had no time for anything anyhow, and I discovered others things.

And now The Force Awakens, and I love it. I love the variety of characters, I love their flaws (though Poe may not have any), I love that there's a really strong female lead who not only doens't need saving (a'la Leia) but is also our new Bassass Jedi Savior, and I love that the old cast is involved and how they're involved. I love the look and the shots and the music, and the creepy apricot face alien Maz Kanata and can I have a BB-8 of my own already?

I know that the story is not 100% original, but I don't really care; in part because it's a story I enjoy, and also the characters, and also the whole "repeating the mistakes of our elders" thing... And I get that there are old school fans who don't like this or that character for "insert here" reason, or will find this or that flaw and this or that reason to bitch about whatever and you know what?  I DO NOT CARE.
I just don't.
Because you love what you love, and you don't love what you don't love (to paraphase John Hodgeman) and it's noone's job to convince you otherwise, unless you're in it to be convinced.

So welcome to a Galaxy without Guard rails far far away where space elves teach teenagers how to move rocks, and lasers make sound in space. And yes, a third death star - because that worked so well every other time.
And also, take your gripes with you on your way out - there's a door right over there.