In 1977, I went to see a movie called Star Wars and liked it very much. Forty years later, I went to see The Last Jedi and liked it very much. Checking the internet for film discussions, I was disappointed to see that many people did not like the new movie. But I was not surprised. The most avid Star Wars fans have always been known for hating Star Wars, unlike fans of, say, the Harry Potter movies or Star Trek. What makes this fandom different?
Star Wars was quite unique as a film franchise that actively encouraged engagement from its fans. Little wonder, then, that Lucas' later decisions, from the infamous Holiday Special to the Ewoks to Caravan of Courage, caused so much debate and consternation among fans. By the time Return of the Jedi came out, kids had played with their Star Wars toys for years. They'd already formulated an entire sequel to The Empire Strikes Back in their heads. Little wonder that what emerged in cinemas could never quite match up.
The majority of those fans who are daily internet users now were introduced to Star Wars as children, leading to the cries of "you ruined my childhood!" with every new installment. In short, Star Wars fans feel ownership of the franchise. Read how all this came to be at Den of Geek.