May the Fourth Special: How I Became a Star Wars Fan

 Hey everyone, how's it going? I'm back for this year's May the Fourth (Star Wars Day) Special, where I talk about how I became a Star Wars fan. So let's get into it.

My Star Wars journey began in 1991 with reruns of the cartoons Star Wars: Droids and Star Wars: Ewoks, both of which started in 1985, as well as being given an Empire Strikes Back carrying case full of action figures, along with an original 1980 AT-AT Walker toy, and Star Wars: Dark Empire #3. I had no idea what Star Wars was, who any of the characters apart from the Ewoks, C-3PO and R2-D2, since they appeared in the two cartoon shows.

Fast forward to January 1996. My dad had finally gotten the Star Wars Trilogy on VHS, in a three tape box set, which was the last time the movies were released on home video before the Special Editions came out in early 1997. I liked them, but I wasn't in love with them. However, it wasn't the movies that made me fall in love with the series.

Between early 1998 and mid 1999, I discovered the world of Star Wars novels. For some reason the Scholastic Book Order had two Star Wars novels in it. Eaten Alive, which was the first book in the Goosebumps inspired Galaxy of Fear young readers series, and The Paradise Snare, which was the first book in The Han Solo Trilogy by A.C. Crispin. My mom, who had never ordered books for me through Scholastic before, apart from a Chronicles of Narnia box set way back when I was in grade 2, ordered both of these books for me, and I was excited. Suddenly, the Star Wars Universe had opened up for me as it introduced me to characters who weren't in any of the movies. Then, in the fall of 1998 at the start of grade 6, my best friend at the time lent me Rogue Squadron, the first book in the X-Wing series by Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston. These three books made me fall in love with Star Wars and my friends and I started speculating about what Episode I was going to be about.

I wouldn't have my first Star Wars theatrical experience until The Phantom Menace came out in the summer of 1999. I ended up seeing the movie two weeks in a row, which is something I hadn't done before, and haven't done since. I've been a fan ever since. And proud to be one, despite the problems certain members of this community cause.

And that my friends is it for today. I'm off to get in a VHS viewing of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope before bed. So until next time have a great night and I will talk to you all later. Take care.