May the Force be with you

Every year May 4 is celebrated as Star Wars Day. The date was chosen for the pun on the catchphrase “May the Force be with you” as “May the Fourth be with you”. Star Wars, an epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas soon gained its popularity worldwide after its first release in 1977. This American space tale soon became a pop-culture phenomena and in 2020, the total value of the Star Wars franchise was estimated at US$70 billion. 

To celebrate this year’s Star Wars Day we have curated some of the Star wars facts.

• George Lucas originally planned for Yoda to be played by an adorable monkey wearing a mask and carrying a cane.
• The phrase “I have a bad feeling about this” or “I have a very bad feeling about this” is said in every Star Wars movie.
• In Return of the Jedi, George Lucas toyed with the idea that after Luke removes dying Vader’s helmet, he puts it on, proclaims “Now I am Vader” and turns to the dark side.
• Yoda has a different number of toes in different movies.
• There are no female fighter pilots in the original trilogy.
• George Lucas hired many people who worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey as he admired Stanley Kubrik and the movie.
• Chewbacca’s voice is a mix of bears, walruses, lions, badgers, and other dying animals.
• Among all the movies of the franchise, Empire Strikes Back uses the most stop-motion animation.
• Harrison Ford famously broke his ankle on the set of The Force Awakens while J.J. Abrams broke his back while trying to rescue Ford. 
• Lucas was sued by Universal Studios over R2-D2.

As we commemorate one more Star Wars day, we wish you lightsabers filled with the Jedi Force as you conquer your own Darth Vader’s and Sith Lords of your lives!

And if you feel down and out, heed the words of the ultimate wise one – Yoda: “Close your mouth and open your ears, you must. Then hear what your true heart is seeking, you will.”

Birat Dahal