May the 4th is a day that is celebrated across the world for its significance to the Star Wars fanbase. To celebrate 10 years of May 4th, here is the top five best Star Wars Stories.
Ten years ago, May the 4th was first celebrated in 2011 by fans in Toronto Canada, it has since been celebrated across the world. The day after, May 5, is another Star Wars day, known as Revenge of the Fifth – a play on Revenge of the Sith.
However, the origins of the phrase “May the Fourth Be With You” actually originated in 1979. The first recorded use was when the UK Conservative Party ran an ad in the London Evening News to congratulate Margret Thatcher on her election win of May 4 of that year. The ad said, “May the Fourth Be With You Maggie.”
Star Wars The Clone Wars TV Show (2008-2020)
While this show took a couple of seasons to find its feet, for me it is my favourite part of Star Wars to watch. This series divided straight into the three-year gap between the ending of Attack of the Clones and ending with a heart-wrenching portrayal of Order 66, developing the faceless clone army, and giving them the humanity they lacked in the films. It also introduced many fan favourite characters such as Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex, while giving characters like Darth Maul a second chance to shine.
The structure of the series let it explore the war thoroughly, with three to four episode storylines dedicated to exploring a different part while still building on from each other. Stand-out episodes are those set around the planet Mandalore and the four episodes on the planet Umbara. Finally, despite being animated, the series did not shy away from showing the brutal side of war, with many characters suffering unfortunate on-screen fates.
Revenge of the Sith
The prequel films have undergone a resurgence of love recently, and Revenge of the Sith is no exception to this. The third film chronologically completes Anakin’s tragic turn to the Dark Side and Palpatine’s rise to power. The film features great action, from the colourful battle above Coruscant, the emotional massacre of the Jedi in Order 66 to the final, fast-paced lightsaber duel between Obi Wan and Anakin.
The dialogue does however hold the film back, but the countless memes it has spawned make rewatching the film even more of a joy. Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid shine in their roles as Obi Wan and Palpatine. The villain, General Grievous, serves as a foreboding reminder of what Anakin will become, a cyborg with little humanity left. Grievous also looks amazing, the image of him coming towards Obi Wan spinning his sabres is an amazing moment and shows why he is feared.
Catalyst Novel
This book is a brilliant read. It focuses on the character of Galen Erso, someone who was briefly introduced in Rogue One and tells his story of how he was manipulated into working on the Death Star. It expands greatly on his character, showing his pacifism and why he would put a trap into the machine he eventually builds.
This book also expands on Director Krennic, setting up his adversarial relationship with Tarkin, and showing the friendship he and Galen have. The politics of this book are great as well, with manipulation being a theme across the whole book, not just for Galen. Just after Order 66 is my favourite time period, and this book helps show how the Empire took control of the galaxy. It adds to Rogue One, and is a must-read for any fan.
A New Hope
The film that started it all. It would be wrong not to pay credit to the first Star Wars, however, nostalgia shouldn’t blind where this film is ranked. This film does have iconic moments such as the twin suns, the Death Star space battle, and of course Darth Vader. The sound design and score are on point, and John Williams has consistently matched this across the sage.
A particular sound that deserves a shout-out is the TIE Fighter scream. Meanwhile, the reason it is knocked down slightly is that it does not has the political intrigue Star Wars can do so well. While this is not a major factor at all in terms of enjoying the film (it is classic Star Wars), it is something other films have done well.
The Mandalorian TV Show
The Mandalorian is fantastic. Star Wars’ first live-action TV property was executed with excellent success. The titular character goes on a brilliant journey, not only of one learning to take care of a child and how that changed Din Djarin’s character, but also what it means for Din to be part of the Mandalorian culture. Grogu (or Baby Yoda) acts as the perfect catalyst to change Din for the better, not only being a vessel of cuteness.
Moff Gideon feels threatening as a villain, set up by his introduction in Chapter Seven, he has an air of Count Dooku’s elegance although he is somewhat absent most of the time. Bringing back legacy characters was a decision that paid off, as they each had something to offer the Mandalorian, and furthered his growth.
May the fourth be with you.
By Kieran Burt
Feature image: StarWars.com