Guilty Pleasure: Fanboy-ism

Preface: I am a fanboy. I am such for a great many things. Jim Lee, Michael Crichton, John Williams, The Empire Strikes Back, finger picking, a long deep kiss, and big leather couches are never wrong. Period.

A dear friend of mine recently posted about how George Lucas ruined the Star Wars franchise. That in of itself was just a bit too easy to attack. So, I decided instead to go ahead and point out that fault in his argument: He can't take of his fanboy glasses.

I'd love to say that everyone (I deep down believe this, but I'm just infected with that damn virus Policalus Correctus) had a favorite something something growing up. Elmo. Thundercats. G.I. Joe. My Little Pony. (Hell, anything Hasbro made in the 1980's for our generation) Telatubbies. Barney. Mork & Mindy. Gilligan's Island. The list is never ending.

We all have our guilty pleasures. Some are more guilty than others, some are more pleasurable, but they all have that guilty tinge to them. Being a fanboy (or fangirl Damn you PC Nazis!) isn't an evil or much less a bad thing. But by being one, it throws a wrench in your logic. Period.

Take Star Wars. Now, let's look at the original film, "A New Hope". Some would argue a great film. Was it? I offer "But I wanted to go to the Toshi Station for some power converters." This movie was quite campy. The acting was...okay. Brilliantly pulled off special effects, a masterpiece of a soundtrack and a story worthy of operatic proportions. Nonetheless, fans will not doubt the film's quality as a masterpiece (myself included).

Bring forth "The Prequels". A damned word if there ever were one, Lucas wanted to fully tell the tale of Skywalker's fall to the dark side. I don't know if he should have ventured there. Personally, I think that he got a sign (read: $) from a higher power (read: fanboys with $). Lucas's rationale? The technology is finally available for me to make the film I want to make (I paraphrase, but you get the gist).

The Prequels weren't Lucas's best work, not by any means. As expressed by a great many people in the fine realm that is the Internet, Lucas would have been better served to let others do some of the work. I can't say that the prequels were better than than the originals, because they weren't. But the storylines, however weak, form the basis of the Star Wars canon. Love it or hate it, it simply is.

I truly dislike Jar Jar. Jake Lloyd was just okay, but don't fault the little kid. Qui-Gon's death, albiet a necessary one, wasn't fully fleshed out and justly served. I could pont out a few other niggles, but I'm quickly losing steam (See here for clarification)

In short, fanboys may not always see the lack of logic beyond their love for nostalgia. It's so easy to defend your stance and not consider the alternate view: your hero worship is directed at a campy [fill in the blank]. And your response should be "So what?" We all have them, so just go with it.

For all the crap that the prequels get, here Guilty Pleasure Favor-8 List of Good Things to come out of "The Prequels".

1. Duel of the Fates - Almost as good as Imperial March. Almost...

2. Pod Racing - Yes, it was really cool.

3. Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul getting it on.

4. Amidala in the battle worn whites - Almost as hot as a metal bikini.

5. Jango Fett - Boba and Slave I are finally sources.

6. Mace Windu - The lightsaber that says "BAD MOTHERF_CKER", sans the underscore.

7. Across the Stars - Grows on you, a really stirring song.

8. Obi-Wan's Growth as a Jedi - This should be the focus of the prequels, nothing else.

As I finished this list, I realize how much I like Obi-Wan's character. I actually read the book prior to watching Revenge of the Sith. In doing so, I learned more about his character than I ever would have by simply watching the movies. Obi-Wan was one the Jedi's greatest representative. A skilled warrior, tactician, and friend, Obi-Wan represented the Jedi's absolute pinnacle without the formality that Yoda or Ki-Adi Mundi presented.

Damn...maybe I just messed up my whole point by mentioning the book.

Oh well, cue Duel of the Fates...