There’s a new, bold claim out there that Star Wars fatigue has firmly taken hold of the Star Wars fan base. Fans, one writer claims, have basically had enough of the galaxy far, far away…. Except for those wanting to bring Ben Solo back. (That, of course, is silly for a number of reasons. I still stand by my statement from this time last year that Kylo Ren/Ben Solo could not survive The Rise of Skywalker.) As usual, however, there’s a flaw in analyzing Star Wars as a whole by only considering the feature films. Look a little further, a little deeper, and I think you’ll find fervor for the franchise remains as strong as ever.
Don’t believe me? Google two, simple words: “Baby Yoda.” Or the words “The Mandalorian.” Or, better yet, “The Clone Wars.” The sheer volume of hits you’ll get on these three things will give you a clear indication that Star Wars fatigue is far from darkening the fandom’s doorstep. No, Jon Favreau’s brilliance in providing superb, live-action tie-ins to Dave Filoni’s masterful, animated features only seems to have reinvigorated the fan base, not the contrary.
Is there really such a thing as Star Wars fatigue?
Yes, it’s true that the forty-plus year, episodic era of Star Wars has come to a close. And yes, perhaps some fans are numb to the end of the Skywalker saga. And why shouldn’t they be? The Rise of Skywalker brought to close something that so many of us have embraced for most of our lives. It’s natural for the loss of something to which we’ve been accustomed to be numbing. But does that equate to Star Wars fatigue? Not hardly.
The Internet is already abuzz with speculation over The Mandalorian Season 2. Likewise, fans cannot wait for The Clone Wars to return February 21st. And if you’re a Star Wars have and aren’t aware of the goings on regarding the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, well, you might want climb out from under your rock. And don’t forget – Star Wars feature films return in 2022. Reddit and other social media outlets are already running rampant with speculation and theories of what the next films will feature.
Star Wars fatigue? I think not.
(Thanks to Cinema Blend for the inspiration. )