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A New “Big Bang” in the World of Childhood

Ts

(Romanian)

1977… Makes a “shy” debut with a masterpiece of the “Science Fiction” genre represented by „Close Encounters of the Third Kind”.

To fans of the genre, it did not appear to be “who knows what,” nothing more than a film “perceived” from many other “previous sources” (the world of television series, even “quite a few” cinematic achievements), a film that had manifested by image in many other “alternate universes.”

But the “directorial” and “special effects accumulator” genius of Steven Spielberg, who had already distinguished himself with „THX 1138”, intervened…

For lovers of “picture lines”, it was the moment when Spielberg became something of a brand, his every appearance being eagerly followed.

In that year there were two other quite good achievements, represented by „Capricorn One” and „Demon Seed” but who else had eyes, mind, imagination, etc., to perceive anything other than… „Star Wars”…

Very inspiringly called “A New Hope”… Marking the beginning of a new era for cinematic “Science Fiction” (and beyond).

An achievement that absorbed not only the energies of science fiction lovers but also the imagination of many other minds… What many “commentators” called to be a “pivotal moment”, represented a true “genre” revolution, bringing with it a series of innovative elements and a story that captivated the “subsequently manifested” imagination.

Thus, a new “Titan” of the science fiction genre appeared, alongside the established Star Trek, revitalizing the genre, and offering an optimistic and adventurous vision of the future, far from the dark dystopias that had dominated some of the previous science fiction literature and cinema.

Noted for its revolutionary special effects, innovative for the time, creating incredibly realistic worlds and characters, the technical innovation raised the bar for sci-fi films and inspired a new generation of filmmakers.

Then, the story of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo resonated with audiences of all ages, addressing universal themes of good and evil, friendship, courage, and destiny, in a world “weary” of “reality themes”. offering an “almost real” escape, transporting audiences into a world full of adventure and magic…

Or, giving young people “new opportunities to express themselves”, with many young people inspired to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics after seeing “Star Wars”.

Or, by “spawning” a passionate, global “belonging” community of like-minded fans who have continued to love and celebrate the franchise over the years, regardless of its lasting cultural impact, influencing fashion, music, toys, and even every day and later even political language.

Yes, political… This is about the “Strategic Defense Initiative” (SDI), a US military program launched by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, the main goal of which was to develop an anti-missile defense system capable of intercepting and destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles.

A “political launch” at a time when “Star Wars” had become a worldwide cultural phenomenon, captivating “the world” with its tale of a far-off galaxy and a battle between good and evil, the film’s immense popularity “caused” the name to become synonymous with the idea of ​​”war in space” and advanced defense technologies.

As “a miscellaneous fact,” the use of the name “Star Wars” for the military program “seems” to have been a political marketing strategy designed to create a positive image and mobilize public support, although both “used” the same name, they represented completely different concepts and realities, with no causal connection…

Moreover, George Lucas, the creator of the movie “Star Wars”, criticized the use of the name by “officials” of the US government and even filed a lawsuit to protect his copyright.

Do you notice the “touching” and “developing” of new perceptions? Creating a new universe “entangled” with reality?

Thus began its manifestation, expansion, a new universe represented by:

Saga Skywalker:

1. Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977),
2. Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980),
3. Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983),
4. Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace (1999),
5. Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones (2002),
6. Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith (2005),
7. Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens (2015),
8. Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (2017),
9. Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019)…

With the “complete inserts” of the anthology films:

1. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016).
2. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)…

With animated series (easier to “develop” from a “technical” point of view):

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2014, 2020-present),
• Star Wars: Rebels (2014–2018),
• Star Wars: The Resistance (2018–2020),
• etc…

Or the live-action series:

• The Mandalorian (2019 — present),
• The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022),
• Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022),
• Ahsoka (2023 — present)…
• etc…

There would be something else particularly interesting about this “universe”… As for the writers and books associated with this universe (not counting other aspects that I will describe in future episodes, at the appropriate time of the “narrative”)…

As in the case of the “Star Trek” series, the first “Star Wars” film is constituted in something similar to a “Big Bang explosion, the initiator of a new Universe”…

Yes, similar to Roddenberry (in the case of Star Trek), George Lucas did not write original novels in the Star Wars series…

And yes, George Lucas is the one who wrote the screenplay for the first Star Wars film released in 1977, he was both the director and screenwriter of this film that revolutionized the film industry and became a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

Lucas worked on this project for several years, drawing inspiration from various sources such as samurai films, westerns, and classic works of science fiction, and thus created an epic story with memorable characters and a rich and complex world that captured the public’s imagination.

But other people helped develop the script and make the film, such as Marcia Lucas, George Lucas’ wife at the time, who was the film’s editor and had a significant role in shaping the narrative.

Lucas preferred to collaborate with other writers to explore different aspects of the Star Wars galaxy, giving them creative freedom, and focusing his efforts on creating the films and developing the Star Wars universe through them.

What happened is that after the resounding success of the films, other authors were commissioned to write novels based on the Star Wars universe, novels that expanded the story and explored different aspects of the galaxy far, far away, and the first official novels Star Wars appeared in the late 1970s, right after the release of the first film, and was written to meet the high demand of fans who wanted to know more about the characters and events of the films.

And more authors participated than you might think (including “fan fiction” creators)… Among which we could mention:

• Timothy Zahn (known for the Thrawn trilogy, introducing one of the most popular and complex opponents of the Rebel Alliance, Marshal Thrawn, through which he explored the Galactic Empire in detail),
• Michael A. Stackpole (author of the X-Wing series, which focuses on the adventures of starfighter pilots),
• K. W. Jeter (who wrote novels exploring the dark side of the Force and created memorable characters like Mara Jade),
• James Luceno (who has written novels focusing on characters like Darth Vader and Palpatine, adding depth and complexity to these iconic figures),
• Drew Karpyshyn (who wrote novels focusing on the Mandalorian War period and created characters such as Revan and Malak),
• Many others, created the “Bounty Hunters” trilogy, which focused on the adventures of bounty hunters between the original and new films, etc, etc, etc…

Writers who created new worlds, alien races, technologies, and religions, adding complexity and depth to the Star Wars universe, exploring deeper and more complex themes than those presented in the films, such as identity, morality, the nature of power, and interpersonal relationships.

Manifested through many secondary characters, who had a smaller role in the films, but who became protagonists in the novels, allowing fans to get to know them better.

Some novels experimented with different subgenres of science fiction, such as horror, mystery, and even romance, thus diversifying the offer for fans of the series.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…

In which many writers and “conceptual” participants of the visual world will participate, which will “fuel” the monster of video games that will become something like a new “Big Bang” with the release of the first IBM XT (in 1981), even if the Atari universe could be the cause of the “explosion”…

So, dear writers, be on the lookout for a new “Big Bang” to take part in its expansion!

Merticaru Dorin Nicolae

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