Hello there, and May the 4th be with you!
Many of us on the Rimo3 team are big nerds, yes really, but we’re big Star Wars nerds too. In celebration of the fan started, and now official, Star Wars Day I want to talk about some cool Star Wars stories, facts, and why I’m even doing this.
What is May the 4th?
First off, before we get into the main meat of things... Why is May 4th such a big deal for Star Wars? May the 4th is known as "Star Wars Day" among fans and it’s a day where fans celebrate all things related to Star Wars, from the movies and TV shows to the books, comics, and video games.
The origins of Star Wars Day can be traced back to a pun based on the phrase "May the Force be with you," which is a popular catchphrase from the Star Wars franchise. The pun, "May the Fourth be with you," emerged as a way for fans to celebrate their love for Star Wars on May 4th.
I started my Star Wars journey when I was pretty young, and I don’t really remember a time before Star Wars. Unlike most people my age, I started with the Original Trilogy, and Luke was my favorite character. There are many pictures of me in a white karate outfit, with a single glove on, and a lightsaber on my waist. I would stack up boxes, pretending I was in an X-wing, trying to save the galaxy from the evil Empire! Fast forward through the years, and that love stayed, I played all the Star Wars games that came to the GameCube, watched, and rewatched the movies until the VHS tapes were worn out, and always kept a love for it. I even came to appreciate the prequels (gasp!)
2015 is when things really picked up, the Force Awakens came out, and with it launched the game that my brother and I started a podcast on... Star Wars Battlefront (2015). As big fans of the original Battlefront games, my brother and I launched a podcast that covered the game and all its updates, which we did until the series was cancelled in 2020. Which is when I decided to switch to all Star Wars games, and ultimately open it to all of Star Wars. I rebranded it, and then brought my wife into the fray as my new co-host. To date, Star Wars Uplink, has over 350K downloads, and the YouTube channel has close to 38 million views. I never thought a podcast my brother and I started in our parents’ garage would reach so many people. Which brings us to the present, and one of the biggest experiences on the journey yet!
In April, my wife and I flew to London for Star Wars Celebration Europe, an event with 65,000 attendees. We were there to host a live podcast on stage; a panel on video games and their influence on Star Wars. This was the first time we had done anything like this for the podcast; to say we weren’t aware of how big of a deal it was is an understatement. Before the panel, I was putting the final touches on the outline, when I decided to use the restroom. Right past the line... wait... the line to our panel. Oh my goodness, we have a line. And it wasn’t just a few people. All things told, we were able to pack the room as full as we legally could, standing room only. 125 people were in our room, and they sadly had to turn away another 40 people. It was honestly a mind blowing experience, and one I’ll never forget.
It took time, and a lot of learning, but to be able to sit down and write the words above is a very humbling experience.
Now, the fun Star Wars facts I promised! Here are a few of my favorite Star Wars nuggets:
Yoda's distinct speaking pattern was inspired by the syntax of his original dialogue in The Empire Strikes Back. The character's unusual way of speaking was intentionally written to make him seem more mystical and wise.
The iconic sound of a lightsaber is a combination of several different sounds, including the hum of an old movie projector and the buzzing sound of a TV picture tube.
The voice of the droid R2-D2 was created by a sound designer named Ben Burtt. Ben Burtt combined his own voice with the sound of the synthesizer to create baby-like wails and cries in addition to the computer-like sounds of the Arp. It's this unique combination that gives R2D2 its own organic life
The Ewoks in Return of the Jedi were originally intended to be Wookiees. However, the production team realized that creating convincing costumes for the tall, furry creatures would be too difficult, so they created the smaller, more manageable Ewoks instead.
The term "Jedi" comes from the Japanese word "Jidai-geki," which means "period drama." George Lucas was inspired by Japanese samurai movies when creating the concept of the Jedi Order. The whole saga takes huge inspiration from movies like the 7 Samurai, Yojimbo, and a variety of Westerns.
Finally, I want to ask the question everyone has been wondering... what is your favorite Star Wars movie? Post on LinkedIn, or Twitter with the #Rimo3StarWars! Mine has to be the OG Star Wars, also known as A New Hope!
